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The ttgluxury Experience to Tenerife
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 ttgluxury has launched a series of fam trips called the ttgluxury Experience, where we take premium travel professionals to truly experience the luxury side of key destinations.
Our first trip was to Anguilla (find out more here) in the summer, and for our autumn trip we experienced the luxury side of Tenerife.
WHEN: September 16-20, 2009
WHO WENT: Karen Millbourn, Spear Travels; Jody Walding, Thomas Cook; Lisa Hood, Barrhead Travel; Ray Quintanta Rodriguez, Tenerife Sun Vacations; Julie Savill, Travel Counsellors; Emily Sanders, Travel Places; Sue McAlinden, Wexas
WITH: Raquel Fonseca, Tenerife Tourism and April Hutchinson, ttgluxury
“This was my first visit to Tenerife and I was surprised with all the island has on offer, especially in the north. I will now feel more comfortable selling it as a winter-sun destination and be able to more confidently recommend it to my upmarket clients - before I would only book it on their request rather than offering it as a suggestion. There are definitely many aspects that will appeal to luxury clients and it certainly appears to be going that way. I particularly enjoyed the gastronomy side of things and was extremely surprised and impressed with the quality of the food and wine. It was the most well-organised and balanced fam trip I’ve ever been on.”
Julie Savill, Travel Counsellors
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About the trip
Long seen as a cheap-and-cheerful package holiday destination, Tenerife has been quietly taking a more upmarket niche for itself in recent years.
Shaking off perceptions of old, the island now offers a massive number of luxury hotel rooms, predominantly around Costa Adeje in the south, the part of Tenerife where most British people go and nearest to the international airport. But the route from the airport bypasses the high-rises of Playa de las Americas and heads straight to five-star hotels such as Gran Hotel Bahia del Duque, Vincci La Plantacion del Sur and Abama, the hotel managed by Ritz-Carlton, all of which were visited on this trip.
But what’s really surprising about Tenerife is the diversity. The largest of the Canary Islands, visitors can go hiking in the green foothills of Mount Teide, Spain’s highest peak and an other-worldly landscape that was recently the setting for filming of Warner Bros remake of Clash of the Titans. It’s also a great idea to check out charming seaside towns such as Garachico, or go whale watching alongside the coast and looking to La Gomera.
Not forgetting wine tasting in the Orotava Valley in the lush north, and a visit to Casa Museo del Vino El Sauzal, a restored farmhouse from the 17th century, which gives an insight into the wine producing industry. Trying the gastronomy of the island is a must, whether in local restaurants or in the hotels, such as the Michelin-starred M.B. restaurant at Abama or the cuisine of Danny Garcia at the Gran Melia Palacio de Isora Gran, a stunning new resort on the island.
Meanwhile, the capital city of Santa Cruz now offers tonnes of culture and local colour, and is a world away from the brash ‘chips-and-beer’ image of Playa de las Americas.
To promote the luxury side of the island, Tenerife Tourism operates Tenerife Select as an umbrella brand for all its best hotels, restaurants and experiences, and the agents enjoyed plenty of these on the trip.
“It was a pleasure showcasing the luxury side of Tenerife to ttgluxury readers. As strategic travel partners it is very important for agents to see and experience the quality and range of our latest products, which have substantially enhanced our high-end hospitality product.”
Pia Pouw, travel industry director for Tenerife Tourism |
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Agents' guide to Tenerife
More than meets the eye
Karen Milbourn, Spear Travels
 “Over the years my perception of Tenerife was one of a place for just sun – a good choice for a short-haul winter destination and a favourite for the 18-30 age group during the summer, especially Playa de las Americas. My perception has now changed completely and I am confident to sell it as a luxury destination. The hotels are outstanding - Gran Hotel Bahia Del Duque is a beautiful resort spread across numerous buildings including villas and hotels, including my favourite, Casas Ducales (truly a hotel within a hotel). Gran Melia Palacio de Isora in Guia de Isora is an outstanding luxury resort boasting a spectacular infinity-edged swimming pool – the largest in Europe! It was lovely to see Puerto de la Cruz for myself. It is an old established resort and full of character and the town lido is quite impressive. Santa Cruz is also worth a visit for the authentic Spanish tapas bars.”
Diversity and luxury
Sue McAlinden, Wexas
 “I can now present the destination to our members with confidence, knowing that Tenerife does do luxury and does it well. We have booked £35,000-worth of business as a result of me going on the trip. For me, the highlights were whale-watching on a private yacht, sipping champagne and being served tapas prepared by your own chef. I also enjoyed the trip to the Parque Nacional de las Canadas del Teide and would love to return to do some of the walking trails. I love the fact that there is year-round sunshine too and I loved the little town of Garachico, with its public bathing lava pools and traditional feel. Further north, you can experience a more authentic Tenerife, with the smaller, more rural resorts of Garachico and Puerto de la Cruz, where the Canarians go. I really liked the rural simplicity of the San Roque Hotel in Garachico – a complete contrast to the bigger resort properties we saw on the south coast.”
Whales and sales
Lisa Hood, Barrhead Travel
 “I thought partying was the name of the game here, but there is so much more to do! I would market the five-star hotels we saw to my luxury cruise clients as a place to relax and spa and golf. I didn’t used to sell many trips to Tenerife but I will now. There are a numerous amount of luxury hotels to visit and I would class this as a luxury destination. We visited places such as Garachico, Santa Cruz and Puerto de la Cruz and being able to see the beautiful old towns with lots of history behind them and go shopping in the larger towns was great. I enjoyed the whale watching most of all. It was amazing to see them so up close and personal. It was interesting as well to visit the wine museum too and learn the history behind this tradition on the island. I enjoyed the boat trip and the nightlife most of all.”
Still surprising
Ray Quintana-Rodriguez, Tenerife Sun Vacations
 “For the last 10-15 years there have been some fantastic hotels being built in the south of Tenerife; the exclusivity of some of these hotels rivals big hotels in other European destinations. I thought it was good for the group to get out of the main tourist resorts, to see the ‘real’ Tenerife and appreciate it is much more than just a beach destination. I am from Tenerife and we specialise in the island, but there was plenty I hadn’t seen before or for a while – I enjoyed it all! I was really looking forward to staying at Abama Golf & Spa Resort and it didn’t disappoint! The food was fantastic and my room, WOW! Since I’ve returned we have booked this hotel for January 2010. We had a very nice meal and a look round Vincci La Plantacion, a hotel in Costa Adeje with a lovely pool area and spa very nice. It also opened my eyes to the potential of ‘weddings in Tenerife’ and the villas here were very nice. Gran Meliá Palacio de Isora was my favourite hotel, a good all rounder to suit all ages. The Villas in the ‘Red Level’ were absolutely fantastic. Everything had the wow factor, restaurants, pools and rooms.”
Spas and bars
Jody Walding, Thomas Cook
 “I really didn’t expect the hotels to be so luxurious and high standard. I now know how much there is to do on the island and also the different areas which can be stayed in depending on what sort of holiday you’re looking for. I personally really enjoyed cocktails at the club we visited, the boat trip, the spa time and the dining experiences. The food at the restaurant we dined in at Gran Hotel Bahía del Duque was lovely and they were very accommodating to everyone’s needs. The villas were very luxurious and private, ideal for couples. The spa was amazing! I really liked that it was outdoor so you could sun bathe and then use the spa facilities. It did seem quite expensive though. I really liked Garachico, traditional coastal Spanish town - completely different to the beach resorts we visited in the south. There was no beach but a lot of rock pools and sun bathing areas. Hotel San Roque there was small but with a very homely and friendly atmosphere. This fam was very different to ones I have been on before - I enjoyed the free time to spend in the spa and explore the hotel grounds and the beach.”
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Special thanks to:
Tenerife Select (Tenerife Tourism Coporation), www.webtenerife.com
Gran Hotel Bahia del Duque Resort, www.bahia-duque.com
Abama Golf & Spa Resort, www.abamahotelresort.com
Monarch, which offers year-round flights to Tenerife from Birmingham, Gatwick, Luton and Manchester with fares from £139 return, www.monarch.co.uk
Thanks also to:
Hotels
Gran Melia Palacio de Isora in Guia de Isora www.gran-melia-palacio-de-isora.com
Hotel La Plantacion del Sur in Costa Adeje www.vincci-hotels.com
Hotel Royal Garden Villas & Spa in Costa Adeje www.royalgardenvillas.com
Hotel San Roque in Garachico www.hotelsanroque.com
Iberostar Grand Hotel El Mirador in Costa Adeje www.iberostar.com
Food and drink
El Faro Chill Art (Costa Adeje nightclub), www.faro.chillart.org
El Regulo (Puerto de la Cruz restaurant), www.restauranteregulo.com
Casa Museo del Vino, El Sauzal (museum of wine), www.tenerife.es/casa-vino
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