In the forty or so years that I've been a regular visitor to the Canary Islands ("you should go live there!") a number of things have changed. Businesses come and go, as do the hotels, although the latter less frequently and it's usually the low end hotels that end up closing when their owners decide they're too old to do anything with.
The one thing that has seen explosive growth however, is the sheer number of five star (as rated by the Spanish authorities) hotels in the Canary Islands. Costa Adeje, one of the newer resorts of Tenerife, has more five star hotels per square mile than anywhere else on Earth. Likewise on any of the main islands you'll find a plethora of choice at the upper end of the market.
The main swimming pool and sipping happy hour complimentary bubbles at the Red Level lounge
One such five star hotel that is the one I keep coming back to, is the Gran Melia Palacio de Isora, in Tenerife. I covered the hotel, including some aerial drone footage in a YouTube video, right here, as part of my five star resort series (I'm currently working my way through as many five star Canarian resorts as I can).
Located on the edge of the very quiet town of Alcala, near Guia de Isora, it is a low(ish) rise resort built as part of parent company Melia Hotels desire to basically own tourism in a number of resorts. Fierce competition in the Canaries means that Melia will only ever be at best, a thorn in the side of arch rival Iberostar, but nevertheless Melia has a strong presence in the Canaries through its various brands such as five star Gran Melia, and lesser starred resorts such as Sol and Innside, as well as the four star brand, Melia Hotels.
One of the things that keeps bringing me back to the Palacio is simply the quality, choice and pricing of this resort.
I visit the Canaries year-round, and you can get entry level rooms here for less than 200 Euro a night. Where the magic really starts however is Melia's ultra premium "Red Level" which is a stunningly elegant experience from the minute you arrive at the hotel.
You check in at the private red level lounge, where you are given a welcome drink and choice of Canarian pastries.
You then continue on to enjoy a peaceful check in where they plan out your restaurant bookings - the hotel has seven to choose from across a range of culinary delights. From there you get a buggy ride to your room and introduced to the private red level swimming pool area.
The rooms themselves are excellent. Whether you choose a standard room or red level, they are the same, red level simply adds the privacy and upmarket side of life on the cordoned off section of the hotel.
The hotel itself sits across several acres of land so you never feel cramped. Service is, like all Canarian hotels, average on some days, great on others. But the staff here do work hard and are eager to please.
There are several swimming pools across the resort and the hotel enforces a zero towel policy ie if you bag a sunbed first thing with your towel, it'll be gone quickly as the hotel simply doesn't tolerate this. Rightly so!
That said, if you are on the red level side of the hotel, I've never had a problem getting a pool side sun bed even arriving in the afternoon.
The one thing to watch out for though is that even if you've paid the extra for red level, there are still things to pay for (the five star resorts are good at this!). Things such as the four poster bed type loungers (Bali beds) are a significant extra cost per day - but remain popular for those with more money than sense!
So, what's this red level you keep referring to?
Every five star rated hotel in Tenerife has a premium level, that sits above their standard rating. It can be expensive but it almost always offers that super premium experience.
Gran Melia call it 'Red Level' and here's what it offers:
- Separate check in house
- Complimentary soft drinks / pastries
- Separate breakfast service / location
- Happy hour daily with included alcohol
- Roped off private area incl. private pool
- Separate, complimentary car parking
- Dedicated red level staff for meal bookings etc
- Executive lounge
How much is it?
Around 100 Euro extra per night, per room, but it varies tremendously by season. So don't overlook red level, it's the privacy I particularly like.
Some of the delicious dishes available at the great choice of restaurants
Food is a significant part of the experience staying at the Palacio. You have no fewer than seven restaurants to choose from and I've tried them all. In no particular order, the asian themed restaurant, Nami, offers various high quality dishes from all across Asia. Likewise, if you fancy a steak (and locally sourced Canarian steaks are excellent), then book at the Duo restaurant. In the summer months Duo is outdoor and meals are prepared on the authentic coal fired barbecue - the aroma certainly puts you in the mood to eat meat!
After dinner you can head over to the massive open air bar for drinks. Service here can be painfully slow so don't be scared to wave your hands and make yourself known to the bar staff if you're not getting served or your drinks are taking too long to arrive!
With the quality of the room, dining and overall ambience of the hotel, you can imagine why I keep returning to this hotel, despite having tried most of the other five star resorts across the islands.
It is true to say that pricing varies tremendously by season, but don't forget that the Canary Islands are a year round destination.
In general, what you'll experience at the Palacio is a well maintained, five star resort with a reasonable price tag. Do bear in mind though, that the definition of five star varies around the world.
It's a decent place to stay though.
Conclusion:
The Gran Melia Palacio de Isora is like any other five star rated hotel in the Canaries in the sense that it sits on a lot of land, employs a lot of people to make sure you're having a great time, but service isn't always up to scratch (I haven't found a Canarian hotel yet which hasn't left service to be desired).
Pricing starts around 120 Euro a night but for the red level side of life, budget for around 250-300 a night, depending on season. Not only do you have a huge choice of room - anything up to suite with balcony jacuzzi, you're also at the mercy of seasonal demand.
Overall though, if what you are looking for is a really nice hotel, not far off opulent, with the quietness that Guia de Isora brings and a short 45 minute drive from the south airport, you could do a lot worse than to try out the Palacio de Isora. I can't get enough of the place!
Directions:
From Tenerife South (TFS) airport, the hotel is about a 45 minute drive up the main TF-1.
It's an easy drive and you'll pass the main resorts of Playa de Las Americas and Costa Adeje on your left, as you drive north a bit further up the TF-1 until you reach junction 87. Take this exit, and on to the TF-46 towards Alcala. Drive through the small town of Alcala where you'll find a roundabout. Take the second exit and you'll come to a large open car park. You can park here, or if you're a red level guest, drive past the hotel on your left where you'll come to a t-junction. Take a left turn here, drive down and you'll see the red level check in house / lounge on your left. At check in they'll give you a key card to operate the complimentary underground car park.
If you're not staying in red level, the hotel does have an underground car park at the front of reception, but there's a daily charge of 15 Euro.
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