Review: Discover The Ritz-Carlton Abama

Location: On the jagged southwest coast of Tenerife, in the less-touristy Guia de Isora. Tenerife South airport is a 30-minute drive away. Perched on one of the island’s volcanic clifftops, the hotel is surrounded by banana plantations and golf courses. Harbour town Playa San Juan is a 10-minute drive north.

First impressions: You can’t escape the property’s sheer scale – even after a couple of days I found it hard to navigate the colossal, salmon-pink, Moorish-inspired building. I was concerned at check-in to overhear other guests complaining about the hotel being a little dated, but renovations are ongoing. The Cascade pool is closed between June 8 and July 31, while the Del Mar infinity pool will be closed from May  5 to 31, with works also underway at the outdoor Club venue.

The facts: With 462 rooms, the hotel is anything but boutique. Lead-in rooms are in the main ‘citadel’ building, akin to a Moorish palace. I stayed in a peaceful villa room closer to the beach. The villa offering (there are almost 150) cascades down the cliffside towards the shoreline, with each row benefiting from a long, shared pool and garden area.  Guests staying in the villas enjoy included drinks and snacks served by their dedicated pool area. Room decor is indeed a little outdated, but perfectly comfortable. The facilities are impressive, with everything from an 18-hole championship golf course to seven tennis courts. Coaching is available at both. There are seven pools and a secluded sandy beach. The latter is open to the public, but the hotel offers a tram service to reach the shore and a ring-fenced area of sunloungers. There are 11 food and beverage venues, with the two-Michelin-starred M.B being a notable standout. Japanese eatery Akira Back is worth recommending, as is Basque-inspired poolside venue Txoko.