Mention the word Tenerife and what springs to mind is a guys and girls party weekend for 18-22 year olds, on par with other destinations such as Ibiza, Faliraki, Aiya Napa and Magaluf (it ain’t tame to say the least). We got a few raised eyebrows when we first looked at heading to Tenerife, but tucked away from all the madness of Playa De Las Americas (well a quick drive by on the motorway to be precise) there is the Abama (not to be confused with a certain American President) Golf & Spa Resort.
We first visited the resort in 2011 for a week and loved it so much we recently visited it again. Going back to the same place is always done with trepidation as you can’t quite work out was it really that good, or was it so good at the time you are just hanging onto certain memories that you want to relive? Well not sure how they have done it, but the resort was not only exactly as we remembered, but it again exceeded all expectations (I am guessing that not being there in peak season helped as the lovely receptionist did tell us the place had only 50% capacity (same time as our previous visit) and maybe with all 469 rooms filled it could be a totally different experience).
Without sounding like a Trip Advisor review, in a nutshell, this resort is ideal for a relaxing holiday destination; multiple pools (plus adults only – don’t get any funny ideas of swingers, just no kids under 6), a great selection of restaurants (2 being Michelin Starred), a private beach whereby they have shipped in white sand to hide the volcanic black sand native to the rest of the island, and not being golf players ourselves one must mention they have an international-standard course which looks rather spectacular (hey it’s in the name of the place so felt we had to mention it), oh and not forgetting the impressive spa facilities, just in case you were not relaxed enough.
But what really makes a place great is the staff. Not like a London cabbie (never can find one when you want one) or a persistent shop assistant who after you mention you are fine, that you’re just browsing, they proceed to following you every step around the store! The staff at the Abama are simply fantastic, always smiling and on hand to help out whenever they are needed (which is not often unless you find your drink bordering on empty). We can’t thank them enough for making our stay that extra special.
Anyway, check it out if you’re looking for a great resort destination off the coast of Africa. Expect consistent good weather served up with some Spanish style and flair. We hope to be back by 2015…and let’s hope the Michelin Starred Japanese restaurant ‘Kabuki’ is still serving up some of those amazing dishes…quail egg with truffles were to die for and we will continue to rave about the food to anyone that will listen. This blog has made us rather depressed realising we are home and it’s currently 4 degrees outside (cue photo album to try and capture a few more precise moments, poolside with a glass of sparkling).