Paul Evans, founder of eveology, gives his lowdown on a recent FAM trip to the new Gran Hotel Taoro in Northern Tenerife…
In recent years, especially post-COVID, my clients have been reluctant to choose traditional long-haul destinations in favour of Europe. Spain, undoubtedly for the British market, offers excellent flight access to most key destinations. Still, the lure of sun, sea and sand means the best flights are reserved for Malaga, Barcelona and the Balearics. Plus, for those seeking year-round sunshine, the Canary Islands have seduced travellers further south with the promise of a better climate year-round.
The last few years, credit to Spain, for supporting me with some divine incentive event experiences for my clients. Phenomenal feedback from top-class hotels on events near Estepona and a fantastic, exclusive-use luxury experience in inland Mallorca (no longer Majorca!). Both these events were away from the maddening crowd (AKA mass-leisure Brit-market tourism) and delivered style and class in spades.
The Canary Islands have, until now, escaped me.
Apart from the draw of a well-marketed luxury hotel on the South coast of the island (Abama), which I sensed every MICE event professional knew and had experienced apart from little old me, I know nothing but stories of a lively destination, great climate for winter and possibly great value holidays. No knowledge of whether the island offered high-end experiences and hotels for my profile of clients.
The industry legend, Jo Beames, piqued my interest with a new hotel opening and an addition to her portfolio, so I decided now was the time to discover a new destination with an open mind.
For three nights / four days in early January, a chance to escape to some winter sunshine was hardly an effort. Add in the effervescent Jo, a gaggle of fine eventprofs, and an opportunity to experience a brand-new hotel, DMC partner, and destination, and I accepted quicker than a Brit turning lobster-red on the Costa’s.
The North is greener, with more traditional, dramatic landscapes and some cultural spots, while the South, around Costa Adeje and Playa de las Americas, is sunnier, livelier and resort focused. At the heart of the island rises Mount Teide, Spain’s highest peak. Based on my limited Tenerife knowledge, the North is drawing me, which is perfect as our host hotel is in the heart of Puerto de la Cruz.
Getting to Northern Tenerife & The Hotel
The main destination airport is Tenerife South Airport (TFS – Reina Sofia). Most UK flights land here, with approximately. 4 hrs from London. Direct flights are generally well served by British Airways, Easyjet, Jet2 and Ryanair from LHR, LGW, STN, LTN and SEN. Regional flights from Manchester, Bristol, Edinburgh, and others.
The Gran Hotel Taoro is approx. 1 hour drive from TFS, which was swift and comfortable. The best airport for the North coast is TFN Tenerife North Airport, which is well served by non-UK and other European flights, making it ideal for European arrivals. The airport is 18 miles from the hotel.
Gran Hotel Taoro
If recycling is valued by a corporate event planner, this hotel ticks the box with a very big tick. It oozes new build but is a carefully revitalised revamp and restoration of a former grand luxury hotel. In fact, the first luxury hotel in Spain.
A midday arrival on a glorious, blue-sky day, as we pulled off the main road, we immediately sensed the hotel was in a lush, green, residential part of a town. The hotel has a terrific sense of arrival. Walking from our transport through the well-manicured gardens to a speedy group check-in, first impressions were of the highest order.
A welcome poolside lunch, with mouth-watering food, immediately eradicated any thoughts and weariness of an early start and our flights from the UK. Divine lobster paella, delectable croquettes and an assortment of Spanish small plates had won us over before any true glimpse of the hotel.
If the food wasn’t enough, it was topped by the most personable, charming hosts, namely General Manager Gustavo, Rosa, the Director of Sales & Marketing and Yanira, Sales Manager. All a delight.
If Jo Beames is the UK’s MICE national treasure, she has found her true counterpart in partnering with the island’s treasure … Rosa Gotlib, also known as Rosy. Formerly with the only other hotel on the island I knew of, Rosy had me hooked from our first meeting a few months earlier at a London dinner. I was under her spell throughout for her engaging personality and frank, sincere and refreshing approach to selling and positioning both the hotel and the destination.
Now at our home for three nights, we discovered a fresh (paint almost dry) hotel that, at first glance, feels like a total new build, but you can see that key components and architectural features have been preserved from the former historic grand hotel. Bedrooms are crisp, fresh and well-appointed. Some minor constructive comments for improvements were shared, taken in and will soon be acted upon
Some with balconies and all with stunning views of the Atlantic Ocean, Tiede, or the La Orotava Valley. This is one hotel I would be very happy with if I didn’t get an ocean view. The view to the back, the arrivals gardens and the mountains are simply stunning.
For events, exclusive use of their restaurants and ocean-view terraces, and, for larger events, backup is available within steps of the hotel and on the grounds. The original congress centre, with 6720 sq ft of space, is available. Whilst it has a slightly dated architectural style compared to its adjacent hotel, it undoubtedly offers a great blank canvas possibility for evening events with enhanced lighting and décor – and a practical space for large day events, opening to patios and terraces towards the pool and ocean.
We discovered the hotel was a favourite of monarchs, aristocrats and creative geniuses such as Agatha Christie, who immortalised her stay in her writings.
Two terrific dinners were enjoyed on site at the hotel. Our first evening, we enjoyed a fine dinner at the hotel’s gourmet bistro Amalur. On the last evening, we revelled in a ten–course Japanese–Mediterranean fusion tasting menu with wine & sake pairings. Gorgeous food and service from such a new hotel, where they can only grow to even greater heights.
As with most new hotel openings, there are always finishing touches to small furnishings, service issues, and staff training, which get ironed out as they put their service into practice. The hotel management was super keen to soak up every ounce of feedback from these MICE industry guests.
The Destination
Before breakfast, impatient on the first morning to wait for the official walking tour later in the morning, I opted for a run (okay, a fast walk) into Puerto de la Cruz to see the town unguided. The hotel is a short, downhill 10–15 min stroll through gardens and the town before reaching the black-sand/rock oceanfront. Delightful downhill walk. For the return, more of a workout as you climb the steps unless you opt for the traversing lane (or a cab).
My route dipped between cobbled-stone streets, touristy shops, cafes, a gorgeous church and square, nondescript architecture, and picture-postcard facades, which I stopped to Insta-grab.
However, as with most destinations, it’s always best to be introduced by a guide. We walked later via a much more appealing route through the town, along a curated pathway past Michelin-starred restaurants, cute squares, and scenic points, all leading to a fabulous lunch on the oceanfront.
The event co-host was Ten Travel DMC. We enjoyed the company of the Director, Marcos Albornoz van Aken, and the wonderful guide, Yolanda. They navigated us around the town whilst sharing event possibilities and insights on delivering business events in this part of the island.
For a dinner off property, we ventured to one of the leading off-site venues – Tito’s. A big venue with numerous spaces including a restaurant & grill, a gourmet shop, a poolside bar area and a theatre. Following dinner, a merry bunch of eventprofs couldn’t resist the photo booth areas for some Insta fun.
One of the highlights, for sure, was the offsite day at the Tiede National Park. Having done very little research, this was an unexpected, natural treat and surprise.
Leaving the hotel, we ventured on a winding drive up the mountain roads with a couple of scenic pit stops and a refreshment break. We arrived at the Tiede National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site centred around Mount Tiede, a dormant volcano and the third largest on Earth. Also, Spain’s highest peak is at 3715 metres.
I marvelled at the volcanic scenery, with its amazing lava fields, craters, and rock formations, which felt like we were on the moon at times or in a movie set. Lunch was enjoyed in Paradore de Las Canadas del Tiede. Located in a lunar landscape with the finest stargazing possibilities, it is a mountain mansion with 28 bedrooms and a dining room. A perfect option to combine coast and mountains for a small event with an exclusive use buy-out in an epic location for a stopover.
Our trip was short and limited, focusing on showcasing a few event possibilities to a varying group of event planners, with some interested in incentive-style experiences and others in meeting- and product-related events. However, the trip opened my eyes to a new, easily accessible destination, with North Tenerife offering a stunning landscape, a new five-star hotel, and many more experiences to explore. It left me intrigued to explore more programme ideas and opened my mind to incentive travel to this destination especially during winter months with such a terrific climate. A great fam.