Escaping the British winter

I am often asked where I would recommend for short haul, guaranteed heat during the depths of the British winter. Well…….the Canary Islands are always my ‘go to’ but sometimes unfair expectations are still of mass-tourism and large, soulless resort hotels. How things have changed. The Royal Hideaway Corales Beach in Tenerife (the adults only sister property to the more family-focused Royal Hideaway Corales Suites next door) has just 121 rooms and is branded as an ‘Experience Design’ hotel, opening just 3 years ago. Overlooking La Caleta (a quiet fishing village), on the very fringes of the bustly resort of Costa Adeje, it is perfect for those seeking a little more peace & tranquility.

The Corales Beach is an all-suite property and each room is generously sized (60sqm on average) with a full balcony (the size of a small Parisian hotel room!) and sea view. Rooms on the top (5th) floor have unobstructed views of the magnificent sunsets and a terrace whirlpool bath from which to admire them!

The Corales Suites comprises suites and villas, half of which have their own private pool (for a supplement you can experience a floating breakfast!) and all come with a fully equipped kitchen (even a washer/dryer so you don’t have a mountain of laundry when you get home!). An in-room chef, sommelier and even cocktail maker can also be arranged as a real treat.

If you were to ask what things stood out during my stay, they would be firstly the staff (we’ll come to that in a moment) and the food! The emphasis on local produce was a real surprise - until recently the wine list at the buffet restaurant exclusively featured Canarian and National vineyards. My go-to evening meal accompaniment was a delicious Hermanos Lurton Sauvignon Blanc from the Rueda region. Dairy and meat are sourced from local fincas and efforts are made to support as many nearby producers as possible. Typical delicacies I discovered were Canarian Majorero cured cheese with paprika, Sobrasada (a delicious spiced sausage from the Balearic islands) and salmorejo, a traditional soup made from tomatoes, bread & garlic. The hotel is also home to the Michelin star restaurant, El Rincon de Juan Carlos, overseen by the Padrón brothers. Their tasting menu (a 3-hour recommended experience!) costs €130 + optional wine pairings.

Although the hotel’s large, ocean-liner style structure (designed by well-renowned Tenerife architect Leonardo Omar) dominates the village backdrop, the style is beautiful white modernism, surrounded by authentic landscaping (containing birds of paradise, bottlebrushes, banana palms and various species of cactus). On a clear day you can see the peak of Mount Teide cleverly framed beneath the bridge separating the two hotel buildings.

I promised I would come back to the staff and the care they show their guests, which really does make this hotel in my opinion. From high-energy Rami in the animations team inviting you to morning yoga, aqua-biking or even aqua-pole dancing to Andres from the ‘pool concierge’, ensuring you are always well hydrated (!) and have just the right balance of sun and shade, a welcome cold towel and glass of rosé cava upon check-in and simply a regular stream of cheerful ‘holas’ whenever you pass a staff member in the resort.

I rarely stay at the same hotel twice but on this occasion we are already planning a return trip in December 2022. It’s an absolutely perfect place to recharge after a busy year in preparation for Christmas and tops up the Vitamin D levels (temperatures bobbed around the 22 degrees mark) to see through the rest of the winter! Highly, highly recommended.