Surrounded by authentic Canarian banana plantations, overlooking the ocean, the family-friendly Ritz-Carlton Abama fuses the allure of a North African mountain citadel with the style and facilities of a contemporary resort.

The captivating architectural style encompasses secret gardens, shaded patios, and seductively designed swimming pools.

Ritz-Carlton Abama has emerged as Tenerife’s landmark destination, for its tempting restaurants, from the Michelin-starred Abama Kabuki fusion restaurant to gourmet dining by acclaimed Chef Martín Berasategui. There’s also the family friendly Verona Italian restaurant, and El Mirador, set on a bluff overlooking the ocean towards Gomera.

Families will appreciate the Ritz Kids club and the dedicated pools, while couples will love the secluded beach and the luxury spa.

The Canary Islands are blessed with a temperate climate, often described as an eternal spring. Whether winter or summer, the chances are you get plenty of sunshine throughout your stay on the islands. Tenerife, the largest and most populous island of the archipelago offers a remarkably stable climate with average temperatures that make it a year-round destination for sun. What’s more, the diversity of microclimates means that even if you have some days of showers or cloud you can more than likely escape them with a short drive.

Unsurprisingly, Tenerife is the international go-to destination for an island break in the sun and has a diverse choice of accommodation, including the elegant, yet relaxed Ritz Carlton Abama writes Andrew Forbes.

Gastronomic Destination

The resort is, without doubt, a gastronomic destination; with some of the best dining in Tenerife. 

TXOKO

Chef Martín Berasategui, awarded the most Michelin stars of any chef in Spain, sets the tone with fine dining at Txoko. Characterised by Berasategui’s signature inventiveness, profound understanding of flavour and deep respect for ingredients, the restaurant, led by Chee Erlantz Gorostiza, offers a contemporary dining experience inspired by traditional Basque cuisine.

KABUKI

Kabuki with a Michelin star is the resort’s Japanese fusion restaurant, with a range of different spaces providing subtly different experiences, as well as spectacular views across the resort and the Atlantic Ocean. The attention to detail in the menu and the exquisite fusion of flavours defines every dish, creating unforgettable experiences. 

VERONA

The choice continues with Verona, showcasing authentic Mediterranean and Italian cuisine. The restaurant includes a terrace overlooking the water gardens, offering couples and families a choice of seating areas. Service is warm and friendly, reflecting Tenerife and Ritz Carlton Abama’s commitment to the guest experience. The details are all there, from the authentic, premium extra virgin olive oil, homemade breads, and tasty appetisers. The Italian kitchen is one of the most delicious in the world, and here you’re set to enjoy a superb example of the cuisine – compliments to Chef Iratxe. 

EL MIRADOR

El Mirador offers dining with an unforgettable location. Set on a bluff, with panoramic views across the Atlantic Ocean towards La Gomera island, this beautiful restaurant is overseen by chef César González, specialising in locally sourced seafood as well as dishes such as Paella and Arroz Cardoso and Canarian Terramar cuisine. The terrace is the perfect place for golden hour cocktails.

Elegant yet informal, the dining experience is family-friendly yet not short on style. From the handmade butter and rustic bread to the seafood starters and tasty rices, this is a tempting opportunity to enjoy island cuisine including Tenerife wines. 

Accommodation

The resort is like a small village, with terracotta buildings built around pools, patios and water gardens filled with palms and flowering plants. The feeling is exotic, with a distinctive architectural style that uses towers, domes and walkways that are evocative of a North African citadel. 

Families with children can choose areas close to amenities whilst couples looking for a more tranquil stay can opt for the charming Persian Gardens, with rooms overlooking a calming garden that draws to eye towards the horizon and across the water to the neighbouring island of Gomera. 

Our Persian Gardens suite was so inviting, with its light-filled spaces, large living and dining area, and separate bedroom with a 4-poster king bed. A terrace ran the full length of the suite with seating and sun beds. I can highly recommend this accommodation. 

Pool & Beaches

Of course, the climate is probably the biggest draw for visitors to Tenerife. Expect all the amenities and facilities to enjoy the island’s ’eternal spring’ with golf, tennis, a choice of pools as well as a private beach reached by the resort’s funicular railway. 

The Ritz Carlton Abama is a large property, so to make getting around easier with a family there’s a resort ‘train’ that connects the different areas, including the Marador restaurant and the private beach. 

Spa

On this trip, I didn’t have the opportunity to try a treatment, but I did enjoy the wet areas with the hydrotherapy pools. A well-equipped and elegant space opening onto gardens. Very friendly team.

Exploring Tenerife

Ritz Carlton Abama Tenerife offers everything you might desire for both a romantic getaway or a fun-filled family break. Yet I do recommend hiring a car, so you can explore the island of Tenerife. There is so much to this destination beyond the resorts and beaches.

If you make just one trip then it has to be to see mount Teide. You don’t need a car for this visit, as the hotel’s concierge can arrange a tour. But I really love exploring at my own pace and the drive up the volcano is really memorable. The largest protected area of the Canaries, the Teide National Park cannot fail but to impress and inspire. The drive up, through graceful forests of Canarian pines and otherworldly landscapes of craters and lava flows, builds anticipation for one’s arrival at Mount Teide, the highest peak in Spain (about 3,718 metres). There are plenty of hiking trails, places to stop to enjoy scenic vistas, and even a cable car that will take you to almost the summit (remember to book in advance. You can hike the last part to the very summit, but you too to book a permit).

It’s no secret that the Canary Islands are a volcanic archipelago, created as a fault in the earth’s crust raptured spewing out molten rock. Each time the fault moved, a new island was created, resulting in the archipelago. It’s this extraordinary, and violent history that has created some of the most compelling landscapes in the world, and Tenerife, as the biggest island in the group, is breathtaking.

Closer to the Ritz Carlton Abama is the coastal village of Los Gigantes. This is one of the island’s most popular Instagram spots, with a view of the immense, 600-metre-high black cliffs, known as the devil’s wall. At the foot of the cliffs is the small Los Guios black sand beach, perfect for an afternoon laze in the sun.

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