A stone’s throw from the upmarket shopping precinct of Plaza del Duque, the five star Iberostar Grand Hotel Anthelia is well positioned on the south of the island of Tenerife – close to the beach and good quality shops, yet sufficiently far enough away from the hustle and bustle of Playa de las Americas. This was my fifth visit to Tenerife and my third to the Adeje region, and once again it didn’t disappoint.
The Iberostar Anthelia is a large hotel, with some 390 rooms divided into 5 separate zones. We had adjoining rooms in ‘Carmen’ which overlooks the kids’ club and pool, and out to the sea and the beachfront of Fañabé beyond. We arrived quite late so, after ordering from room service, had a great night’s sleep and explored the hotel the next day.
A sumptuous breakfast buffet was served in the Zeus restaurant in the morning, between the hours of 7.30am and 10.30am, so catering both for the early risers and those who enjoyed a lie-in whilst on holiday. The first morning after our arrival I noticed that ‘football’ (soccer) was available on the activity calendar. Although I was leaving it rather too late for a call-up from Fabio Capello, I turned up to a game supervised by the ever-friendly Marcus, a young German working at the hotel. It was hot, but thoroughly enjoyable with a mixture of English and Spanish players; I just hope Marcus has fully recovered from me accidentally standing on his ankle in a goalmouth incident!
Activities available at the hotel are wide and varied, with everything from cooking demonstrations and evening shows to tennis and tai chi. One of the highlights for families staying is the kids’ club and the entertainment available for children aged 4-12 years old. The club was equipped with lots of indoor and outdoor space, a small area for playing football and a small pool, and several staff on hand. Each day, all the children could participate in the day’s games and, if successful, were presented with a medal at the kids’ disco later that evening. Without exception, all the children loved the disco, learning the actions to a medley of English and German tunes, whilst parents relaxed with a drink or two before ‘Smiley’ the dog made an appearance at the end to draw the night to a close… a perfect recipe for a good night’s sleep for the whole family!
Other facilities at the hotel include multiple pools, restaurants and bars. In all, the hotel has three restaurants: Poseidon (a gourmet restaurant), Portofino (an Italian restaurant) and Zeus (a buffet restaurant). There is also the Thai Zen SPAce area which offers a new concept in wellbeing, offering yoga, meditation, massage, beauty treatments, flower baths, aromatherapy Jacuzzi, etc… you name it!
I was also lucky enough to be given a tour of Iberostar Grand Hotel El Mirador, an adults-only hotel just a little further up the coast towards La Caleta, with 120 suites. The tour took in the stunning Royal Suite for which guests pay an additional supplement of 900 euros per night. This hotel also has three restaurants, as well as a meeting room/wedding venue/cinema, and it currently shares its spa with Anthelia but will have a new spa coming soon. There is also a gym with windows with sea views that open up to a lovely sea breeze whilst you’re burning the calories.
Both hotels do what they do well. If you’re travelling with family, or perhaps in a group, you’ll enjoy the facilities and scale of Anthelia. If you’re looking for a romantic getaway – away from children – then the solitude of El Mirador will suit you down to the ground.
My thanks go to Tenerife Tourism Corporation for their assitance with the visit.
