Apartamentos Caribe

One glance around the Apartamentos Caribe's dim lobby -- with orange stucco walls and worn wicker furniture -- and it's clear that this complex occupies the lower end of Playa de las Americas' crowded hotel market. The seven-story Caribe is at the far (and more elevated) edge of the area's main tourist zone; it's right before the highway, about a 10-minute uphill walk from the beach. Despite its dated look and uphill location, the complex generally remains at full capacity with a loyal clientele: primarily British families and younger friend groups in the summer and older Swedish and Finnish couples in the winter. Though the hotel could use a thorough modernization, it's unfailingly clean and has well-kept apartment-like rooms for reasonable rates, plus all the leisure facilities one can expect at this price point, such as an on-site pool and restaurant. 

Playa de las Americas' main tourist zone slopes upward from the shore to the main freeway that rings the island of Tenerife. Apartamentos Caribe is located right before the highway, at the far edge of this gradually ascending area. From the closest beach, Playas de Troya (one of the area's most popular), it's about a 10-minute moderate uphill walk, so guests with mobility issues should consider hotels closer to the shore. Just beyond the hotel is Magma Art & Congress, a postmodern cultural center that frequently hosts music performance and conferences. On the other side of the highway is Siam Park, a huge and popular Asian-themed water park, and Siam Mall, an indoor shopping mall. Restaurants, shops, and bars line the main beachfront promenade in Playa de las Americas, which runs uninterrupted along the coast of the entire resort town, along multiple beaches. It's a 10-minute drive to the nearby Los Cristianos resort town. - Five-minute walk to Magma Art & Congress

• 10-minute walk to Monkey Beach (just north of Playas de Troya)
• Four-minute drive to Siam Park
• Five-minute drive to Siam Mall
• Seven-minute drive Las Vistas beach
• 10-minute drive to Los Cristianos
• 20-minute drive to Tenerife South Airport

All 130 of Caribe's one-bedroom apartments are exactly the same, with basic tile floors, nondescript wood furniture, and textured walls; accent walls are painted a vibrant shade of orange, which matches the sleeper sofas and bedspreads. Apartments are spacious and clean, however, and all open to private sea-facing balconies or terraces overlooking the pool (rooms located on the fourth through seventh floors have sea views). Across from the aforementioned sleeper sofas in the living rooms are wood consoles with 22-inch Samsung flat-screen TVs with English, Dutch, French, and Spanish channels. A marble countertop bar separates the dining area (small dining tables with two chairs) from the kitchenettes, which have electric hobs, microwaves, mini-fridges, toasters, coffeemakers, electric kettles, and basic cookware. The orange accent wall and bed coverings in the bedrooms prevent them from being austere. Beyond those sunny elements, bedrooms are super simple, with two bedside tables, benches, and small writing desks. Instead of true double beds, beds are two singles pushed together, which is common in Playa de las Americas.Bathrooms are as basic and purely practical as the rest of the space -- don't even expect wall-mounted hairdryers or tiny bottles of shampoo and conditioner here. They have shower/tub combos, pedestal sinks (recessed mirror alcoves provide a bit more shelf space), small bars of soap, and windows that let in natural light. Apartments lack air-conditioning, but fans can be hired from reception. Note that there is a four-night minimum and a weekly charge for use of the safe. Wi-Fi is not included in the room rates.

Caribe's main focus is its rectangular swimming pool that is heated in the winter; there is a stair entry in one corner and metal ladders on all four sides, but no shallow section. White plastic loungers with blue cushions, and billiards and ping-pong tables, line the surrounding tile patio, where a pool bar opens in the summer. Despite its popularity with hotel guests, the pool area remains quiet and low-key; there isn't the thumping music or stage shows often found at area hotels. Adjacent to the pool is a single-story restaurant with indoor and poolside terrace seating. It's open all year, and serves breakfast (traditional English, continental, omelettes) and lunch (burgers, sandwiches, salads) as well as smoothies, ice cream, and cocktails, beer, and wine, but no dinner service. Inside the restaurant is a small mini-mart section where guests can purchase liquor, soda, candies, chips, water, and beer. On the restaurant roof is a mini-golf course, and on the far side of the restaurant is the tennis court, which is in surprisingly great shape.In the lobby are four computers (fees apply), plus a cigarette vending machine. Directly below the lobby, on the same level as the pool, is a large indoor hangout room with darts, a massage chair, clusters of cushioned wicker couches and chairs, and a shelf of books left by previous guests. In the corner is a desk for Jet2Holidays representatives. An artificial turfed solarium on the seventh-floor rooftop is an even more quiet alternative to the solarium on the pool deck. Guests get one free hour of Wi-Fi per day in the common spaces. Parking is free in Caribe's on-site lot.