After nine days exploring Tenerife, I can honestly say that choosing Hotel Colon Guanahani as our base was one of the best decisions we made for our trip.
This isn’t a sponsored post – just me sharing a hotel that genuinely impressed us and made our Tenerife experience so much better than it could have been.
Located in Costa Adeje, this adults-focused hotel strikes that perfect balance between resort comfort and intimate boutique feel.
What really won me over is how the whole place feels like you’re living outdoors, even when you’re inside.
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Why This Hotel Feels Different
Most hotels in Tenerife fall into two categories: massive all-inclusive resorts that feel like small cities, or tiny guesthouses with limited amenities. Hotel Colon Guanahani is refreshingly in between.
The architecture is what makes it special. Instead of one giant closed building with interior hallways, the rooms are built around open-air corridors filled with plants and natural light. You enter your room from the outside, walking through these beautiful outdoor passages lined with greenery.
It sounds like a small detail, but it completely changes the feel of the place. You’re constantly breathing fresh air, feeling the sun, hearing the fountains. It makes the whole hotel feel alive in a way that air-conditioned corridors just don’t.
And because it’s smaller than those mega-resorts down the coast, you never feel lost or overwhelmed. Everything is accessible, the staff remembers you, and there’s this nice intimate vibe that bigger properties can’t replicate.
Evening glow over the coast near Hotel Colón Guanahaní- the restaurant terrace (for breakfast and dinner)
- Laid-back pool vibes
The rooms
We chose the most basic room to save money during our nine-day stay, and honestly, we had no regrets.
The room was spacious, much more than I expected for a basic option. My favorite part was the walk-in dressing area. It wasn’t just a cupboard or a small closet, but a real space where we could unpack and organize our clothes.
This might seem like a small detail, but after more than a week of travel, having a real place to put your things makes everything feel more comfortable and less messy. No more living out of a suitcase!
Our room didn’t have a view—it just looked out onto the corridor. Normally, I’m picky about having a view, but this time it didn’t bother me at all. We were hardly in the room except to sleep, and the rest of the hotel was so lovely that I didn’t feel like I was missing anything.
Every room has a balcony, which is great for morning coffee or relaxing in the evening. The air conditioning worked well, which is important in Tenerife’s heat, and the bathroom was modern and clean.
Because of the outdoor corridor design, you hear a bit more background noise than in a closed building, but it never bothered us. In fact, I liked hearing the fountain, the birds, and people talking as they walked by. It made the place feel lively and welcoming instead of sterile.
Dining and Drinks
Breakfast and dinner are served in the main restaurant, which opens onto a lovely terrace with a fountain in the center and white chairs that make everything feel elegant but not stuffy.
Both meals are buffet-style, but the food is actually good—not the dry, disappointing buffet you sometimes find at hotels.
They have a good variety of international options, but what I really appreciated was the traditional Spanish and Canarian food. For me, this is a must when traveling. I find it respectful to eat local food while on a trip, and I always want to experience the region’s flavors.
The selection changed every day, so we never got bored, and the quality was always good. There was fresh fruit, tasty pastries, hot dishes that were actually hot, and a proper coffee station.
My only complaint was the orange juice—it wasn’t great. But that’s such a small detail that I almost didn’t mention it.
We didn’t choose the all-inclusive option because we like trying different local restaurants. Costa Adeje has lots of great places to eat within walking distance, and we enjoyed going out to discover new spots every evening.
The Swimming Pools
This is where Hotel Colon Guanahani really stands out. There are two pools, each with its own unique atmosphere.
The Main Pool
We spent most of our time at the main pool. It’s a good size, surrounded by sun loungers, and has a relaxed, social feel without ever being crowded or noisy.
The pool restaurant and bar make it special. You can order salads, pasta, and sandwiches—not fancy, but good quality poolside food. We tried eating at the tables and also had food brought to our sun loungers.
Honestly, we liked sitting at the tables better. It’s more comfortable, you can enjoy your meal properly, and the seating area is shaded and pleasant. The food was genuinely good—fresh salads, decent pasta, just what you want when you’re spending the day by the pool.
I do have to mention one downside: the service at the pool restaurant was the only disappointment during our stay. It was slow, a bit disorganized, and we didn’t feel as welcome there as we did in the rest of the hotel.
I’m mentioning this because I want to be transparent, but it’s not enough to make me not recommend the hotel. The rest of the staff – at reception, in the main restaurant, around the property – were so friendly and helpful that this one weak point didn’t overshadow our experience.
The Rooftop Pool
The rooftop pool is smaller and quieter, perfect if you want a peaceful atmosphere or want to enjoy the views.
From up there, you get panoramic views over Adeje and out to the ocean. It’s especially beautiful in the late afternoon when the light gets golden and the coast looks absolutely stunning.
We’d often start our day at the main pool, then move up to the rooftop in the late afternoon for a quieter, more romantic atmosphere. Both pools have sun loungers and umbrellas, and there’s always space to find a good spot.
Wellness and Relaxation
The hotel has a spa with a sauna, jacuzzi, and massage services. We didn’t book any treatments because we were too busy exploring Tenerife, but the prices looked reasonable—not cheap, but not too expensive either.
If you’re planning a more relaxed trip and want some spa time, it’s definitely worth considering.
Nightly Entertainment
Every evening, the hotel puts on some kind of show or entertainment, like live music or flamenco performances.
I’ll admit, I was skeptical at first because hotel entertainment can sometimes be tacky. But this wasn’t like that at all.
The shows were well done and professional, creating a nice, intimate atmosphere around the pool. We didn’t watch every night, but when we did, we really enjoyed it. The flamenco show was especially beautiful—authentic and passionate, not just a tourist act.
It’s one of those details that makes the hotel feel special and adds to the experience without being over the top or cheesy.
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Location and Getting Around
Hotel Colon Guanahani is perfectly positioned in Costa Adeje for exploring southern Tenerife.
The main beach is a 15-minute walk away. Playa del Duque, one of the nicest beaches in the area, is about 25 minutes on foot. We enjoyed this walk in the evening—watching the sunset, strolling along the beachfront, and then finding a place for dinner.
Everything you need is within walking distance—restaurants, shops, cafes, and pharmacies. We also had a rental car, which I think is essential for exploring the rest of the island. It gave us the freedom to visit places like Teide National Park and the northern coast.
The drive to Tenerife’s north takes about an hour, which is totally manageable. We did it several times during our stay. Some people prefer staying in different parts of the island to minimize driving, but we loved having one base and just doing day trips.
No packing and unpacking, no checking in and out of different hotels – just exploring and coming back to a familiar, comfortable place each night.
The Parking Situation (The Only Real Con)
Let me be real with you about the one frustrating aspect of this hotel: parking.
There’s no private hotel parking, which means you need to park in a public lot at the end of the boulevard. It’s about a 5-minute walk from the hotel, which isn’t terrible, but the parking lot itself is on dirt and you have to be careful not to damage your rental car.
It’s free, which is nice, but it’s not the most convenient setup if you have a lot of luggage or if you’re coming and going frequently.
There is some street parking on the boulevard itself, but in nine days, we never found a spot there. Not once. So don’t count on that as an option.
The hotel does have a quick drop-off spot right in front of the building, which is perfect for unloading luggage when you arrive or calling taxis and tours. You just can’t leave your car there.
Is this a dealbreaker? For us, no. But it’s something to be aware of, especially if you have mobility issues or you’re traveling with a lot of stuff.
What Makes This Hotel Special
After staying in quite a few hotels across Spain and the Canary Islands, what stands out about Hotel Colon Guanahani is how it feels.
It’s not trying to be the biggest or the flashiest. It’s just quietly excellent at what it does – providing a comfortable, beautiful, well-run place to stay that feels intimate and welcoming.
The indoor-outdoor architecture makes you feel connected to the environment in a way that typical hotels don’t. The size is perfect – big enough to have great amenities, small enough to feel personal. The staff (aside from that one pool service hiccup) are genuinely warm and helpful.
And the location in Costa Adeje gives you the best of both worlds: a proper tourist infrastructure with restaurants and beaches, but you’re also perfectly positioned to explore the entire southern part of the island.
We used it as our base for exploring Teide National Park, driving the coastal roads, discovering hidden beaches, and just generally seeing as much of Tenerife as we could pack into nine days.
Would We Stay There Again?
In a heartbeat.
This hotel gave us exactly what we needed: a comfortable, beautiful base that felt special without being pretentious, conveniently located without feeling touristy, and well-priced for the quality you get.
It’s not perfect (that parking situation, the pool restaurant service), but those minor cons are so outweighed by everything else that they barely registered in our overall experience.
If you’re planning a trip to Tenerife and want a hotel that’s both relaxing and convenient, intimate but with all the amenities, I highly recommend Hotel Colon Guanahani.
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Hi, I’m Ersilia
Toulouse, France
Originally from Romania
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As a Romanian expat living in the heart of southern France, I guide English speakers to discover authentic French experiences without the language barrier. My unique perspective as both a local and an expat allows me to share insider tips, cultural insights, and practical advice that you won’t find in typical guidebooks.
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