H10 Big Sur Boutique Hotel

This property opened in 1968 as Hotel Oasis Moreque and was one of the first hotels in the area -- Richard Branson and Liz Taylor stayed here a few years later, and there are a couple of black-and-white framed photos of the famous couple in the stairwell leading down to the lobby. It was refurbished in 2011, and reopened under its new monicker, and transformed into the adults-only spot it remains today.

The gorgeous, elegant lobby features black-and-white geometric tile floors and plush, white sofas coupled with black chairs with high backs that resemble halved bird cages. Multi-colored metal trunks behind the long front desk add color to the space, and there are a few shelves of books for guests to borrow. Off to one side is the 200-seat restaurant, which can get a bit loud during meal time due to the acoustics. There's also an attached outdoor terrace (though it's closed at lunch). Doors lead from the lobby to the lovely pool area, which is small but does the trick for a hotel of this size -- this is where most guests hang out while on the property. Elevators framed by blue-and-white tile provide easy access to the nine stories of rooms, and each floor has a seating area.

The hotel attracts older travelers, nearly all of whom go for the hotel's half-board option. Most are from the UK, although there's also a fair share of German, Dutch, Scandinavian, and Belgian visitors as well. 

Hotel H10 Big Sur is located right in Los Cristianos, sandwiched between the main road that runs to the city center, and to the town's boardwalk. A gate at the base of the hotel, just beyond the pool, leads to the main coastal promenade; from here, it's a three-minute walk to the beach. There's a mini-golf center just across the street (and hotel guests get discounts), as well as a boules pitch. 

Playa de la Americas is a five- to 10-minute drive or a 20-minute walk from the hotel, and offers theme parks, shopping, and tons of evening entertainment options ranging from nightclubs to comedy shows. Attractions farther afield include Loro Parque, with dolphins and other marine life, and mammals including red pandas -- which takes just over an hour by car. It's roughly the same amount of time to reach one of Tenerife's most popular attractions: Mount Teide. This beautiful volcano at the center of the island has a cable car, an astronomical observatory, and plenty of high-altitude hiking opportunities. Getting to Masca, the base for trekking through the popular Masca Valley, is a 45-minute drive from the hotel. The airport is about 15 minutes away by car, or 30 minutes by bus.

Hotel H10 Big Sur offers a variety stylish guest rooms and suites with clean lines and Scandinavian-style decor that's consistent across room types. Travelers can expect wood floors, a mix of light-wood and off-white varnished furniture, and blue-and-white accents, with throw pillows and vaguely nautical wall art.

All units have balconies and either mountain or sea views. Units on the third floor have larger balconies with lounge chairs. Standard amenities include AC and safes (for a fee, except in the Suites) along with Nespresso coffeemakers, and kettles are available on request, although tea is not provided. Minibars come stocked with drinks and snacks, plus unusual extras, such as Philadelphia cream cheese. Bathrooms are equally attractive, and most have shower/tub combos, although Suites have separate walk-in showers and tubs (except for unit 806, which only has a shower). Toiletries, scales, makeup mirrors, and hairdryers are provided. 

Along with units for one to three guests, the hotel also offers five one-bedroom Suites. Four are located at the end of the hotel's hallways and have balconies both in front and in back. The one exception is Suite 806, which instead has one large balcony with lounge chairs. 

A little perplexed as they showed me suites, but they aren't on the website. Also, the nomenclature the person used during the tour reflects how the rooms are labeled in albums, but the room types are named differently on the website. I've tried to write around this when possible. 

Hotel H10 Big Sur offers a solid selection of amenities, especially for a fairly small (by Tenerife standards) property. At the heart of the hotel is a lovely lagoon pool, with lounge chairs and tropical foliage and a whirlpool off to one side. The area gets a lot of shade from surrounding trees and buildings, but guests who are invested in perfecting their tans can head up to the top floor, where there are two sea-facing lounge areas with sunbeds for two, plus lounge chairs. The pool is cleaned every morning during breakfast, but it's otherwise the hotel's busiest space.

Naturalia Restaurant has buffets at breakfast and dinner, and a la carte service at lunch, with a show kitchen for morning omelets and wok-fried dishes in the evening. Additional seating is available on the restaurant's outdoor terrace with garden views, a pool bar, and plenty of shade. Breakfast is included in room rates and features a glorious and varied spread of hot and cold items, with free cava (Spanish sparkling wine) mimosas. Half-board (breakfast and dinner) and full-board plans are also available, but drinks are not included. 

The hotel's spa is located in a subterranean building next to the pool (with a chair lift for those who can't use stairs) and offers massages and beauty services. It includes a well-equipped fitness center with cardio machines and a few free weights, plus a resistance-training machine, and there's a sauna and steam room that guests can reserve for free for one hour. For fun in the sun, there's a pool table next to the swimming pool and a separate table tennis area behind the main pool deck. 

Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel and there's a fair bit of on-site parking for those who can't find spots on the surrounding streets.