10:05am Monday 11th January 2010
By Telegraph & Argus
Sipping a margarita on a shady terrace fringed by palm trees, overlooking an expanse of crystal-clear, glistening blue water, I could have been in the Caribbean or the Maldives.
Far from the dull winter back home, I was actually in Tenerife, land of cheap booze, full English breakfasts and partying tourists – a holiday hotspot sullied by overdevelopment and visitors’ boisterous behaviour over the years.
Tenerife, however, wants a new reputation to lure discerning travellers back to its sun-kissed shores.
The largest of the Canary Islands off the coast of north-west Africa, this Spanish isle has a temperate climate year-round, rivalling destinations such as Dubai and The Gambia for weather, with flights from Britain much shorter.
On the west coast, away from the all-night partying of Playa de las Americas and Los Cristianos, lies a stretch of exclusive hotels, including the five-star Sensatori Resort.
It’s here that I discovered a true taste of paradise, taking in the stunning infinity pool, and beyond that, the shimmering Atlantic and the neighbouring island of La Gomera on the horizon.
Luxury is something Tenerife is working hard on. At Sensatori, the stunning rooms – all marble flooring, sparkling chandeliers, ornate fountains, designer decor and dramatic sculptures – can take your breath away.
This is Thomson’s third Sensatori complex part of its fightback against the DIY holiday brigade. If you don’t buy your holiday from Thomson, you won’t get into a Sensatori.
Bag a villa within its Red Level area, and you get a butler and private pool within your own tropical garden, and an outdoor bed under a thatched canopy for lounging near the water.
Elite hotels on Tenerife’s west coast keep upping the stakes to offer the ultimate exclusive experience.
The Gran Hotel Bahia del Duque in Costa Adeje recently bought an impressive private yacht for hire exclusively to clients, featuring the services of a crew and champagne all the way. It already offers airport-hotel helicopter transfers.
But it’s not just the hotels that are sprucing up this island. Last year, Siam Water Park, opened in the south, boasting the biggest artificial waves in the world. Its beach is created with silky white sand imported from Portugal.
We hired a private cabana in the park, with a balcony overlooking the wave pool, comfortable loungers and an outside shower. Including entrance, fast-track queuing and limited all-inclusive deal in restaurants and bars, it costs 400 euros (£360) for four people.
Ecological measures are also stepped up to save Tenerife’s natural beauty.
Whereas tourists once strolled from the cable car to the top of Mount Teide, the island’s dormant volcano, they now need permits to do so, thus reducing environmental impact on the summit.
Nearly a decade ago, tourists could take a boat from Los Cristianos to watch whales and dolphins. Now, boats are licensed and monitored to stop whales and dolphins from becoming distressed.
Entertainment on the island has also been upgraded. Pop legends Rod Stewart and Sir Elton John have played at the music festival at the Golf Costa Adeje, near La Caleta.
There is more culture from the Tenerife Opera House, rising out of the Atlantic like a gigantic white wave with its magnificent overhanging wing in Santa Cruz.
Tenerife is still home to all-night party-goers, English pubs and bacon-and-eggs breakfasts after a heavy night.
But if all you want is peace, quiet and serenity in the ultimate tropical setting all year, it may be closer than you ever imagined.
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