Roca Nivaria GH - Adrian Hoteles

Roca Nivaria is a large upscale hotel that opened in 2005. It's spread across three wings stemming out from a central building and is surrounded by coastline on three sides. The lobby of this architect-owned hotel is pleasant enough, with gray-marble tile, high ceilings, and a few sofas and chairs, and to get beyond it guests must use their key cards to open large automatic glass doors that lead out to the lobby bar and to the rest of the complex. However, the design throughout seems to be a mixed and without a coherent theme, from traditional and homey to chic and modern. Most activity here takes place outside around the pools or in the various restaurants and activities areas, and the atmosphere doesn't generally feel too busy or hectic. Unfortunately, getting around this hotel can be confusing, as signage is lacking except right by the lobby, and it's hard to know which elevator leads where without a map in hand (fortunately, staff do provide guests with maps at check-in). The hotel attracts families and couples of all ages, and while it gets plenty of guests from across Europe, it's particularly popular with German travelers. 

Roca Nivaria is located in Adeje on a quiet coastal street that it shares with a few shops and restaurants, as well as other hotels, including a Hard Rock Hotel right across the street. It's about a 15-minute drive from the hotel to the action of Playa de la Americas and Los Cristianos and about 25 minutes south of Los Gigantes. A golf course is a 10-minute drive, while Mount Teide is around an hour or so away by car. From here, it's easy to access a number of local attractions, including waterparks such as Aqualand and Siam Park, and entertainment options ranging from casinos to nightclubs. Attractions farther afield include Loro Parque, with marine life and mammals, including red pandas, which is about an hour and 10 minutes away by car. Mount Teide, a beautiful volcano at the center of the island and with a cable car, an astronomical observatory, and plenty of high-altitude hiking opportunities, is a little more than an hours' drive. Getting to Masca, the base for trekking through the popular Masca Valley, takes 40 minutes. The airport takes about 25 minutes to reach by car (it can also be accessed by bus, but doing so requires changing in Los Cristianos). 

Roca Nivaria offers a wide variety of room types, ranging from entry-level Double Rooms -- some with sea views (though these are considered a different category and cost extra) -- clear up to a two-bedroom Royal Suite. Decor and amenities are relatively consistent across the most categories, with brightly painted or wallpapered walls and a mix of light and dark furniture, but the overall simple look leaves a lot to be desired. They all have balconies with lounge chairs -- many with views of the sea and the neighboring island of La Gomera in the distance. Some rooms also have walk-in closets. Bathrooms across all categories have separate walk-in (non-rainfall) showers and bathtubs, plus come with hairdryers, robes, and slippers. Special Bulgari-brand toiletries are available in the Presidential and Royal Suites. All come with free (but sometimes slow) Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs with tons of international channels, and mini-fridges. However, if you want to actually use the mini-fridge, you have to order a minibar "package" (starting with 10 bottles of water pack). Coffee- and tea-making facilities do not come standard, though guests do have the option of expensive "tea packs" that include a kettle and 10 tea bags or coffee packages. Double Superior Rooms add sofa beds for one child, while Junior Suites have lounges at the entryway with two sofa beds for two kids. The Royal Suite has a look all its own, with lots of gorgeous antique Asian furnitures collected by the owners during their travels and two identical bedrooms, each with its own bathroom with whirlpool tub. There's also a huge sea-facing balcony with four lounge chairs and the best views in the house owing to the suite's front and center location. There's also a small kitchen a with grill oven, a Lavazza espresso maker, four-burner stove, where private meals can be semi-cooked here. 

This hotel offers a ton of amenities, to the point where guests could easily spend their entire vacation on the property without ever leaving and not get bored. For swimming, the hotel offers two outdoor pools that are heated year-round. They are spread across a two-level pool deck flanked by koi and turtle ponds and lots of lush greenery. The upper level has the saltwater infinity pool, with a ramp-style entrance and built-in whirlpool, plus an adjacent small kids' splash pool. The lower level features a fresh-water pool with a lovely stone fountain feature. Bali beds are available for a fee, while lounge chairs are free -- apparently, the hotel doesn't face too many problems with people trying to reserve lounge chairs owing to the fact that all balconies have lounge chairs themselves, and there's also a top-floor solarium for sunning.While the pools here are popular, the hotel also maintains a small stretch of dark-gray beach in a rocky cove. It's decent for swimming and the hotel offers pads that guests can take down to the sea, along with a small wet area between the hotel grounds and the beach for rinsing off. Note that the public can come to this beach as all beaches in Spain are, by law, open to all. Wellness facilities abound here; there's a spa for guests over 16 with lots of treatments options, a hydrotherapy circuit (for a fee), and a largish attached gym with a great variety of cardio and weight-training equipment, and a room for stretching, dancing, and yoga. It's not open 24 hours, but there are a couple of pieces of cardio equipment outside on a covered sea-facing deck that guests can use when the gym is closed. There are also two lovely tennis courts with sea views and an open-air game room, complete with a pool table. Other amenities include two conference rooms (though the hotel doesn't usually get many conference guests), plus a ton of kid-friendly facilities. These include a mini-club with a rotation of indoor and outdoor activities, a playground, and a sandpit. There's also a Junior Club for kids ages 12 to 16 (open only during the school holidays) and a Baby Club for infants aged 10 months and up; guests can leave babies here also in the mornings and evenings, but it closes for siesta for a couple of hours in the afternoon. Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel (but can be slow) and there's plenty of free underground parking, accessible with key cards. 

Roca Nivaria offers breakfast-only, half-board, full-board, and all-inclusive packages; the latter includes local drinks and discounts on top-shelf liquors. Meals are served in the Garoe buffet restaurant at breakfast and dinner, with a huge selection of high-quality, fantastic food including plenty of options for vegans and other people on special diets, plus show cooking, outdoor seating with amazing Atlantic views, a play room for children, and an adult-only area. There are also two themed restaurants with a la carte service: Burgos, which serves up Spanish fare, and the Italian-themed Verona. Both have outdoor seating and are included in meal packages, but must be reserved on a first-come, first-served basis. Lunch is served at the pool restaurant, Ahemon, which features a sunny patio or a cooler cave with tables and chairs for dining -- it also offers snacks throughout the day. Bars include the Coloquio piano bar, a lobby bar  -- Tamaragua -- with ocean views, a pool table, and stained-glass ceilings, and a disco -- Belingo -- with live music and entertainment every night.