Tigotan Lovers & Friends Playa de las Americas

Tigotan Lovers & Friends Playa de las America is a high-end six-story property owned by a Canarian group (Tigotan supposedly means "Heaven on Earth" in the native -- and now extinct -- Guanche language). The overall vibe is soothing and relaxed. The lobby is contemporary and exudes a relaxing vibe thanks to the marked lack of sharp angles and corners here. Instead, the rounded space features cylindrical pillars, soft sofas with rounded-off edges, and bulbous lantern-style light fixtures, plus lots of potted plants. Steps lead down to a glassed-in atrium section and additional seating on a lower mezzanine; tall plants and trees  give the place the feel of an aviary (but without the birds).The main clientele here are couples, and children under the age of 18 are not allowed. Guests hail from all over the place -- it's not as British-dominated as many area properties, and lots of Dutch and Scandinavian people stay here. It's also a good option for those with compromised mobility, as the hotel also offers 13 accessible rooms, plus a ton of alter-access features, including special pool wheelchairs.

The hotel is located right in Playa de las Americas, a 10-minute walk from the city's namesake beach. The larger Playa de las Vistas is about 15 minutes away on foot. There are plenty of shopping and dining options on the streets surrounding the hotel, and the large Siam Mall is a five-minute drive away. Mount Teide, a beautiful volcano at the center of the island -- complete with a cable car, an astronomical observatory, and high-altitude hiking opportunities -- takes just over an hour to reach by car. Masca, the base for trekking through the popular Masca Valley, is a 45-minute drive from the hotel. Tenerife South Airport is just under 20 minutes away by car depending on traffic and can be accessed by buses 711 or 450 in around 40 to 45 minutes. The hotel is on a main road, and parking can be hard to find at times.

Tigotan Lovers & Friends offers a huge variety of rooms, starting with Single and Double Rooms, clear up to open-plan Suites with whirlpool hot tubs. All rooms measure 26 square meters (280 square feet), except for the Suites, which have a floor plan of 50 square meters or around 538 square feet. Singles and Doubles can be booked with or without pool views, and it may be worth the upgrade as some rooms facing the back of property have abysmal views of an industrial building. All rooms have air-conditioning, balconies (those in the Suites and some of the first-floor balconies are noticeably larger than the others), and two twin beds that can be unified into double beds with the use of mattress toppers.  Decor and amenities are much more attractive in the Smart and Romance Rooms -- both categories were remodeled in 2016. Entry-level Single and Double Rooms have a vaguely nautical decor theme, with off-white tile floors and lots of blue and white in the linens and decor, whereas the higher-category rooms keep things a bit more neutral, with light-wood floors and heavy use of creams and beige hues in the decor. Bathrooms are more or less the same, with shower/tub combos in most. Smart Rooms are the closest the hotel offers to business rooms, with all sorts of tech features including 47-inch Smart TVs, chromatic lighting, and perks such as Nespresso coffeemakers and separate kettles, plus PlayStation consoles on request. Romance Rooms take things to the next level, with most of the same features as their Smart counterparts plus the addition of big jetted tubs and double vanities, plus large showers for two. 

This hotel offers a ton of leisure amenities, and takes an unusual approach to entertainment -- instead of the standard rotation of karaoke, animal shows, and live concerts found in most area resorts, this property instead hosts seemingly random performances and animation ranging from body painting to cocktail workshops to Flamenco to metal bands. Guests are intentionally kept out of the loop in order to create an element of surprise, and the performances and activities usually only last about a half-hour.  The main pool is on the ground floor of the hotel complex and features a huge lagoon pool surrounded by some 432 lounge chairs -- while there are usually enough to go around, the hotel maintains a strict no-reservations policy, so if guests put their towels down and leave for longer than 45 minutes, their towels will be removed and the chairs freed up for the next guests. There's also a pool bar with ping-pong and an animation stage, and a few whirlpool hot tubs, including an enormous tub for up to 16 people and a slightly smaller one that seats 12 people. There are two infinity pools on the rooftop, along with a whirlpool hot tub and Bali beds that can be rented for a fee. The rooftop also features a separate enclosed nude sunbathing area for those who want to sunbathe in the buff. The spa is located in a room just off the main rooftop deck and features a steam room that's free for all guests, along with a modern gym with TechnoGym cardio and weight-training equipment. Next to the spa is Cafe del Mar -- a franchise of the well-known Ibiza brand and record label. There are three DJs here every night, most of whom play ambient chill music. Outside guests are allowed on weekend evenings. A second bar is located in the lobby and has live music some evenings and screenings of sports games on others. Santa Rosa Argentinian Grill and Steakhouse also offers live music (thrice weekly), but their biggest selling point is their use of a Josper-brand charcoal oven, which lends a smokey taste to the meats grilled in it. The main restaurant serves breakfast and dinner and has show cooking and a mix of buffet and table service dining. There's no all-inclusive package here, but the hotel does offer half-board dining. There's also an exclusive add-on that gives guests access to a la carte dinners, and to an Executive Lounge with its own poolside terrace and snacks throughout the day plus free high-speed Wi-Fi (as opposed to the regular-speed Wi-Fi that's free throughout the property.) The rest of the amenities are on the lower level of the hotel, just below the lobby, and include a reading room with books and computers for accessing the internet, massage chairs, and a beauty salon. There's also an open-air game room with PlayStation and Xbox consoles, and the hotel plans to put a virtual reality-enabled gaming chair into the room sooner than later.