Spring Hotel Bitacora

Popular with tour groups and families, Spring Hotel Bitacora is a mid-range resort that was built back in 1985. The lobby was remodeled in 2017 and features low, sleek furnishings on medium-wood floors, though the hub of activity at the eight-story property is outside behind the lobby, where a large terrace leads to a lower-level area with two pools, a pool bar, and a couple of outdoor recreational areas where guests are kept busy with all sorts of leisure and fitness activities. There are elevators throughout the property, making getting to rooms and other common areas easy for those with strollers. The eight-story hotel building is not much to look at from the street -- just a boxy structure with row upon row of balconies -- but it looks much more impressive from the pool area, with large flower beds with pink and red blooms cascading over its edges. Overall, the vibe is hectic and can get noisy with families enjoying their vacation. 

Spring Hotel Bitacora is located right in the busy heart of Playa de las Americas, across from a shopping a shopping strip with lots of retail shops and tons of street parking. There are tons of restaurants, nightclubs, bars, and casinos in the immediate area. There's a small beach an eight-minute walk from the hotel, while the larger Playa de las Vistas is about 15 minutes away on foot. Nearby theme parks include Aqualand (a nine-minute drive) and Siam Park (five minutes by car). 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 about 15 minutes away by car and can be accessed by busses 711 or 450 in just around 45 minutes.

Spring Hotel Bitacora offers only two room types -- Standard and Superior -- plus some alter-abled units in a wing off the lobby on the ground floor. Both of the two major room types are virtually the same except Superiors have sea views, free safes, and slippers and bathrobes. Decor is simple, with darkish wood floors and tan upholstery and drapes coupled with off-white walls and bedspreads. All units have sofa beds and can sleep two adults and two kids or three adults and one child. Rather than double beds, the hotel offers two twins pushed together. Amenities include flat-screen TVs with over 90 channels, including lots of children's channels in different languages, and kettles for rent. Minibars are included in the all-inclusive rate; those without all-inclusive packages can also pay extra for the privilege. Rooms on the top floor have spectacular views, even the Standard street-facing rooms closer to the coastal side of the property get some sea views. Rooms on lower floors are still quiet, thanks to thick glass doors out onto the balconies. 

Bathrooms are on the small side and have both European and British outlets and powerful hairdryers. About 70-percent of bathrooms have walk-in showers; the rest have shower/tub combos, so guests with strong preferences should mention what they want in terms of bathing preferences at the time of booking. 

Spring Hotel Bitacora offers plenty of amenities, most of which are largely geared toward families with younger children. The main highlight is the huge outdoor pool area, with a large kids' pool divided into a shallow splash section and a deeper area with a waterslide discreetly covered by a stone wall and a stone fountain at one end. There's also a second larger pool for adults and kids alike and plenty of lounge chairs. Note that reserving loungers is not allowed, but the hotel offers plenty of extra chairs that can be set out if the area gets crowded. 

Many of the hotel's other features are located around the pool, including a grassy area on one side with banana trees and tropical plants, and a horseshoe pitch. There's also table tennis right on a poolside patio and an area where fitness activities such as yoga, Pilates, and Latin dance aerobics take place. There's also a fitness center in a small room next to the pool, though it's nothing too impressive, with just a few treadmills and weight machines. For younger guests, there' s a huge kids' club with separate areas for younger and older children. Features include a large playground with enormous slides and all kinds of play structures that's transformed into a splash park with sprinklers during summer months, plus two ball pits with slides, play houses, and a crafts area. There's a separate game room in the main hotel building with arcade driving games, foosball, air hockey, and pool. 

Meals are served buffet-style at the hotel's huge, dark, cafeteria-style restaurant, and there are regular evening thematic dinners focusing on cuisine styles such as Canarian, Mexican, and Middle Eastern. Vegetarian and gluten-free options are available and clearly labeled. All-inclusive, half-board, and full-board plans are available, as is room service (but it's not offered 24 hours). Note that a dress code is applied at dinner. There are also three bars: an open-air pool bar, the all-day main bar, with a projection screen for sporting events and an outdoor terrace with a pool table, and the small Bar Compas, which is only open evenings and is situated next to the hotel's kid-friendly mini-disco area. Nightly entertainment is a bit different than what's typically found in area hotels and includes a rotation of burlesque performances, acrobatic shows, and particularly popular concerts by an Eagles cover band. 

Other amenities include an internet area in the lobby with six free iMac computers, a conference room off lobby, a privately operated massage studio, and separate beauty parlor for hair and nail services. Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel. There's also a library area in the lobby with books and a work table and a free luggage storage room for late departing and early-arriving guests. Perhaps the hotel's most unusual feature is its small lobby room with a race car track for remote control cars. However, it can only be accessed with staff supervision.