It’s two weeks before an Easter that falls a long way into what is shaping up to be a hot spring, and Tenerife Magazine is heading to the Hotel Jardín Tropical to find out what keeps 40% of guests returning year after year and what one lucky winner of our competition can expect.

Strolling past the elegant palm trees and soft, white turrets that guard the entrance to the Hotel Jardín Tropical, I pass beneath the straw thatched roof and leave the glare of sunlight to enter the portal to a dream world. Combining the principles of Feng Shui with shades of North African, Moorish and Colonial design, the architect Melvin Villaroel has created a space filled with hidden, tranquil corners where light, air and nature combine in perfect harmony.

Velvety white corridors weave below mirrored ceilings to shady courtyards at the foot of tiered minarets and bougainvillea draped terraces. Falling in gentle tiers from the hotel’s reception, brick paved terraces embedded with turquoise and ruby ceramic tiles lead past carved pine settees and over wooden foot bridges to water cascades and a sapphire pool that meanders around scented garden jungles.

The check-in welcome is accompanied by a chilled glass of cava while Joaquín explains the Alice in Wonderland principle of a ground floor which is in fact on the fifth floor and points me towards my room. Minus the aid of a White Rabbit, I follow the warren of corridors, my eyes wide at the eclectic beauty of my surroundings, until I arrive at room 457.

Don’t you just love it when you walk into your hotel room and the first thing that comes out of your mouth is “Wow”? A corridor of fitted wardrobes with wooden latticed doors leads to a cavernous room where crimson, colour washed walls lend a rich warmth to the beautifully cool interior. Centre stage, a bed the size of a small land mass is draped in the same rich, flower print drapes that cover the windows. French impressionist paintings join forces with the  period furniture to give the room a classic, timeless elegance. I open the curtains and step onto the intimate balcony which peeks out through Kentia palm fronds at the giant strelitzias and towering palm trees that lend the gardens and pools the environment so richly deserving of the name Jardín Tropical.

I relax into one of the cane chairs, savouring the short time I have before my dinner reservation at the hotel’s award winning restaurant of Las Rocas. Birds are chatting noisily as they make last minute preparations for their sundown bed time, the last of the day’s sunbathers are heading back to their rooms while other couples are already dressed for the evening, strolling hand in hand towards a sunset cocktail at the Beach Club before dinner.
Three words are foremost in my mind – symmetry, serenity, serendipity.

The Essentials
Location: One of the first hotels to be built in Tenerife’s newest resort of Costa Adeje, the Hotel Jardín Tropical has seen many bigger and more flashy hotels springing up all around it  while this tropical paradise has quietly taken root and flourished. Sited on a picturesque headland of Costa Adeje with Playa Bobo a few minutes stroll  to the south and Puerto Colón to the west.

Rooms: Completely refurbished in 2010 and featuring LCD satellite TV, mini bar and safe, rooms are beautifully designed and appointed to maximise the quality of light, coupling the hotel’s trademark white with rich turquoise soft furnishings. Suites raise the floor space quota from generous to oodles and the decor to individually styled. The walk-in shower was powerful enough to double as an aqua massage and the bath was big enough to lie full length in. 26 interconnecting family rooms offer microwave, baby alarm and Playstation – essential ingredients of a family holiday.

Service: From the moment I arrived at reception, I was made to feel welcome by multi-lingual, professional staff. Service in the buffet restaurant and the bars was exceptionally good while at restaurant Las Rocas, the delightful Julio fussed over my every whim with a warm smile, professionalism and buckets of personality.

Food: Hotel Jardín Tropical has a deserved reputation for excellence in dining. The El Patio restaurant is reputed to serve the best steak tartare in Tenerife from its heavenly garden setting, while the romantic headland setting of Las Rocas is the venue for excellent gourmet cuisine. Breakfast in the Las Mimosas restaurant was a sumptuous choice of fresh fruit, continental and cooked dishes, all prepared and presented with aplomb in the stylish dining room and garden patio.

Entertainment: I followed the sound of laughter and applause to the bar lounge where families were being entertained by contemporary clowns, acrobats and breakdancers until it was time for the youngest of drooping eyelids to be carried to their beds. Night people will find themselves within sandal strolling distance of the iconic Faro Chill Art at Puerto Colón.

Overall: A  fabulously stylish and chic four star hotel with five star design and aspirations where the good things in life – consummate service, fine dining, luxurious comfort and impeccable taste – are placed at the top of the agenda. Perfect for couples, honeymooners, families and anyone with an eye for quality and selectivity. As official host to players at the upcoming Tenerife Ladies Match Play Golf competition, it’s also the perfect year-round base for Tenerife golfers.

Hotel Jardín Tropical; 4 Star; Calle Gran Bretagña, Costa Adeje; (0034) 902 25 02 51; email: hotel@jardin-tropical.com

I first noticed the aubergine walls of Lucas Maes Restaurant when a cascade of tiny lights appeared on them in the run up to Christmas several years ago.
Located on a slip road to the TF5, slightly back from and above the road, you might have considered it perfectly forgiveable that I hadn’t noticed the restaurant before, until you discovered that I had driven past it several times a day for years.
When I finally got round to visiting, I realised what I’d been missing.

Food with a view
Stepping onto Lucas Maes chill out patio with its commanding views across the banana plantations of La Orotava Valley to the glistening Atlantic beyond, is like entering the glossy pages of Conde Nast. Black rattan low backed settees with plump cushions cluster around candlelit coffee tables beneath an elegant canvas awning.

Inside the traditional house, Lucas has applied his eye for art and his impeccable taste to the individual styling of each of the dining rooms. Many of the floor tiles are original, a row of stained glass panels are set into the picture window that capitalises on the views. Walls are rich, warm vermillion, vibrant turquoise or cool beige and are adorned by abstract oil paintings by Jesús Torrez.
Centre stage is a large glass cabinet displaying some of the fine wines for which Lucas Maes restaurant won the Best Wine List in the Canaries award in 2009.

The culinary art
As I walk into the dining room, Lucas is in his familiar territory – behind the worktop of his open kitchen where he’s putting the finishing touches to my first course.
On a textured glass plate which appears gold beneath the spotlight, a succulent carpaccio of red tuna is rolled around a warm centre of chutney, tomato and crusty bread and placed on a bed of cream cheese. There’s a small crown of crispy noodle and a single beet leaf is leaning against the roll.

It’s his passion for preparing and presenting his dishes as an art form that has earned Lucas his reputation as a chef’s chef and one of the finest in the Canary Islands.
Nothing here is mass produced or frozen, every ingredient is freshly prepared by Lucas. From the bread rolls to the ice cream everything on the menu has the handmade by Lucas label.

I bite into a piece of the tuna and the cool flesh of the fish yields to the warm filling. It’s a delicious blend of tastes – the simple,untouched flavour of the tuna giving way to the delicate savour of the chutney and tomato and then to the hint of cream cheese.
As I scrape every last vestige from the plate, Lucas is sprinkling tiny cuts of black olives and placing beet leaves carefully onto my next course.
Three plump scallops have been gently seared and are sitting on a bed of yoghurt, lightly drizzled with curry sauce and topped with the black olives.

My first reaction is one of amazement.
“I’ve never seen fresh scallops on Tenerife!” I declare.
Lucas smiles.
“That’s because you can’t buy them here,” he tells me. “Only frozen scallops are available on Tenerife. I buy these fresh from Madrid market. Provided I get my order in before midday, it’s delivered to me the following morning.”

The scallops are the freshest and most succulent I have ever tasted. The sauce gives just a delicate hint of curry, enough to complement but not to interfere with the flavour of the scallops and the bitterness of the olives is countered by the suave yoghurt.

Just desserts
Just when I think it can’t possibly get any better, dessert arrives in the form of banana ice cream and mousse on a biscuit bed with a toffee reduction.
The fact that its presentation is worthy of a place in the Tate Gallery does not I’m afraid, stop me from ruining it. The banana ice cream on the toffee reduction reminds me of my childhood and a flavour combination long since confined to memories. The mousse on the biscuit base is a mini cheesecake sensation of taste and texture.

Fighting against the urge to pick the plate up and lick it, I prattle on and on to Lucas about how much I’ve enjoyed his cooking. Lucas just smiles his handsome, Belgian, butter-wouldn’t-melt-in-the-mouth smile and goes about his culinary business.

Tenerife magazine’s five star rating for Lucas Maes
Décor – 5 stars. All the beauty of a grand, old La Orotava house with contemporary style, comfort, elegance and loving attention to detail.
Menu – 5 stars. A new menu is created every week to showcase Lucas’ innovation and capitalise on the availability of seasonal ingredients.
Food – 5 stars. This is where some of Tenerife’s top chefs come to eat on their night off. If you judge your food by its volume, this isn’t for you but if you’re a true foodie, Nirvana awaits.
Service – 5 stars. Friendly, efficient, deferential and good looking…what more could you want?

Where, when and how
Barranco de la Arena, 53 (on the Salida 32 slip road from Carretera Los Rechazos to the TF5), La Orotava; open Wed-Sun 13.00-15.30 and 19.00-23.00. Closed Mondays and Tuesdays; reservations (0034) 922 321 159.

Prices
Starters average €17, main courses average €19. There’s are two ‘degustación’ menus at €35 and €40 which allow you to sample a wide range of dishes.
The wine list is extensive to the point of bewildering, from locally produced to rare treasures and from affordable to off the chart.

Local entrepreneur Subash N, Manskukhani has taken his Indian heritage, fused it with his Puerto upbringing and business know-how and has created a sumptuous palace for eating, drinking and socialising the night away.

Walking down Calle Santo Domingo a couple of months ago I suddenly became aware that something was very different. A striking red and black interior with über chic tables and chairs, a New York style cocktail bar and a mock cliff face, trickling waterfall and smiling Buddha occupied the glass fronted building which last time I looked was selling shoes.
Suan Chill had arrived… full of Eastern promise.

An alluring emporium of kaleidoscopic, neon colours reflecting on embroidered and sequinned upholstery and state of the art bar and restaurant fittings, Suan Chill is offering something a bit different; a tapas bar/restaurant front of house and a chill out bar/party venue back of house.

Gawping around at the myriad of display cases, the busy bar, the eclectic décor and our fellow diners, we have to send the smiling waitress away twice before we finally settle on our choice of food.
We opt for a selection of tapas dishes, some of which sound familiar while others, like the frikenden are culinary strangers to us. As we sip our beers a selection of delicious looking montaditos (lightly toasted bread slices topped with a variety of savouries) arrives at the table next to us and opposite, we overhear someone telling the waiter that the steak he’s just eaten was one of the best he’s ever had. The gastric juices tingle in anticipation.

Within 10 minutes our dishes arrive. Everything is beautifully and artfully presented on white, triangular shaped dinner plates and accompanied by a small salad. First to arrive is a tasty Russian salad, one of the items we’ve ordered which doesn’t deviate from the standard tapas recipe.
Next up is mushrooms stuffed with tartare; half a dozen large, flat mushrooms filled with a tangy tartare sauce which becomes a bit rich by the time I’m finishing my third mushroom. Then comes morcilla de Burgos, a black pudding and rice combination heavily spiced with cumin and accompanied by a dollop of the tartare sauce which is finding its way onto every plate. The papas arrugadas appear next, accompanied by thick mojo sauces; the verde has a lip-smacking kick to it and the rojo is a sweet, tangy delight. Finally, the mysterious frikenden makes an appearance and it turns out to be savoury mini beefburgers accompanied by a crisp, light hash brown and a dollop of the now ubiquitous tartare sauce.

Everything is fresh, tasty,  surprisingly filling and a pleasant diversion from standard tapa fare. Suan Chill has given ingredients their own signature make-over, adding some of that sexy Eastern spice and creating a concept which, like the place itself, is delivering something a bit different. My only criticisms are that it could have been hotter and could happily have done without the tartare overdose.

We order coffee and I head off to check out the facilities and the chill out section.
Beyond the bar is an area the size of a small nightclub with its own bar, a DJ platform and several large, private booths, each a different colour combination. The décor is a colourful crossroads of traditional East meets 21st century West. Rows of embossed, sequined poufs and large hookahs sit alongside black vinyl and aluminium surfaces watched over by smiling Buddha images.
The toilets are a contemporary delight in red and black tiling and frosted glass.

I return to enjoy my cappuccino just as Subash is doing a tour of tables, checking with diners before he dims the lights front of house as Suan Chill morphs into its night attire.

Where, when and how:
Suan Chill; Calle Santo Domingo, 8; Puerto de la Cruz. Open every day from 08.00 to 03.00; reservations – (0034) 922 37 49 79

Prices:
Starters (incl tapas) average €5; main courses average €10; sweets average €3.50
Three course menu del día €7 – changes daily.
Free parking at the Plaza Europa car park opposite for customers spending €30 or more and a free taxi home to Puerto de la Cruz, La Orotava or central Los Realejos for customers spending €50 or more.

Could it be any more convenient? Just a short chip away from the beaches and nightlife of Playa de Las Americas this 6,051 metre long course has tested and delighted professional and keen amateur golfers alike. The 18 holes of the par 72 course are set in a natural protective ring of greenery that preserves the peace and compliments the lakes and rivers that snake their way across the course.
Everything you need to inspire your performances is here, a chipping green, putting green, bar/restaurant, golf shop, tv lounge and changing rooms. If you need extra help, there is a golf school to polish up your swing.

Golf las Americas
38660 Playa de Las Americas
Tel (0034) 922752005
Fax (0034) 922795250
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It’s 9 o’clock Sunday morning, the sky is liquid sapphire and already the air temperature is 30°C. The grey horse in the paddock below my window is pulling up white tufts of dry grass from the baked ground; a hen stutters nervously into the vegetable garden and the bells of San Fernando Rey call worshippers to mass.
It could be a scene from a village in the Cotswolds, but instead I’m in the heart of rural Tenerife in a hamlet that, were there to be such a competition, would surely be a prize winner in the Island’s most picturesque village – Santiago del Teide.

Nestling in a fertile valley in the South West hills, flanked by the little hamlet of Valle de Arriba and backed by Montaña Bilma, the Chinyero lava fields and Mount Teide; Santiago del Teide is the place where day trippers turn off to climb the serpentine ascent into Masca. But to pass through this paradise without stopping is to miss one of the most charming rural settlements Tenerife has to offer.
The doors of the picturesque Iglesia San Fernando Rey are always open and opposite, the little kiosk café is the perfect spot to crack a cool Dorada at the picnic zone beneath the shade of eucalyptus trees. And with the opening of the Casa del Patio at the end of 2009, there’s even more to Santiago than just the prettiest of faces.

Beautifully restored by the Cabildo (Island Government), the 17th century former home of the feudal lord of the manor provides sustenance and entertainment in equal measure with riding stables; a tasca; art gallery, craft shop; bodega and Chinyero museum.

Restaurants in Santiago del Teide

The Señorío del Valle visitor centre which includes Casa del Patio, has added a real touch of class to the traditional fare which forms the staple diet of los campesinos (country folk) prevalent on menus in the village. A charismatic tasca with bijou bar, beautiful courtyard and dining room with hand drawn murals of traditional rustic scenes provide the setting for a typical Canarian menu with a good selection of tapas, meat and fish dishes.
The food is all freshly prepared, flavoured with fresh herbs from the kitchen garden and cooked to perfection.

There are a few eateries in the village, all serving variations on the staple Canarian menu alongside the occasional arepa or burger.
The Chinyero restaurant is landmarked by a life sized model of a horse and trap and its spacious courtyard attracts many of the day trippers en route to and from Masca.
Portions are generous and the terrace is a pleasant place to sit and watch the world go by. Just a small, raised outside terrace means that the El Patio restaurant in the village gets fewer visitors but it has ample space inside its traditional dining room and the food is a cut above Chinyero’s.

Rural Accommodation in Santiago del Teide
Standing proud alongside its visitor centre, the brand new Rural Hotel Señorío del Valle in Santiago del Teide opened its doors in March 2010 and exudes rustic charm and tranquility.

The grounds ramble lazily from the vegetable garden and paddock to the courtyard with traditional wine presses and the stables, all populated by the resident horses, hens and ducks. When the caged parrots join in with the morning chorus it’s a regular Granja de Viejo McDonald affair.
Vines are just beginning to creep their way along the stone walls of the hotel, softening the façade with their presence while inside, the decor is an elegant combination of contemporary and traditional.
Mudejar ceilings and polished wood offer a cool retreat from the heat of August but the sight of a large wood burning stove in the lounge area promises cosy winter nights in front of a log fire.

Bedrooms are in a quadrangle surrounding a sun-saturated courtyard with an ornamental  pond and fountain. Each room is individually decorated and named after a local flower. I’m in ‘ajinajo’ with views over the paddock, gardens, picnic zone and a landscape that elicits an instantaneous long sigh of relaxation.
Testing the king-sized bed for comfort it’s difficult to pull myself away from this rural luxury but the view beyond the window is beckoning, so it’s on with the factor 25 and the rucksack.

Walking Routes

Beyond the neighbouring hamlet of Valle de Arriba and over the crest of the ridge lie the stunning Erjos Pools, a wildlife haven and natural beauty spot. After exploring the pools  on a dragonfly and duck spotting quest, I climb up to the ridge and make my way into the cool shade of the forest to finally emerge with unbelievable views over the Santiago Valley, before dropping back down to the pools.
After an excellent lunch of carne de cabra (goat) at the hotel, I brave the afternoon heat on the little Camino de la Virgen de Lourdes path which climbs the hillside in the centre of the village to a small shrine and fountain.
From my vantage point amidst the heady perfume of honeysuckle and roses I look down on sleepy Santiago del Teide and wish the weekend would last for ever.

18th November 2009 was quite a momentous day in Santiago del Teide.

One hundred years ago to the day, Mount Chinyero erupted high up in the pine forests of the municipality. Nervously driving along interminable rock-strewn tracks designed for feet rather than wheels and waiting for one or more tyres to burst, I accompanied Tenerife’s press and dignitaries to mark the occasion at the historic site .
Looking completely out of place amongst the frozen black lava fields that lie as testament to the island’s last volcanic eruption, the posse of be-suited men and gold-shoed women struggled to negotiate the terrain to watch the unveiling of a plaque at the foot of the volcano. After the release of half a dozen doves we all trooped back to the vehicles to once more taunt tyre-bursting Gods on our descent back to Santiago del Teide.

Safely back at the pristine grounds of Casa Del Patio, I was finally able to explore the tantalisingly lovely building that has been under restoration and off-limits for many years and that yesterday was finally opened to the public. Including a permanent exhibition to Chinyero’s eruption, it was a tardy but timely finish to the project.

Home to the former Lord of the Manor, Fernando del Hoyo y Solórzano, Casa del Patio was built in the 1660s and up until the early 19th century was occupied by the feudal owners of Santiago del Teide. Now immaculately restored by the Council of Tenerife, it includes stables and a horse riding school; a shop selling traditional pottery, local products and wine; a beautiful Tasca with Canarian cheeses, hams, sausages and wines; and an elegant restaurant with a covered outdoor terrace looking out towards the volcano.
There are wine presses and a small bodega and plans are afoot, or should I say ahoof, to open horse riding trails. There’s even rumour of a Canarian theme park.

And as if that isn’t sufficient to entice anyone en-route to Masca to stop and spend a little time in this delightful town, a small rural hotel within the Casa del Patio is due to open its doors within the next few months.
Santiago del Teide is a glorious municipality for hikers, with trails crossing lush valleys and fragrant eucalyptus and pine forests as well as the walk to Chinyero itself which is through stunning surroundings. The downside has always been access to the town which is a lengthy business from just about anywhere on the island. But with a rural hotel in the town, the words cherry and cake will be on many people’s lips.

A word of warning though. When Fernando del Hoyo was declared Lord of the Manor in 1663, his jurisdiction included the right to ‘incarcerate, hang, spike the heads of, garrotte, whip with a cat-o-nine tails, cut off extremities or set free any or all miscreants and lawbreakers’. Three centuries may have passed but in many ways the picture postcard town hasn’t really changed all that much. If I were you, I’d be very nervous of parking on double yellow lines.

Casa del Patio, Santiago del Teide; tel (0034) 922 104 913; email info@senoriodelvalle.com; www.senoriodelvalle.com; wine museum open 8am – 6pm.