We drove around Tenerife twice, with La Palma and La Gomera squeezed in between. In our campervan we slept high up on Mount Teide and right below the cliffs of Los Gigantes, we wandered the old streets of Garachico and La Laguna, and we also ended up on the Costa Adeje, which we were keen to leave again fairly quickly. Few islands have this many faces. So where you stay pretty much decides which Tenerife you get to see.
Our hearts lie in the north and northwest: historic villages, a wild ocean and green mountains. If sunshine, a sandy beach and a pool are top of your list, the south is the better bet. Not sure where to stay in Tenerife? Below we share the 12 best areas, what we thought of each one, and the hotels we would book ourselves.
Where to stay in Tenerife at a glance
- Best for historic charm: Garachico (our favourite: Hotel LIVVO La Quinta Roja)
- Best for a first trip with lots of variety: Puerto de la Cruz (our favourite: Hotel Tigaiga)
- Best for a small historic town: La Orotava (our favourite: Hotel Alhambra)
- Best for city life and trips to Anaga: La Laguna (our favourite: La Laguna Gran Hotel)
- Best for cliffs and sunsets: Los Gigantes (our favourite: Klayman Diamond Aparthotel)
- Best for sleeping among the volcanoes: the Teide area (our favourite: Parador de Las Cañadas del Teide)
- Best for a city break with museums: Santa Cruz (our favourite: Hotel Emblemático Hi Suites)
- Best for wind, surfing and a laid-back vibe: El Médano (our favourite: Hotel Médano)
- Best for a long winter sun stay: Los Cristianos (our favourite: Hotel Reveron Plaza)
- Best for beachfront luxury: Playa del Duque (our favourite: Bahía del Duque)
- Best for sun with everything within walking distance: Fañabé (our favourite: Adrián Hoteles Jardines de Nivaria)
Is it better to stay in the north or south of Tenerife?
Ask us and we’ll send you north. That’s where you’ll find the streets of Garachico and La Laguna, the green Anaga mountains and the rugged coast around Los Silos. The weather is more changeable, though. The trade winds push the clouds against the northern slopes, so it’s cloudier more often and it can rain. That’s also why the north is so green.
If you’re mainly after sun, beach and a pool, the dry south is the better match. For us, Los Gigantes was the best of both: sunshine and sea, with the kind of coastline you actually come to Tenerife for. Can’t decide? Then simply split your stay between two places.
Is one base enough in Tenerife?
For a week, one base works fine, as long as it’s close to the things you want to do. Tenerife is bigger than it looks, and with all the mountains and winding roads you’re on the road for an hour before you know it. Driving from Garachico to Anaga, for example, takes well over an hour.
Got ten days or more? Then combine a base in the north with a few nights in the south or west, like Puerto de la Cruz and Los Gigantes. A rental car gives you the most freedom, especially if you’re staying somewhere rural. Without a car, pick a central spot such as Puerto de la Cruz, La Laguna or Santa Cruz, where buses and the tram take you a long way.
The easiest place to pick up a rental car is the airport. Discover Cars compares the big rental companies in one search, so you can quickly see who has the best deal.
→ Rent a car in Tenerife with Discover Cars
The 12 best areas to stay in Tenerife
Here are our favourite places to stay in Tenerife, from north to south. For each one we tell you what we thought of it and which hotels we’d book. All hotels score 8 or higher on Booking, and we always mention it when a hotel is adults only.
#1 Garachico: our favourite village in Tenerife
Wooden balconies, a square lined with café tables and a coastline of black lava rock: Garachico was the Tenerife we’d been looking for. The natural pools of El Caletón were closed after a storm when we visited. So we strolled through the village, the tiny botanical garden and along the coast, and then queued for ice cream at the place with the wildest flavours. Our daughter went for prickly pear. Sebastiaan accidentally picked Roquefort.
Garachico is small, so after a day out you just walk from your hotel to dinner on the square. It’s a handy base for Los Silos, Masca and the Teno mountains, and Mount Teide is an easy day trip too. Looking for nightlife or a sandy beach every day? Then you’re better off elsewhere. And since the rock pools close when the waves are high, a hotel with a pool is no luxury here.
#1 Hotel LIVVO La Quinta Roja is a restored manor house right on the village square, with wooden ceilings and an inner courtyard. Step outside and you’re in the heart of the old town.
#2 Hotel San Roque blends a historic building with modern art, bold design and a pool in the patio. A special place for couples, as this hotel is adults only.
#3 Hotel El Patio sits just outside Garachico near El Guincho, on an old estate surrounded by banana plantations, with a large garden and a pool. It doesn’t get much quieter, but you will need a car to drive into the village for dinner.
→ Discover the 8 best places to visit in Garachico
#2 Puerto de la Cruz: the most versatile base
Puerto de la Cruz is a proper holiday resort, but one with a real town wrapped around it. There are black beaches and good playgrounds for the kids, and in the old fishing quarter of La Ranilla you’ll find street art on every corner. What stuck with us most was the ocean. It was so wild during our visit that swimming wasn’t even on the table. For a dip, you’re often better off at the seawater pools of Lago Martiánez or your hotel pool.
As a base, Puerto de la Cruz is hard to beat. La Orotava, Garachico and Mount Teide are all within an hour’s drive, and without a car the buses get you a long way. Stay in the old town if you want to walk to dinner in the evening. The higher neighbourhoods around Parque Taoro are greener and quieter, but it’s an uphill walk home after dinner.
#1 Hotel Tigaiga sits among the tropical gardens of Parque Taoro, with a pool and views over the town and the ocean. It’s a steep walk down to the centre, and an even steeper one back up.
#2 Puerto Azul is a simple, bright hotel in the old town, with La Ranilla and Plaza del Charco around the corner. Ideal if you mostly want to be out exploring and just need a place to sleep.
#3 Hotel Vallemar is on the seafront promenade, right across from the seawater pools of Lago Martiánez. The hotel has its own rooftop pool with sea views.
#4 Hotel Botánico y Oriental Spa Garden is the classic luxury address in Puerto de la Cruz, next to the botanical garden, with large gardens and several pools. The extensive Oriental Spa is open to guests aged 16 and over.
→ Discover the 20 best places to visit in Puerto de la Cruz
#3 La Orotava: a historic town above the sea
La Orotava sits on the hillside above Puerto de la Cruz, yet it feels like another world. Steep lanes lined with manor houses and wooden balconies, grand churches and the famous Casa de los Balcones make its old town one of the prettiest on the island. During the day you’ll share it with plenty of day trippers, but if you stay the night, you also get to see the town in the calm of the early morning.
You’re closer to Mount Teide here than on the coast: the road up to the volcano literally starts in town. The sea is a fifteen-minute drive away, and because of the altitude it’s often a bit cooler than in Puerto. Pick La Orotava if you love historic streets, and pair it with a few nights on the coast if you want the ocean nearby too.
#1 Hotel Alhambra is a characterful manor house in the old town, with classically furnished rooms, elegant bathrooms and an outdoor pool. This is the kind of place you come to La Orotava for.
#2 Hotel Rural Victoria is set in a restored sixteenth-century house with fewer than fifteen rooms around a patio. Small and personal, with the lanes of the old town right outside the door.
#3 Hotel Rural Orotava is a historic house with original furniture, an inner courtyard and an old wine cellar. It feels more like staying in an old family home than in a hotel.
#4 La Laguna: Spanish town life with Anaga on your doorstep
La Laguna felt like a real Spanish town to us. Colourful facades with wooden balconies, shopping streets full of locals and plenty of cafés for a slow start to the day. The historic centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and you can see why. On a rainy morning we took the kids to the Museo de la Ciencia y el Cosmos, a science museum where touching everything is the whole point.
If you want to explore Anaga, La Laguna is the handiest place to stay. The mountain road through Anaga is narrow and it was packed with rental cars when we were there, so set off early. The tram also gets you to Santa Cruz in no time. Being higher up, it’s often cooler and cloudier here than on the coast, and there’s no beach around the corner.
#1 La Laguna Gran Hotel pairs a historic facade with a bright inner courtyard and a rooftop pool. You’re right in the old centre, so your evening stroll starts at the front door.
#2 Laguna Nivaria Hotel & Spa is a historic manor house on Plaza del Adelantado, one of the loveliest squares in town. The spa is open to guests aged 16 and over.
#3 Il Sogno di Gio de la Laguna is a small place with an Italian touch and a sun terrace, just outside the historic core. This hotel is adults only.
→ Discover the 10 most stunning places in Anaga
#5 Los Gigantes: cliffs and sunsets
Los Gigantes is really a big resort town full of hotels and apartments, but it’s nicely done and the cliffs make up for everything. You get the best view of those towering rock walls from the little black beach, where we had a great swim. We stayed the night so Sebastiaan could climb up to a viewpoint for sunset. We’d recommend it to anyone.
Expect restaurants, souvenir shops and boats cruising along the coast. Even so, Los Gigantes felt a lot nicer to us than the Costa Adeje. Also have a look at neighbouring Puerto de Santiago, where you’ll find lots of apartments. Do keep the hills in mind, as many hotels are built against the slope, and parking in the centre is tricky.
#1 Klayman Diamond Aparthotel is an aparthotel higher up the hill, with your own kitchen and a pool overlooking the sea. After an evening at the harbour, a proper climb awaits.
#2 Ona Las Rosas has apartments with a kitchen and terrace around a pool in Puerto de Santiago. Handy if you don’t feel like eating out every night.
#3 Ona el Marqués is a larger apartment complex with a pool and a restaurant. Practical for longer stays, when space matters more than style.
#4 Barceló Santiago sits on the edge of the cliffs, with pools looking out over the rock face. This large hotel is adults only.
→ Discover the 8 best things to do in Los Gigantes
Around Los Silos, Tenerife suddenly goes quiet. The coast is all black lava rock with the ocean crashing against it, plus natural pools that turn clear and blue on calm days. We found them closed after a storm, but the walk along the rocky shore was worth the drive anyway. And next to the black beach lies a huge whale skeleton.
Here you sleep among the banana plantations, in old haciendas with a garden and a pool. Worth knowing: the best places in this corner are all adults only. Travelling with kids? Then look at Hotel El Patio near Garachico, ten minutes away. You’ll need a car either way, and for more choice of restaurants you’ll drive to Garachico.
#1 Hotel Rural La Casa Amarilla is a yellow hacienda among the banana plantations, with a large garden, a pool and views of both sea and mountains. This hotel is adults only.
#2 Hacienda La Dehesa is a small hacienda near Buenavista del Norte where you can do your own cooking. This one is adults only too.
#3 Hacienda del Conde is a luxury resort with a spa, several pools and a golf course on the doorstep, for anyone who wants the peace of the northwest with plenty of comfort. Guests must be at least 16.
→ Discover 15 hidden gems in Tenerife
#7 The Teide area and Vilaflor: sleeping among the volcanoes
We spent four days up on Mount Teide and could easily have stayed longer. We hiked the loop around the Roques de García, walked around the black volcano of Arenas Negras, and Sebastiaan climbed from Las Lajas up to the rim of the caldera. We slept in our campervan at the official camping spots, but you can also stay in a hotel right inside the national park.
The big advantage: you’re at the trailheads early in the morning, before the tour buses roll in, and at night you get one of the best starry skies in Europe. On the other hand, at over 2,000 metres it gets cold at night and there’s nothing else to do around your hotel. We’d stay one or two nights. Vilaflor, one of the highest villages in Spain, sits just below the park and has a bit more choice.
#1 Parador de Las Cañadas del Teide is the only hotel inside the national park, with the Roques de García within walking distance. The rooms are classic, the location is one of a kind.
#2 Hotel Spa Villalba is a peaceful mountain hotel on the edge of the forest near Vilaflor, with a spa and a pool among the pine trees. This hotel is adults only.
#3 Ziggy’s Mountain Retreat is a laid-back place in the village of Vilaflor, with a garden, a shared lounge and family rooms. Simpler than the other two, but a good pick for families.
→ Discover the 10 best places to visit in El Teide National Park
#8 Santa Cruz: a real city with museums
We ended up in Santa Cruz when we fled a storm to the east coast. Behind the breakwaters we could still go for a swim, and on the rainy days that followed we visited the natural history museum MUNA, an art museum and lots of playgrounds. Santa Cruz is a real city, with offices, shopping streets and traffic, and very little holiday feel.
For a few nights, that’s no problem at all. Without a car you’re well placed here: the tram takes you to La Laguna, and buses run to Anaga and Playa de las Teresitas, the golden sandy beach north of the city. If holiday vibes are what you’re after, we’d stay in La Laguna or Puerto de la Cruz and visit Santa Cruz as a day trip.
#1 Hotel Emblemático Hi Suites has modern suites in a historic building right in the centre. There are family rooms too, handy if you want to add a few city days to your trip with kids.
#2 Hotel Taburiente sits next to the leafy Parque García Sanabria and has a rooftop pool. A nice mix of city and downtime.
#3 Iberostar Heritage Grand Mencey is a stately hotel in Canarian style, with a garden, a pool and a spa. It’s bigger than the other two, but with enough space to spend an afternoon at the hotel as well.
#9 El Médano: wind, surfers and Montaña Roja
El Médano is Tenerife’s surf village. There’s almost always a strong breeze, which draws windsurfers and kitesurfers from all over the world. We mainly came for Montaña Roja, the red volcanic cone next to the village. At its foot lies a lovely beach, and in the rock pools we spent ages crab spotting with the kids. It was so windy that we got a kite up in the air straight away.
The village is laid-back and informal, with a promenade full of surf shops and cafés and a far more relaxed feel than the big resorts. You do have to like wind, though: a perfect day for a kitesurfer might just mean sand in your book. Tenerife South Airport is close by, so El Médano also works well for your first or last night. There aren’t many hotels here, as most visitors stay in apartments.
#1 Hotel Médano has a terrace that juts out over the ocean like a pier, with the beach and the centre right next door. The location alone makes you want to stay here.
#2 Playa Surf CBbC Hotel is on the beach by the watersports zone, with a saltwater pool for days when the sea is too rough. This hotel is adults only.
#3 Apartamentos Los Delfines has apartments with a kitchen and a shared pool in Arenas del Mar, just outside the busy village centre. This place is adults only as well.
#10 Los Cristianos and Playa de las Américas: winter sun for longer stays
We found Los Cristianos hugely touristy and busy. Still, it feels different from the rest of this coast. It started out as a fishing village, people actually live here, and the ferries to La Gomera leave from its harbour. You’ll mostly see long-stay winter visitors who come for weeks or months, rather than people on a one-week all-inclusive break.
Playa de las Américas, which runs straight into it, is the opposite: it’s all about nightlife and late evenings. Want beaches, shops and restaurants within walking distance and don’t mind the crowds? Then Los Cristianos works well. Do check exactly where your hotel is when you book. A room near the party strip of Las Américas makes for a very different holiday than a place on the bay of Los Cristianos.
#1 Hotel Reveron Plaza is a classic family hotel in the middle of Los Cristianos, a few minutes’ walk from the beach. For a swim with a view, head up to the rooftop pool.
#2 Klayman Olivina Aparthotel has apartments with a kitchen and a heated rooftop pool with a bar. A good choice if you’re staying a bit longer.
#3 Sir Anthony is an upmarket hotel on Playa del Camisón, with an outdoor pool and the beach on your doorstep. You’re on the quieter side, just away from the busiest nightlife streets.
#4 Vanilla Garden Boutique Hotel has rooms around a pool, close to the nightlife of Las Américas. This hotel is adults only and suits a lively holiday.
#11 Playa del Duque: luxury resorts on a well-kept beach
The Costa Adeje isn’t our Tenerife. The whole area feels purpose-built, with English pubs, souvenir shops and massage parlours, and we were keen to leave fairly quickly. But if a beautiful hotel with the beach and a pool close by is what you want, Playa del Duque is the most polished stretch of this coast.
Around El Duque you’ll find the big luxury resorts, with gardens, spas and a promenade for an evening walk by the water. You’ll pay more than elsewhere on the island and you’re clearly in resort land. In return you get plenty of comfort and lots of sunshine. Small boutique hotels are hard to find here.
#1 Bahía del Duque is almost a village of its own, with gardens, several pools and buildings in Canarian style. Playa del Duque is right in front of the door.
#2 Vincci Selección La Plantación del Sur is a colonial-style resort with a spa, higher up the slope above El Duque. That gives you great views, but it’s a short walk to the beach.
#3 Iberostar Selection Anthelia has family rooms and several pools, and sits between Fañabé and Playa del Duque. A comfortable pick for a family holiday.
#4 JOIA Salomé by Iberostar has suites with balconies and shares the extensive facilities of the resort next door. This luxury address is adults only.
→ Discover the 15 best things to do in Costa Adeje
#12 Fañabé and Torviscas: sun and everything within walking distance
A beach day, a drink on a terrace and a boat trip tomorrow: around Fañabé and Torviscas it’s all a few minutes’ walk away. The promenade links the beaches, and boats leave from the marina at Puerto Colón. For lots of people that’s exactly the holiday they’re after, and there’s nothing wrong with that.
It wasn’t really for us, with the same restaurants, souvenir shops and happy hours everywhere you look. Choose this stretch of coast if convenience and sunshine come first. If you’d rather have historic streets and everyday Canarian life, the north is a better fit.
#1 Adrián Hoteles Jardines de Nivaria sits behind the Fañabé promenade, with tropical gardens, pools and a spa. Spend the day at the hotel and stroll straight onto the coastal path in the evening.
#2 Flamingo Suites Boutique Hotel is one of the few true boutique hotels on this coast, with classically furnished suites around a heated pool. Every suite has a kitchen and some even have a private pool.
#3 Iberostar Selection Sábila is a modern hotel between Fañabé and Torviscas, with the promenade and restaurants around the corner. This hotel is adults only, for guests over 16.
#4 Hyatt Ziva Jardín Tropical Tenerife stands out with its white architecture and lush gardens, close to Puerto Colón. You might still know it by its old name, Dreams Jardín Tropical.
More tips for your trip to Tenerife
Our pickStill looking? Browse all hotels in Tenerife on Booking.com
Heading up Mount Teide or into the Anaga mountains? Rent a car with Discover Cars and compare the big rental companies in one go.
No flight yet? Compare flights to Tenerife South or North.
Riding the cable car up Mount Teide? Book your Teide tour with cable car straight from Volcano Teide, the official operator.
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