San Roque Hotel

Having had a very poor experience at the Parador Las Canadas (see review), we drove through a stunning landscape down to Garachico, a very lovely and historically fascinating old town by the sea. During the day it's a bit full with daytrippers, but come aperitif time it's quiet (apart from the wonderful sound of local music groups practicing with their windows open). We were booked in at the Boutique Hotel San Roque for five days, and it was a delight. We had a room overlooking the quiet street, with old-fashioned window seats enabling us to indulge in that quintessentially relaxing activity, watching the world go by below. The room was very comfortable, with a gorgeous old Canarian wooden roof and floor, Stepping out of it, it got even better, the building being an old Canarian town house with a gorgeous inner courtyard with a marvellous cool wooden balcony running all around it, studded with comfortable sofas and chairs. The roof terrace has delightful views over the town and the landscape, alongside comfortable sunloungers. The pool is lovely and beautifully set in the next courtyard along. It's really a necessity in this place, because due to the sea state, it's not really possible to swim in the sea here until June. The sea is very dangerous and only calms down between June and August, making the local charcos (natural swimming pools in the lava rocks) inaccessible for most of the year. That came as a bit of a surprise to us who chose to go to Garachico for some water therapy in said charcos: none of the guide books we consulted mentioned this. There is a sheltered pebble beach at the other end of town (playa del muelle), but in the five days we spent in Garachico, the sea calmed down enough for us to go for a swim only on one of those days. And we were visiting at the end of May, so that gives you an idea of how rare good swimming conditions are in Garachico. Not surprisingly, most of the town turned out for some water-based fun on that day! Back to the Boutique Hotel San Roque! Around the pool are the restaurant tables - an unusual set-up which took us a few minutes to get used to at first. But after a short while we started to really enjoy the soft light the pool created for us diners and the sense of freshness the water provides. And in the morning it served to pep us up for the day. That restaurant. Wow! The Chef is a bit of a wizard, and we ate there four times and wished we'd not gone elsewhere for the fifth night... An amazing modern take on Canarian cuisine, fresh and surprising. The salt cod fritters, the ceviche, the seared tuna, the sirloin, the fabulous desserts...Not one misstep. The wine list was excellent, prices very reasonable and service first-class. Talking of service - everyone we met at the Hotel was so friendly and helpful, and the cleaning staff was amazing. We felt welcome and instantly relaxed into recovery mode. They've got this great button-that-summons-up-drinks system - throughout the hotel public spaces, there are little gizmos on the tables, a bit like the old bell systems in posh houses. You press the button anywhere in the hotel, a lovely waitress appears, and a few minutes later you have your delightful drinky-poo and/or snack in hand. Marvellous. The hotel is very quiet, so if you want to party, you need to go elsewhere. But we didn't want to party, we wanted to relax and read and think and swim and eat wonderful food. We couldn't have found a better place to do these things.

This hotel is every bit as wonderful as it looks. An old beautiful building with all the modern convenience you need. All the staff were super nice and did their very best to make your stay comfortable. Going there in early February, I was a bit worried about having breakfast outside, but with the heaters it was no problem. We had dinner at the hotel all three evenings we stayed there, as we just couldn't see the point in roaming the streets for another restaurant. Food was excellent, as was the wine list. We had a duplex room on the first floor. It was very quiet, and nice to have a bit of separation between the sitting area and the sleeping area. The hotel is very clean and the hotel provides very good value for money. Garachico is also a beautiful town to stay in, and a good base for hiking. We will stay there again next time in Tenerife. We wish to thank the staff for a lovely stay!

What a find, AMAZING. From beginning to end everything was perfection, arrival made so welcome, departure again made to feel valued and thanked us for our stay ! So much to say about everything would take pages , but the word outstanding covers it all. We went half board and it was fine dining every night, such unique and tasty dishes. Restaurant staff were amazing both evening and morning. Wines were so good and local. Reception staff couldn’t do enough to help you and so welcoming. The staff who looked after our room daily went above and beyond. I could go on , but let’s just say one of the best hotels we have ever stayed in ,pure joy. Thank you everyone at San Roque

How can you rate a place that’s so perfect as a hotel? The minute you arrive you are greeted as a friend ( this was our third stay ) Dominique and his team work tirelessly to ensure your stay is perfect Our room 108 was stunning ,with beautiful bedding and amenities Outside our room you could sit and read and enjoy the ambience of this unique place Beautiful and intriguing art is lovingly displayed in corners of staircases , halls and lounge .Each chosen to incite discussion on their origins and history The pool and roof top areas promote total relaxation ,peace and privacy The staff is what makes this place so special as it’s clear they love their jobs and want you to have a wonderful stay We were here for Christmas and New Year dinners and each was an explosion of taste buds The restaurant is very good with a range of delicious meals but staff will suggest other places to eat and book them for you Dominique thank you for another wonderful stay , we will be back

Small but perfectly formed boutique hotel. Lovely building, location, rooms and such amazing attentive service. With 20 rooms it is very tranquil and restful, even in the pool. Great breakfast. Only minor issues and they were minor, couldn’t find any English language TV channels and missed an early morning coffee in the room. (although there was room service)