“Those are our founding fathers”, says Ken pointing to the row of three portraits looking down on us from their elevated status above the bookcases of the reading room. “Pointing them out is what we begin our school tours with, if we can keep the children quiet long enough to hear us.”

Keep them quiet? In a library? Surely that’s a given. But there’s no wall of silence here in the English Library in Puerto de la Cruz. Where you might expect covert whispers there’s a quiet buzz of conversation and where you might look for bespectacled librarians despotically maintaining strict cataloguing systems, you’ll find sections that shift wholesale to make way for the ever-expanding DVD library, and a hand written note pinned to a bookcase that reads “Humour has  been moved…”.

The English Library is not simply a repository for books written in the English language. For over a century it’s been a social hub for the British ex pat community for whom it has provided a source of knowledge, reading and entertainment along with a hefty helping of socialising, support and gossip exchange.

The First Edition
The first meeting of British residents of Puerto interested in the establishment of a library is recorded in ‘The English Library, A Brief History’ as being in 1900 when a Mrs Boreham, resident of the town, decided to put her habit of allowing friends and visitors to borrow books from her extensive personal collection onto a more formal footing. Ably assisted by the Parson, Reverend Humphries and the then Vice-Consul, Mr Peter Reid, the first order of books was placed, the library was named and the terms of Constitution were laid down. The following year Colonel Owen Peel Wethered pledged a donation of up to £500 including the site for a new library building. After some controversy, the proposition was accepted and work began on the building in Parque Taoro which today still houses the English Library.

I first visited the library six years ago when I was dropping off some magazines. At the time I was astonished at the existence of such an institution which appeared to occupy some parallel universe of England in the 1940s, staffed by genteel Brits who painstakingly hand wrote every title being borrowed into large ledgers while discussing the weather with their equally genteel customers. I felt as if I’d walked onto the set of a black and white Sunday matinee.

Revisiting the English Library to meet up with Ken Fisher who, until standing down at the recent AGM, has been President of the library for the past two years, some things hadn’t changed. Books were still being entered into ledgers by hand and the staff and clientele still appeared on the genteel side but there were noticeable differences. In the main reading room the large table was occupied by several people surfing the net on laptops, the bookcases on the long wall were filled with DVDs where previously video collections of TV sitcoms from the 1970s and 1980s had taken pride of place and outside, tables and chairs were busy with coffee drinkers enjoying the beautiful garden and warm sunshine.

“Is the WiFi free?” I ask Ken.
“Oh yes. In fact we have a computer support workshop now run by Peter and Mike.”
I tell Ken about my last and only visit.
“Well we only got a telephone installed two years ago when I got elected as President. I insisted,” he admits. Heady progress indeed.

The Latest Edition

Under Ken’s auspices, the English Library has taken a leap forward and newly elected President, Brian Arnold (above), is confident the library will continue to go in the right direction.
“We’re becoming a wider thinking library,” Brian tells me. “Catering to the needs of the English speaking community and finding ways to make their lives easier. We have good links with the British Consul for example and we’re a research resource for those ex-pats who over-winter in Puerto and don’t have access to WiFi or computers.”

Brian recognises that the days of being purely a lending library are behind them and that the future is bleak for the printed word.
“I believe John Lewis were selling one Kindle every 30 seconds over Christmas,” he says. “You can’t compete with that.”

Installing free WiFi and offering computer self help workshops is just one of the ways the English Library is adapting to better meet the needs of its customers. An ever growing DVD lending library is another. Unfortunately it means that the reference library is becoming less and less used but there are still some classics in there, including all volumes of the first edition Oxford English Dictionary, and the library is a valuable resource for researchers and anyone who has an interest in the history of Tenerife and of Puerto de la Cruz. They also sell novels at 50 cents and one Euro – perfect for holidaymakers who haven’t yet discovered the joys of Kindle.

Financed entirely through subscriptions and fund raising events, the English Library is run by a team of dedicated volunteers who manage not only to keep the book lending and cataloguing efficiently but also organise two coffee mornings a week (Saturdays and Wednesdays), nine or ten guest speaker events over the course of the year, a couple of hog roast garden parties and an annual dinner dance.

Finding myself engrossed in conversations with friends old and newly acquired, time slipped all too easily away at the library and I began to understand why so many people found themselves drawn to its smiling faces and familiarity. It’s like popping round to a friend’s house for coffee and a catch-up and I suspect it won’t be another six years before I return.

Epilogue
The English Library; Calle Irlanda, 5; Parque Taoro, Puerto de la Cruz; (0034) 922 383 098; open Monday & Friday 3pm-5.30pm, Wednesday & Saturday 10am-1pm. Annual membership €30, membership for those only resident for part of the year €12.
The next speaker event will be on Feb 23rd at 12 noon when guests will hear about the Churchill and Onassis visit to Puerto de la Cruz. Tickets €5 including “our world famous buffet” to quote Ken. Booking essential as all 60 places are invariably taken up.

Editor’s Note: Fresh from his revolutionising of the English Library, Ken Fisher will soon be gracing the pages of Tenerife Magazine with memories of life in Tenerife from 40 years ago. Watch this space, as they say.

In the second of our series of holiday destinations that are easily accessible from Tenerife, we turn our camera lens onto the island’s closest  African neighbour, Morocco. Just 300km (186 miles) off the coast of Tenerife, rarely has a destination been so near and yet so many worlds apart as Marrakech.

Don’t let fears about the political unrest and violence in North Africa put you off a trip to Marrakech. Morocco has a stable government and a King for whom the people have a great deal of respect. Unfortunately, the country has suffered in tourism terms as a result of the conflict in its less fortunate neighbours, the up side of which is there are many bargains to be picked up. So if you’ve ever thought about going to Marrakech – now’s the time to seize the day.

Tenerife Magazine’s Guide to Marrakech    
Jump on a bus in Playa de Las Américas, take a flight from Tenerife North airport to Marrakech and you’re about to swallow the red pill and take the rabbit hole all the way down.

From the moment you take to the road that links the airport to the city, amidst the clapped out motors, entire families precariously balanced on small motorbikes without a helmet between them, buses and cycles, the TF motorway will be a distant, tranquil dream.

Head for the famous Jemaa El Fna square where a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice will refresh you for just a few pence and let you take in your surroundings while you sip it. Spend any time in the square and you’ll quickly realise that time revolves around frequent fresh mint tea breaks, tajines for lunch and a nightly transformation of its spaces into the largest open air restaurant and street theatre this side of Beijing.

The best advice is not to try to find logic or familiarity with Marrakech, instead let yourself be taken with its foibles, sights and sounds from the five times daily call to prayer whose volume would wake the dead, to the banter of the nightly food stall holders trying to entice you onto their benches.

Shoppers, garden lovers and culture seekers will all find something to enthral and amuse them in Marrakech. Shoppers will find the Medina swallowing them up to haggle for bargains; culture seekers will love wandering its dusty palatial museums, and garden lovers have acres of scented oases to soak up.

The Museums and Medina of Marrakech
Nothing adequately prepares you for the sensory onslaught of the Marrakech medina. Through its warren of tiny alleys which all look disconcertingly alike and in which you’re pretty much guaranteed to get lost, continuously, your senses will be constantly assailed by the exotic. Everywhere you wander your eyes will be drawn by intricately crafted lamps; silver teapots with coloured glasses and ceramic spoons; soft leather bags; beautiful jewellery and wall upon wall of richly embroidered carpets and dazzling reams of cloth. Don’t be afraid to dive in there and begin to barter.

The best of the museums are the Medersa Ben Youssef and the Marrakech Museum. The Ben Youssef is a 14th century former school where students were taught the Koran. Its  endless corridors, exquisite tiles and carved sandalwood decoration are a photographer’s dream. The Marrakech Museum is a former palace which houses contemporary art exhibitions as well as historic Islamic artefacts while its tiled courtyards and domed ceilings are spectacularly splendid. Another ‘must’ on the cultural agenda are the Saadian Tombs which house the ornate tombs of over 200 members of the Saadian dynasty from the 16th century.
After all that dust and death, a breath of fresh air is called for and Marrakech has a surprising number of beautiful parks and gardens, the best of them being the Jardin Majorelle. This is a stunning exotic garden dating from the early 1920s and restored by Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé.

Where to Stay in Marrakech
If you want to enjoy your Marrakech experience to the full, opt to stay in a riad in the medina. Authentic Moroccan houses with garden courtyards, excellent home cooking and top class service, the riads are like individual boutique hotels. I recommend the rather lovely Riad Merstane in the heart of the medina but there are lots to choose from.

Food and  Drink in Marrakech
Around Jemaa El Fnaa you’ll find no shortage of restaurants whose menus all feature the ubiquitous tajine, couscous, kebabs and lamb cutlets so why not go for the full Monty experience and grab a seat at one of the benches of the food stalls in the square. Your choices may be limited and you’ll find the chef adding extra dishes for you, but the food is tasty, your wallet will love the place and as long as your stomach isn’t too delicate a flower, you shouldn’t suffer any ill effects. Just don’t watch them doing the washing up – nuff said.

Venture into the medina and you’ll discover some more bohemian settings such as Café Bougainvillea where you’ll find Italian, Moroccan and French items on the menu and a romantic courtyard setting. In the ‘new’ city of Guéliz you’ll find more International menus and generally classier establishments such as Chez Pascal and Al Fassia.

If you stay in a hotel in Guéliz you may not even be aware that alcohol is a rare commodity in Marrakech or that few restaurants in the medina have wine, beer or spirits available. For a tipple with your culture shot, head to the stylish rooftop bar of Café Arabe in the medina where ex-pats and visitors sip cocktails amongst the traditional Moroccan décor, or opt for an aerial view of the night madness of Jemaa El Fna from the rooftop terrace of Café de France.

How to get to Marrakech from Tenerife
Binter Canarias fly twice a week on Thursdays and Sundays from Tenerife North airport to Marrakech via Gran Canaria. The flight to Gran Canaria is just half an hour and then there’s a short wait before onward connection to Marrakech two and a half flying hours away. Residents’ discounts apply only on the Tenerife to Gran Canaria leg of the flight. Keep an eye on billboards and TV advertising for special offers – in summer 2011 it cost just €99 one way from Tenerife to Marrakech.

In holiday booking terms, the beginning of this week is the lull before the storm as hotels gear up for the Christmas Eve influx. But not in Hotel Las Águilas which sits calmly, both physically and metaphorically, above the shopping bedlam. Here, the hotel is currently on 80% occupancy and hurtling towards full to the brim.

As the sun sinks on the Monday before Christmas, Tenerife Magazine heads to the hotel on the hill for some early festive R&R.

A cut above the rest
Winding up the hill that leads to the Hotel Las Águilas in Puerto de la Cruz, you quickly realise that you’re not just checking into any old hotel. Set in two and a half acres of botanical gardens and woodland on its panoramic hilltop, think country estate with pools and parasols.

Inside the lobby, the marble effect walls and floors coupled with the Titian-style mural lend it an Italian classical look, but wander through to the Internet lounge and you’ll find sepia images of Native Americans. Descend the stairs to the stylish and spacious bar lounge area and it’s pop art that adorns the walls. Refreshingly devoid of the uniform look of hotel chains, the style of Hotel Las Águilas is both contemporary and traditional, an elegant simplicity bringing eclectic themes together.

View from a Hill
The sky is just beginning to glow orange as we check into reception so we take the elegant, sweeping staircase down a level, through the chic bar lounge to the beautifully manicured gardens, palm filled lawns and freeform swimming pool with its rockery waterfall, to watch as night falls gently over Puerto de la Cruz. Following the path beneath the tunnel beside the poolside restaurant, we make our way to the children’s pool and the larger swimming pool with its walk-behind waterfall where views open up across the rest of Puerto de la Cruz.

At our backs the slopes of the La Orotava Valley twinkle against the deepening sky, fading to obscurity as they reach the edge of the Teide National Park, ahead of us the Atlantic Ocean is slowly slipping from azure to cobalt blue while below, the street lights, Christmas decorations and windows of the town are gathering strength in numbers.

Over indulgence
With the sun well and truly over the yard arm, there’s just enough time to order a cold beer and try out the bar stools in the Vulcano Lounge before dinner. Resisting the temptation to order another couple of beers in the amiable company of the bar tender, we make our way to the restaurant where one look at the evening’s buffet selection has us instantly regretting the small bowl of nuts we just demolished.

Fresh and fabulous salads accompanied by cheeses, cold meats and more toppings than you could shake a lettuce at, give way to heart warming, home made chicken soup and an entire wall of piping hot, freshly made, main courses including several fish, meat and pasta options. Vegetables are fresh, meat cuts are succulent, the fish is savoury and vegetarians would be just as happy as the carnivores. The fruit and desserts section would be the undoing of even the most avid of dieters.

Half hoping that some things would be less than average when it comes to taste and I can spare my waistline a millimetre, my hopes are  dashed when everything proves to be every bit as good to eat as it is to look at.

The Essentials

Location: Atop a sizeable hill on the border of Puerto de la Cruz, La Orotava and Los Realejos so that you get some of the best views anywhere over mountain, valley and coast. Rooms at the rear of the hotel overlook the La Orotava Valley, Puerto de la Cruz and naturally, the ocean, while those at the front have widescreen vistas of Mount Teide, the Tigaiga Mountains and La Orotava Valley. Puerto centre is a 20 minute stroll or a ten minute taxi ride away and the hotel has a free, daily shuttle bus service to town.

Rooms: Former apartments, the rooms are some of the most spacious you’ll find on Tenerife with a lounge/kitchen/dining area, a large bathroom incorporating a Jacuzzi bath and a spacious bedroom with a bed so large you’ll lose each other during the night. Walls are pale lemon with floral prints, art nouveau style mirrors and lamps giving them a contemporary, simple elegance. Furniture is bleached pine with mahogany fitted wardrobes and cupboards. Double sliding doors lead from the bedroom and from the living room onto a completely private balcony large enough to house the Royal family at a State occasion.

Service: From managers to gardeners, everyone we encountered provided us with warm, friendly and efficient service. In the dining room, plates were cleared, tables cleaned and drinks served with the minimum of fuss and a smile.

Food: Any hope that the calories gained at dinner could be forfeited the following morning evaporated in the face of one of the best breakfast buffets we’ve eaten. Six varieties of cheese and six more of cold meats accompanied cereals, fresh fruit, yoghurts, jams and a baker’s dozen varieties of bread. Hot choices were too numerous to list but included such decadent goodies as churros with chocolate and pancakes with honey. You don’t have to be a guest to try the excellent food at Hotel Las Águilas, pop along at weekends for breakfast, a barbecue (Saturdays) or paella (Sundays) on its terrace.

Entertainment: The youngest guests of the hotel are treated to their own Mini Club and Mini Disco entertainment programme and once the Sandman takes them to beddy bo-bos, live cabaret keeps adult feet tapping in the Vulcano Lounge.

Overall: The winner of our current holiday competition is in for a real treat. Without doubt, one of the top hotels in Puerto de la Cruz, Hotel Las Águilas is packed to its friendly and stylish rafters with comfort and taste. Beautiful grounds, excellent food and spacious accommodation are the trademarks of this unique hotel which is ideal for families and couples.

Hotel Las Águilas, Doctor Barajas, 19; 4 stars; Puerto de la Cruz; (0034) 922 37 28 06; email reservas@hotellasaguilas.com

At the still-hot-and-sticky end of a long summer, Damien Vergez of FastFokus.com came out to Tenerife with a team of mountain bikers and all his camera and video equipment to film some of his favourite riders getting to grips with the unique landscape. Thanks to Matt at Sorted Sites, a mountain biking enthusiast who was on hand to help the film crew with their work, Tenerife Magazine caught up with Damien to find out what had brought him to Tenerife.

Many thanks to Manuel Faster Rodriguez and to Damien Vergez for these amazing images

TM: Watching your incredible video of freeride mountain biking on Tenerife, I can see that you and the riders all had a brilliant time trying out the island’s tracks and trails.  What is ‘freeriding’ and who are the top riders currently in the sport?

Damien: First, Freeride mountain biking is a state of mind, it’s type of mountain bike riding style. Freeride usually involves large drops, jumps, and manmade stunts. The trails are often accessed by shuttle or ski lift but can be pedaled as well. Freeride bikes usually have large amounts of suspension travel (180mm and more) and you can ride everywhere.
You have a lots of very good top riders in this sport and it’s difficult for me to give you names… but riders like Darren Berrecloth, Thomas Vanderham or Matt Hunter are some of my favourites

TM: Can you tell us how this project came about, where else you have filmed in the series and how you came to be in Tenerife?

Damien: It’s been almost one year since I began work on this project. I came up with this crazy idea to travel to different countries and film some amateur riders with their favorite professional rider in some of the most beautiful trails on the planet. Who hasn’t dreamt of spending time with their favorite rider/player? Regardless of our nationality, it’s something we all think about.

There is less and less snow in Europe and this sport is taking a large market share in the ski resorts. Tenerife is an ideal place for mountain biking. Weather is always good, you have big mountains, lots of awesome landscapes. Mountain biking is an incredible way to see the island of Tenerife! The island has huge potential to become a must in Europe!

TM: How much work do you have to prepare the ground for filming?

Damien:  It depends on the country and the place I am filming in. Normally I don’t need to prepare and work the trails I film because most of the time I film in ski resorts or places known worldwide like Whistler in Canada. Here in Tenerife you don’t have special “freeride” trails, only pedestrian ones.

TM: How did the bikes cope with Tenerife’s volcanic terrain?

Damien:  The Tenerife ground is very difficult for bikes and especially for tires. You need to be careful because if you go too fast you can fall directly inside a cactus… hahah

TM: Can you tell us where on Tenerife you did the filming and how long it took you?

Damien: More than 70% of the island is covered by national parks. Each national park has its own restrictions. Some, like Teide National Park, we were forbidden to use for our purposes. It was difficult to find the right places with so many restrictions. Most of our images where taken in “Parque Rural de Anaga” and “Bike Park Tenerife” (a private park in Tegueste). The filming was done over one full week.

TM: Which area of Tenerife did your riders like most and why?

Damien: Parque Rural de Anaga is really nice for mountain biking because at the same place you can find volcanic and forest trails. We also toured the island by car, and I must admit that we liked almost all places on the island. La Punta de Teno, El Teide, Vilaflor, Los Gigantes, Playa de Socorro… After mountain biking you have so many good places to visit!

TM: Would you recommend Tenerife as a good venue for freeriding and for mountain biking in general?

Damien: For sure I will! And it’s already done! I also recommend Tenerife for your holidays. Sun all the year, beach, mountains, forest… and it’s cheap! You can find pretty much all you want in the same place. It’s heaven, no?

TM: What’s your next project?

Damien: I have lots of great projects but I can’t say too much at this time. But I’m always looking for partners and customers, so if you need films or photos for action sports, feel free to contact me at fastfokus.com

TM: Thanks for chatting to Tenerifemagazine.com, Damien, and good luck with continuing to spread the word about freeriding!

Damien: Thanks to Tenerifemagazine.com for this interview. I hope to come back soon in Tenerife, it’s a wonderful place!

Faster Croquetas – EP5 from FASTFOKUS on Vimeo.

Spend your holiday season days soaking up the sun beside the tropical, rooftop pool while the Costa Adeje Gran Hotel staff work hard behind the scenes to bring you fabulous food and a full agenda of party entertainment.

With a menu that will have your decision making skills reaching for the Brandy, the La Finca buffet restaurant is celebrating Christmas Day in style with a mouthwatering selection including:

• Beef Entrecôte
• Chicken sautéed with vegetables, foie and mushrooms
• Turkey sautéed with nuts, rosemary &Oporto sauce
• Seafood paella
• Cod with mussels in white wine sauce
• Braised beef with caramelised onions
• Bites of potatoes, with spinach and goat cheese

Then there are pizzas, salmon, potatoes done every way you can imagine, Christmas pud and a chocolate fountain…and I still haven’t covered everything!

New Year’s Eve sees La Finca trying to outdo itself with another menu of creative, gourmet cuisine which could have you missing the midnight hour if the staff weren’t on hand to ensure your 12 grapes are eaten and good luck for 2012 is in the bag.

Imagine yourself facing some of these and decide what would go on your plate:

• Lobster cream with fried rice
• Rice with scarlet shrimps
• Entrecote in a reduction of caramelized onions
• Sea bass
• Beef Wellington
• Monkfish Marsala with coral sauce
• Iberian pork tenderloin with bacon and sesame
• Scallops with orange ‘pilpil’ sauce

All meals include red and white wine, sparkling cava, beers, water and soft drinks.

If you want to begin 2012 the way you hope to be spending a great deal of the rest of it – in the company of good food and fine wines – then you need to make your reservation at the Costa Adeje Gran Hotel‘s à la carte restaurant, La Laja, without delay. As diners will be going into a draw for a week’s holiday at the Costa Adeje Gran Hotel on a half board basis, your hopes could become reality before your very eyes.

La Laja’s Chef Pablo Aznar is creating a culinary storm for New Year’s Eve which is guaranteed to delight even the fussiest of gourmets. Chef Aznar will be presenting a menu which includes such epicurean delights as Miniature Pullet with Goat’s Cheese, Pineapple and Pedro Jimenez Reduction Sauce; Ravioli Stuffed with Cod, Mushrooms and Parmesan with Leek Cream and Beef Sirloin Stuffed with Foie and Figs with Crispy Garnishes. Accompanying the feast will be a selection of fine wines from Rioja and Rueda and Tattinger Champagne as well as soft drinks, beer and water.

An equally delightful menu selection has been created specially for vegetarians and one for children too so the whole family can indulge in style.

This very special New Year’s Eve dinner includes:

• A complimentary drink on arrival at the Bar Hall or Garajonay Salon
• Diners’ names will be placed into a draw for a 7 night, 2012 holiday at the Costa Adeje Gran Hotel on a half board basis
• Following dinner, a party and disco in the Bar Hall including a party pack and grapes to bring in the New Year
• Churros, chocolate and pastries from 2am

¡Buen provecho and Good Luck!

Start 2012 on a culinary high by treating yourself to a taste of the flavours of Venture Restaurants. This chic restaurant group offers five of the finest Tenerife dining experiences which showcase the best in Italian and Oriental cuisine.

Each restaurant has carefully prepared a special menu for New Year’s Eve which promises diners a night of fabulous food in stylishly cool surroundings with a healthy side order of fun to kick start the New Year. The most difficult task involved in dining at Venture Restaurants is deciding which venue to book and there is really no substitute for extensive, hands on research for settling on your favourite.

Current Tenerife Magazine pick of the crop are the chic and über stylish Restaurant 88 in La Caleta where the New Year’s Eve, four course, luxurious Oriental menu features a melange of colourful dishes with lively flavours, and represents outstanding value for money; and the fragrant Thai Botanico gourmet Thai restaurant where its exquisite, four course New Year’s Eve menu promises to take you on a culinary journey to the gentle paradise of Thailand.

Although Venture Restaurants have earned their respected reputation on Tenerife by preparing excellent cuisine at affordable prices, they’re no stick-in-the-muds when it comes to knowing how to party. Special drinks menus will be available at every restaurant offering a selection of fine wines to accompany your meal, or you can choose from the extensive wine menu and, as always, Bianco’s Restaurant will be the place to be in Playa de Las Américas with live music to keep the party atmosphere buzzing into the night.

With every restaurant in the group open every day throughout the festive season, there’s really no excuse not to give your taste buds a Christmas and New Year gift whose memory will last a lot longer than the tan. But Venture Restaurants’ reputation is no secret so if you want to avoid disappointment, don’t dither over booking.

Venture Restaurants

1st floor Commercial Centre Safari, Playa de las Americas
Tenerife, Canary Islands. Spain
Tel : 00 34 922 788697
Web : www.venturerestaurantstenerife.com/
Email : admin@venturegroup88.com

From the Christmas Eve shindig to the New Year’s Eve extravaganza, guests will be dressed to the nines and ready to party in traditional, friendly and fun, Pearly Grey style. The ever-popular, sunny, west coast resort is looking forward to another bumper season so get your booking in early and join in the festive fun.

The celebrations kick off with the Christmas Eve party which features a special Christmas buffet menu in the restaurant and a night of entertainment to follow. There’s a glass of bubbly for everyone on arrival and the bar will be open until midnight to ensure a plentiful supply of Christmas spirit.

A full, traditional roast dinner with all the trimmings will be served by Adrian and the team on Christmas Day so you can tuck into your turkey and mince pies while someone else does all the hard work and the washing up.

And to round off 2011 and say ‘Hola’ to 2012, the entertainments team are planning a gala Night At The Oscars for New Year’s Eve. A veil of mystery surrounds the details of the event and we’re sworn to secrecy but we can tell you that evening dress will be expected. So gentlemen should look out their dickie bows and ladies have an excuse to don their best evening gowns for this Hollywood-esque extravaganza.

Pearly Grey are happy to provide menus for vegetarians, children and anyone with specific dietary requirements. Just email Jayne at restaurant@pearlygrey.com and she’ll ensure your needs are met.

Pearly Grey Ocean Club

Callao Salvaje, Adeje 38678
Tenerife, Canary Islands. Spain
Tel : 00 34 922 743903
Fax : 00 34 922 741407
Web : www.pearlygrey.com
Email : restaurant@pearlygrey.com

In the shimmering heat of a Tenerife October, Tenerife Magazine checked into the Hotel Spa Villalba in Vilaflor to find out what the winner of our holiday competition has in store.

A mountain retreat
Arriving in the charismatic spa town of Vilaflor late morning, I take the steep turn in the village that winds up past the Ermita de San Roque until it reaches the Hotel Spa Villalba. Leaving the stifling heat of the day, I step into the Canarian patio-styled lobby of the hotel where my eye is immediately drawn to the expanse of polished wood which forms the floor and sweeps upwards in a wide curved staircase to a walkway across the galleried space beneath a hand made, wrought iron decorative chandelier.

A roof to floor window occupies one side of the lobby, its margins sending rainbows of light from their stained glass patterns dancing around the aubergine walls. The lobby floor plays host to a garden of potted plants and an elegant sculptural water feature where the sound of running water completes the feng shui balance.

Opening the door onto room number 203 I’m immediately struck by the expanse of floor space, the elegant décor, the extensive presence of beautiful wood and the bed that occupies the far wall and is big enough to justify grid references. I flick the light switch to the en suite and enter the most cavernous bathroom I have ever seen in an hotel. Decorated in exquisite Victorian tiles in teal and white, twin ornate sinks take centre stage below the mirror. A bath with overhead shower lies to one side and the ‘usual facilities’ to the other, across an expanse of vintage, maize-coloured tiled floor.

I’m already grinning like a fool when I step out onto the grand balcony and am caught completely off guard by the endless, fragrant pine forest in what feels like touching distance. Birdsong and the rustle of the breeze in distant tree tops is all I can hear as I inhale the mountain air and try to take in the full extent of the beauty that surrounds me. I’ve only been here five minutes, my case is still unpacked and my car keys are still in my hand yet already my shoulders have relaxed, my breathing is deeper and the Hotel Spa Villalba has thrown me a curve ball by revealing the truly unique beauty of its location.

I may never leave.

The Essentials

Location: Nestling above the alpine, spa town of Vilaflor looking like it’s waiting for the Von Trapp family to move in, the Hotel Spa Villalba lies on the cusp of a ravine in the pine forest with panoramic views over the town to the south east coast from the front of the hotel and over the fragrant forest from the rear. Designed to maximise its rustic setting, everything in the hotel is geared towards the enjoyment of your surroundings, from the seats dotted around the garden and the hotel viewpoint with its telescope, to the glass covered swimming pool edged by pine trees which is opened in summer and cosily closed over in winter.

Rooms: As generously bountiful as nature herself, bedrooms are big on space and minimal on fuss. Oatmeal décor teamed with soft plaid furnishings complement the highly polished hard wood flooring beautifully while prints of pencil drawings and oil canvases showcase flowers and rural scenes. A large, wooden terrace overlooks the gardens and forest while bedside, shuttered windows bring the pine romance inside. Free WiFi brings modern convenience to rustic charm and the practicalities also score highly with lots of wardrobe space, a shower so powerful it hurts your head; coat hangers galore, TV, mini bar and in-room safe.

Service: I have always found Vilaflor to be one of the friendliest towns on this Tenerife amable island and the staff of the Hotel Spa Villalba outshine even my former experience. From the Hotel Director Julio, to Marta on reception, the La Vendimia dining room staff and the chambermaids, everyone welcomes guests as if they were into their own home. The guests’ comfort and relaxation appear to be paramount and once experienced, the service keeps the guests returning. I spoke with an elderly lady who was in her fourth week at the hotel and has been a regular guest for many years.

Food: The La Vendimia Restaurant is the venue for a fresh and beautifully presented continental breakfast buffet with fruit, cereals, home made breads, cheeses, cold meats, pastries, juices and wonderful coffee. Eggs are available for those who like a hot start to the day. In the evening the restaurant morphs into a candle lit romantic dining venue where fresh produce from the hotel’s garden is imaginatively and beautifully prepared. A la carte choices include a good selection of vegetarian, fish and meat options and the set half board menu was a nightly decision dilemma with three delicious options for every course vying to be picked. An extensive wine menu includes very quaffable organic wines from the owners’ own label as well as a good selection of Tenerife produced wines.

Entertainment: The moon shining through the pine trees and Vilaflor’s trademark, star-studded firmament provide all the entertainment that’s needed in this country idyll. A TV room and a games room provide an indoor alternative to Nature. But as I don’t have a section for it, I’ll take this opportunity to mention the splendid spa and gym facilities that come as standard for guests. Set within spacious and elegant relaxation areas are a Jacuzzi, sauna, sunarium, Turkish Bath, plunge pool, showers and a dark relaxation lounge with water beds and coloured ceiling lights to lull you comatose. Downstairs, a gym equipped with ranks of state of the art equipment is flanked by a room with a full sized climbing wall.

Overall: An idyllic, romantic Alpine mountain getaway where sublime comfort, healing spas and treatments, relaxation, good food and tranquil surroundings relieve you of stress and leave you feeling renewed and energised. This is the perfect hotel for tired executives, romantic couples, athletes, nature lovers, hikers and anyone seeking a real ‘away from it all’ experience.

Hotel Spa Villalba; 4 Star; Carraterra San Roque s/n, Vilaflor; (0034) 922 70 99 30; email hotelvillalba@hotelesreveron.com

Why this way?
There are very few places on Tenerife where you’ll find pools or lakes that aren’t surrounded by sun loungers or walls. The disused quarry workings of Erjos are one of the prettiest. When the heavy digging machinery moved out, the wildlife moved in and now the pools are a haven for butterflies, dragonflies, ducks and rabbits – a veritable Watership Down, but without the sad bits.

It’s a part of Tenerife that’s favoured by walkers and it’s a million miles from the beaches of the south coast. Up here, the air is scented with pine, the landscapes are rolling green hills and dramatic volcanic cones and the nearby village of Santiago del Teide is to my mind, one of the prettiest on Tenerife. For the bonus ball, Bar Fleytas provides a great place to head for a beer and some tapas when you’ve finished. The inside bar is great for escaping the cool clouds and if it’s hot, the outside tables are perfect for perusing the, err, car park. Still, there’s always plenty to nosey at.

You don’t have to be a hiking pole-carrying, rucksack sporting, boot-clad rambler to enjoy this part of Tenerife. The pools are easily accessible from the main Icod de los Vinos to Santiago del Teide road and are great fun to explore just on their own and there are more than enough places to buy ice cream and fun things to do in Santiago del Teide to please the whole family.

Hike this way*
A path drops down from a dangerous bend on the main road, just north of Bar Fleytas on the Icod road, and zig-zags down to the pools. From there, any number of trails criss-cross their way, connecting smaller pools to wannabe lakes and providing reed cover for mallards and dragonflies. Just keep hold of the smallest members of the family lest they mistake bulrushes for solid ground and find themselves doing a Moses impersonation without the aid of a basket.

When the novelty of chasing rabbits and crickets wears thin, a path leads up through heather and willow trees to the ridge that overlooks Valle de Arriba and Santiago del Teide. At this point, any breath you had spare from the climb will be taken away as the gorgeous valleys unfold at your feet with the massive bulk of Mount Teide and Pico Viejo blotting out the horizon.

From here, a Red Riding Hood trail takes you through dense forest which still bears the blackened scars of the 2007 fires, along the north west ridge overlooking Los Silos before bringing you full circle to emerge once more above the Erjos Pools. Whistling the theme tune from the Archers, you descend through the green and pleasant farming land and arrive back at the pools.

Stroll this way
In the centre of Santiago del Teide is a small footbridge which looks as if it leads nowhere. In fact, it leads to a small shrine hidden in the hillside high above the village. The path is called the Camino de la Virgin de Lourdes and is marked by the white crosses (stations of the cross) that the pilgrims follow to reach the shrine. Once there, you’ll be rewarded with lovely views back over the valley and the village, and a small oasis of honeysuckle, roses and bougainvillea in which to sit and ponder the beauty of your surroundings.

Alternatively, take a stroll through the neighbouring village of Valle de Arriba where you’ll find rural Tenerife in all its simplistic glory. Agriculture is the mainstay of the village, much of it still by back-breaking bending and weeding by hand, and the fresh water spring is the centre of village life where bottles are filled and gossip exchanged. Feel free to join the queue for the free water, it tastes much better than the bottled variety and is rich in minerals.

My way

Peaks: Check out the lovely Casa Del Patio in Santiago del Teide for great food, souvenirs and a menagerie of farmyard animals or enjoy a eucalyptus-scented picnic at the zona recreativa opposite, If you’ve forgotten to pack the egg butties, the kiosk does a mean burger.

Troughs: If you’re unlucky and the bruma (low cloud) rolls in, the temperatures can plunge to uncomfortable levels and scenery can disappear.

My view: 4 Stars – This is one of my enduring favourite walks in an unspoilt area of Tenerife and is easily accessible by everyone. With the lovely Santiago del Teide next door, it makes for a great family day out.

*Detailed directions for this walk are available in PDF format as part of the ‘Into the Valley’ Island Walks.