Parador de Las Cañadas del Teide

Rising to 3,718 metres above sea level, Mount Teide is the highest mountain in all of Spain and its total height of 7,500 metres from its base on the ocean floor also makes it the third tallest volcano in the world (the other two being in Hawaii). The Cañadas del Teide National Park which surrounds the volcano covers nearly 19,000 acres and was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2007. With its otherworldly volcanic scenery, the park is one of the top visitor attractions in the Canary Islands and as such receives its fair share of day-trippers, but the best way to fully explore this unique landscape is by staying in the park's only hotel, part of Spain's prestigious, state-owned Paradores chain.

Situated at an altitude of 2,152 metres, the Parador was built in the style of a traditional mountain lodge. Following recent refurbishment, its interiors offer a far greater level of comfort than its official 2-star rating would suggest. The 37 guestrooms are attractively furnished and decorated, and come complete with flat-screen TVs, safety-deposit boxes (local charge applies), minibars, modern en-suite bathrooms and central heating (as it can be considerably cooler at this altitude than down on the coast, especially at night time).

The hotel's public areas include a comfortable lounge with an open fireplace, a bar and a restaurant with panoramic windows serving a wholesome buffet breakfast and authentic Canarian dishes in the evenings. There is also a daytime cafeteria serving sandwiches and snacks, popular with day trippers visiting Mount Teide.

Being some 50 km from the beaches of the south coast, the Parador won't suit those who intend to spend most of their holiday sunbathing, but using the hire car included in your holiday, it is possible to visit the beaches in the south, or some of the historic towns in the north and east of the island for the day, should you feel like a change from following the various hiking routes inside the park. Whether you spend your days exploring on foot or by car, the small indoor swimming pool and sauna come in handy for unwinding when you return to base. After dark, another aspect of the hotel's location becomes apparent, as the lack of light pollution in the National Park, coupled with the altitude above the typical cloud line, usually results in wonderfully clear night skies, which can be observed through the hotel's two telescopes.

For those keen to spend some but not all of their holiday in the heart of Tenerife's unique mountain scenery, we can arrange multi-centre holidays combining the Parador with any of our other properties on Tenerife or even on one of the neighbouring islands.