A taste of paradise (From The Northern Echo)

A taste of paradise

11:10am Saturday 27th February 2010 in

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Known for cheap booze and partying punters, Tenerife is upgrading its image with a range of exclusive hotels for the high-end traveller. Hannah Stephenson investigates.

SIPPING a margarita on a shady terrace fringed by palm trees, overlooking a vast expanse of crystal clear, glistening blue water, I could have been in the Caribbean, the Maldives or any number of exotic, far-flung destinations.

The bright pinks and purples of cascading bougainvillea, tropical cannas with big, blousey red and orange flowers plus banana plants bearing great hands of fruit underneath giant leaves all heightened the sense of the exotic.

Far from the dull October drizzle of home, I was actually in Tenerife, land of cheap booze, “full English”

breakfasts and partying punters – a tourist hotspot sullied by overdevelopment and bad behaviour, mostly by visitors, over the years.

Tenerife, however, wants a new reputation to lure discerning travellers back to its sun-kissed shores.

The largest of the Canary Islands off the coast of north-west Africa, this Spanish isle has a temperate climate year round, rivalling destinations such as Dubai and The Gambia for weather, with flights from Britain so much shorter.

A smattering of exclusive hotels is emerging on the west coast, far from the all-night partying of Playa de las Americas and Los Cristianos, where apartments go so far inland they swamp the surrounding hills.

Away from all that is a mecca of a very different kind – the five-star Sensatori resort on the outskirts of the little village of Alcala further up the coast, about a ten minute drive from the dramatic cliffs of Los Gigantes in the west.

It’s here that I discovered a true taste of paradise, taking in the stunning 260m infinity pool, the largest in Europe, and beyond that the shimmering Atlantic and theisland of La Gomera on the horizon.

Luxury is something Tenerife is working hard on. At Sensatori, the stunning rooms, a sea of marble flooring, sparkling chandeliers, ornate fountains, designer decor and dramatic sculptures can take your breath away.

This is Thomson’s third Sensatori complex, following others in Crete and Mexico – all part of the operator’s fightback against the DIY holiday brigade. If you don’t buy your holiday from Thomson, you won’t get into a Sensatori.

At night, fountains are lit to create a spectacular view that’s a bit Las Vegas and not very Spanish, but something of a conversation-stopper all the same. Bag a villa within its Red Level area and you get a butler and private pool of your own within your tropical garden, and an outdoor double bed under a thatched canopy for lounging near the water.

Elite hotels on Tenerife’s west coast keep upping the stakes to offer the ultimate exclusive experience.

The Gran Hotel Bahia del Duque in Costa Adeje recently bought an impressive private motor yacht for hire exclusively to clients, featuring the services of a crew and champagne all the way. It already offers airport-hotel helicopter transfers.

On a clifftop on the Guia de Isora, the distinctive Hotel Abama, ten minutes by car south of Alcala, has its own golf course and academy. Famous guests include former US president Bill Clinton and Sir Paul Mc- Cartney’s ex-wife, Heather Mills.

At the YHI spa in the Sensatori hotel, I drifted off as the therapist combined aromatherapy with hotstone massage. Guests ventured into outdoor parlours for treatments, next to the infinity pool with uninterrupted ocean views.

At one time, Michelin stars were unheard of on the island, but they are now part of the highend package. At the Sensatori’s Michelin-starred Calima restaurant, our 12-course taster menu began with dry-ice cocktails and included delicacies such as foie gras, oysters and truffle cake, accompanied by fine wines, some produced locally.

But it’s not only the hotels that are falling over backwards to spruce up this island. Last year Siam Park, a water park, opened in the south, boasting the biggest artificial waves in the world of nearly 10ft high – discerning thrillseekers have surfing lessons in the wave pool after closing time. Its surrounding beach is created with tons of silky white sand imported from Portugal.

We hired a private cabana within the park, with a balcony overlooking the wave pool to allow us the luxury of a safe TV, DVD and wi-fi connection, and mini-bar as well as comfortable loungers and an outside shower.

If you want a similar package for four, including entrance, fasttrack queuing and limited all-inclusive deal in restaurants and bars, it costs 400 euros (£360).

Ecological measures are also being stepped up to save what is left of Tenerife’s natural beauty.

Whereas tourists once strolled the quarter mile or so from the cable car to the top of Mount Teide, the island’s dormant volcano and the highest mountain in Spain at 12,198ft, they now need permits, thus reducing environmental impact on the summit.

Nearly a decade ago, anyone could take a boat from Los Cristianos to watch whales and dolphins.

Under new rules, boats must be licensed and are carefully monitored to stop whales and dolphins from becoming distressed.

Entertainment on the island has also been upgraded.

There is more culture from the Tenerife Opera House (Auditorio de Tenerife), opened in 2003 and rising out of the Atlantic like a gigantic white wave with its magnificent overhanging wing. Situated in Santa Cruz, it is home to the capital’s symphony orchestra.

Tenerife is still home to allnight party-goers, English pubs and bacon-and-eggs breakfasts after a heavy night, but if all you want is peace, quiet and serenity in the ultimate tropical setting all year, it may be closer than you ever imagined.

TRAVEL FACTS:

Hannah Stephenson was a guest of Thomson Holidays, which offers seven nights’ fullboard at the five-star Sensatori Tenerife from £758 per adult (two sharing), including flights ex-Gatwick, transfers and fuel supplement.

Thomson also goes to Tenerife via Luton, Manchester, Birmingham, Newcastle and Bristol.

Thomson reservations: 0871-236-5596 and thomson.co.uk

Freebird One organises tailormade private charters to watch whales and dolphins.

See freebirdone.com for more details.