Hotel Chatur Playa Real

Hotel Chatur Playa Real's five-story, L-shaped main building and four-story annex are both fronted by pools and pool bars, and requisite resort features (gym, spa, bar, nightclub, tennis court) are scattered throughout the two-building complex. The hotel made renovations in 2015 and 2016 to all of the 178 rooms, both of its restaurants, and several common areas, trading dated, dark interiors for minimalist Scandinavian-inspired furniture (yellow, orange, and gray ottomans, and pale wood stackable coffee tables in the lobby, and sleek silver-gray sofa beds in the rooms). The renovations didn't completely shake the sense that this is a typical 80s-era, mid-range resort in Tenerife. An improvement they may be, but snazzy new furnishings can't make up for the hotel's shortcomings, like its lackluster food, aloof service, chilly pools (despite the hotel's claim that they're heated), and slightly removed location, 1,000 meters from the beach. In fact, Hotel Chatur was the only hotel we visited on a two-week Tenerife trip in winter 2016 that wasn't at full occupancy. European families and older couples (mostly from the U.K., Poland, Italy, Germany, France, Belgium, and Scandinavia) generally end up at Hotel Chatur by way of Thomson or Jet2Holidays. Like most vacationers in Tenerife, guests tend to stay for one week to 10 days.

Hotel Chatur is 1,000 meters from beach, much closer to the island's main motorway than the ocean and coastal commercial strip. The beach zone is a 15-minute walk away, though guests will have to add five minutes to that to make it to Playa del Duque -- the best beach in Costa Adeje. The hotel is directly on the far side of the public park that's located between the north and south veins of Avenida Jardines del Duque. About a minute's walk to the north or east of the hotel are strip malls with a few restaurants and bars. Tenerife South Airport is a 15-minute drive away.

Rooms are split into 117 Junior Suites and 61 apartment-style Family Rooms. Junior Suites are located in the main building, facing the main pool and ocean, while Family Rooms are found in the separate rear building. Family Rooms feature one or two bedrooms, two bathrooms, separate living rooms, and kitchenettes, and can easily accommodate two adults and two children. (At about 450 square feet, Family Rooms provide close to 50 square feet more space than Junior Suites.) Room decor in both room styles is contemporary after a 2015 through 2016 renovation, with a color palette of white, bright tangerine, and cool gray against beige tile floors. Kitchenettes feature countertops in the signature orange hue, mini-fridges, two eyes, coffeemakers, and kettles. (Some Junior Suites have kitchenettes, as well, but not all.)

Standard amenities include flat-screen TVs, air-conditioning, sleeper sofas, and furnished balconies. Views from the apartments in the rear building are of the grounds and the back of the main building, while views from the main building are of the main pool area and, from the upper floors, the ocean. Bathrooms in both room types feature shower/tub combos, wall-mounted hairdryers, and blue or teal tiling. Repeat guests receive welcome sparkling wine and bottled water. There are fees for in-room Wi-Fi access and use of the safes.

Hotel Chatur ticks every box for a mid-range resort's expected features. The main pool area is wedged between the two wings of the L-shaped main building. It consists of two lifeguarded pools separated by an island, a whirlpool, a gazebo-style pool bar, air-hockey tables, ping-pong tables, a large triangular terrace for sunning, and a tennis court beyond that. The two pools are open year-round, and are allegedly heated in winter, but wintertime guests regularly protest that the water is chilly (one recent guest reported sneaking into a neighboring hotel pool). A deposit is required for pool towels, but guests may change towels as much as they'd like. The pool bar is open all day for all-inclusive drinks, including San Miguel draft beer.

A secondary pool area is located behind Hotel Chatur's main building, in front of the Family Rooms building. Here is an air-conditioned kids' play room with an airplane design and a shallow splash park. This family pool courtyard features a second pool bar with a small buffet and snack area, with items like burgers and hot dogs. Chatur also has a free mini club in the main building, though it is not supervised, as well as a nightly mini disco.

There are two restaurants at Hotel Chatur, a buffet restaurant with live-cooking stations and hot and cold bars, and an a la carte option with international and Spanish fare. Barbecue and paella nights are both held once a week. A cozy Irish pub features a pool table and flat-screen TVs. Adult entertainment, like karaoke and live music, magic, and comedy shows, is put on every night in the disco. Guests generally deem Hotel Chatur's food and entertainment as passable (and predictable), but some willingly venture away from the all-inclusive setting for alternative dinner and nightlife options.

Hotel Chatur's spa includes a whirlpool, sauna, massage shower, and Turkish bath (each guest may enjoy one free hour). A well-sized fitness center features Reebok equipment and a water machine. Three computers near the 24-hour reception are available for a fee, and there are laundry facilities on-site.