Boutique Hotel San Roque

Opened in 1996, the San Roque was one of the first of the Canary Islands' historic manor houses to be converted into a luxurious boutique hotel, pioneering the concept of small-scale, rural tourism at a time when the islands were still primarily considered a mass-market beach holiday destination. Others have since followed this trend, so that discerning travellers wishing to experience the more authentic side of the Canaries now have quite a number of venues to choose from, but few could match the San Roque for its unique style, supreme comfort, personalised service and immaculate attention to detail.

Situated in the heart of the charming town of Garachico, the San Roque is the creation of the Carayon family, who fell in love with the 17th century Casa de Ponte in the early 1990s, and spent four years devoting all their energy and resources to restoring this sadly neglected 17th century mansion to its former glory. They approached the project with passion, enthusiasm and a distinctive vision, preserving the building's historic structure and beautiful original features, whilst enhancing it with innovative spirit and avant-garde aesthetic. Carefully chosen furnishings by renowned designers such as Joseff Hoffmann, Le Corbusier, Charles Rennie Mackintosh and Isamu Noguchi, as well as striking original works by Spanish artists including Miel Navarro, Carmen Calvo and José Noguero combine to create unique interiors with a perfect balance of traditional and modern elements.

The rambling old building is arranged around two delightful courtyards, which together with the internal public rooms provide various inviting corners in which to relax and enjoy the peaceful ambience, which is assured by the hotel's adult's only policy (minimum age 14 years). One of the courtyards contains a small heated swimming pool - the San Roque is the only hotel in the centre of Garachico to boost one - bordered by a terrace with comfortable loungers, although on sunny days you may be drawn to the hotel's roof terrace which affords lovely mountain views as well as glimpses of the sea.

The 20 guestrooms and suites are all individually furnished and decorated, and naturally vary a little in size, layout and outlook reflecting the quirky charm of the building. Each offers comfortable accommodation and a good amount of space, and all come equipped with air-conditioning, satellite TV (limited English-language channels), music/DVD players, mini-bars, safety deposit boxes, direct-dial telephones, hairdryers and free WiFi. Each has an en-suite bathroom with a whirlpool bathtub, and dressing gowns, slippers and pool towels are provided. Standard rooms are approximately 24 sqm in size and are arranged on a single level, overlooking either the main courtyard or the neighbouring former convent. Duplex rooms are arranged on two levels, with a small sitting area and bathroom on the lower level and stairs leading up to a loft-style bedroom on an open gallery. There is also a slightly larger Duplex Suite with a similar split-level layout, and two spacious Junior Suites which have round Jacuzzi bathtubs as part of the main room. The hotel's crowning glory is the Tower Suite, which is arranged on three levels: on the lower floor, there is a cosy lounge with a Le Corbusier sofa and the bathroom; steps lead up to the bedroom with its four port-hole style windows, and from here there is another flight of steps to a private roof terrace with panoramic views across the town, the sea and the mountains.

One of the joys of staying in Garachico is having a good selection of authentic local restaurants within easy walking distance, but guests often choose to dine in, as the hotel's own restaurant, Anturium, enjoys a well deserved reputation for its fine food and professional service. The menu is a fusion of Canarian and international cuisine, with a well-chosen wine list to match, which guests can enjoy on the covered terrace bordering the swimming fool, weather permitting of course. There is a different table d'hôte menu every evening for guests who have chosen the half board option, as well as an à la carte menu for those who prefer the flexibility of the B&B option in order to try out some of the other local eateries occasionally. After dinner, the Hoffmann Bar provides an elegant setting for a digestive or a chat with your fellow guests.

In the mornings, a nourishing breakfast is freshly prepared to set you up well for the day's activities. As we expect that most guests will wish to explore this unspoilt region of Tenerife in depth, we have included car hire in our holiday prices at the Hotel San Roque, but for those who prefer not to drive, we can also quote for holidays with private airport transfers instead. Several other towns can be reached by public bus from Garachico, there are some lovely country walks in the surrounding area, and the hotel also offers free bicycle hire (subject to availability).