Gran Oasis Resort

Built in 2000, this resort is set on the far side of the Golf Las Americas course, which is famous for its lakes and ravines. The hotel is a long way up a largely (almost eerily) untenanted road, but even before one walks into the bustling lobby, it's easy enough to forget the isolated setting. Monster Tui and BlueStar buses idle in the entrance roundabout, depositing guests from the U.K. and Scandinavia who are here for a week or two. Outgoing guests stash their luggage in an aviary-like storage corner right by the main entrance. New arrivals sway in hanging egg-shaped basket chairs or lounge on white wicker love seats or a couch with Balinese daybed frame, overseen by a mechanical band of dancing moneys. Representatives from tour operators flit about with clipboards and hotel waiters roll carts of Champagne, sodas, and bottled waters to the pool area, where music can be heard. But with its tidy rows of tile-topped apartments and duplexes radiating from the lively, multi-level pool deck, Gran Oasis is big enough so as not to feel crowded, even during the busiest transition times (typically Sundays and Tuesdays, when the big arrivals roll in). And the remote spot certainly doesn't seem to bother the clientele, especially in the summer, when mostly British guests hang out on the resort grounds all day.

Guests might spot some hotel signage that refers to the property as a golf resort, but Gran Oasis isn't a golf resort in the sense that it attracts golfers or has any relationship with the golf course it is next to. The resort is located on the far reaches of the 18-hole Golf Las Americas, right by the main highway that goes around the perimeter of Tenerife. Save for the golf course itself and two other hotels, there is really nothing else within walking distance. The hotel helps compensate for its faraway location by offering a free shuttle six days a week to Siam Park and the Monkey Beach club. Those with cars can drive to Los Cristianos and Playa de las Vistas in six minutes, Costa Adeje in nine minutes, Teide National Park in about 50 minutes, and Loro Parque in about an hour and fifteen minutes. Gran Oasis is a 13-minute drive from Tenerife South Airport.

Of Gran Oasis' 210 guest rooms, the 25 one-bedroom duplex apartments overlooking the beautiful Golf Las Americas golf course are the most coveted. These 592-square-foot (55-square-meter) units feature outdoor space in the form of large balconies (off of the living rooms) with panoramic golf views, as well as even larger, lower-level terraces (off of the bedrooms) with Bali beds. Other one-bedroom duplex apartments have views of the pool area or garden grounds from their 65-square-foot balconies. For guests who'd prefer accommodations all on one level (duplexes have steep staircases separating the living rooms/kitchens and bedrooms), there are also two-bedroom apartments with 86-square-foot balconies with garden views.

Perhaps whoever designed rooms' interiors thought they could make up for the hotel's distance from the ocean with decidedly beachy decor. The predominant hue in the rooms is sand, which is complemented by white wicker seating, seashell-print curtains, and framed prints of tropical gardens. Beds have blue-and-cream coral-print bedding and faux canopies. All rooms have full kitchens, separated from the living rooms by breakfast bars, with full-size refrigerators, microwaves, cooktops, and coffeemakers. There are two high-top stools at the breakfast bar, as well as circular marble tables with four chairs by the windows. 

Every room has two Samsung flat-screen LED TVs and two air-conditioning units, one in the living room and one in the bedroom. Both TVs receive more than 50 channels in British, Spanish, German, France, Italian, and Russian. All units have shower/tub combos in the bathrooms and free Wi-Fi.

The entire hotel is oriented around its three heated pools: one for kids, one medium-sized, and one large main one with a center island and side rock garden with elephant sculptures. The tiered pool area is alive with water aerobics classes, doggie-paddlers with inflatable sharks and foam noodles, kids lobbing beach balls and skimming down an inflatable slide, and an enthusiastic animation team shimmying on the Astroturfed deck. One animation person is dedicated to kids, and runs activities like face-painting, treasure hunts, and balloon-making. (Evening entertainment includes mini discos and shows like Beatles or Blues Brothers tributes and a comedy hypnotist.) A game room off of the main pool features Guitar Hero, air hockey, five pool tables, and video games (some for a fee). There are two houses containing kids' club, though one is often controlled by a tour operator, as well as an enclosed play area for soccer and basketball.

Gran Oasis offers self-catering, bed-and-breakfast, half-board, full-board, and all-inclusive rates, though the all-inclusive plan is far and away the most popular, followed by half-board (in the summer, 100 percent of guests are on the all-inclusive plan, and in the winter, guests are practically split between all-inclusive and half-board). All-inclusive is available in Silver and Gold; both cover all meals, snacks, ice cream, and soft drinks, but Silver incurs an extra fee for premium liquors and wine, while Gold covers all alcohol and includes a la carte lunch at the pool bar, which has a huge terrace. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner buffets are served in the main restaurant. Located by the pool, this restaurant features traditional Canarian architecture, a children's buffet, show-cooking stations, and a rotating dinner schedule with Tex-Mex, Italian, Canarian, Spanish, Asian, and international nights.

For guests not on the all-inclusive plan, there is an on-site market carrying groceries (cereals, crackers, candies, milk, vegetables, fruit, breads, chips), toiletries, beer, and wine. Gran Oasis' fitness center, which is slated to be renovated in 2017, offers treadmills, bikes, a bench press, and golf-course views. The hotel provides free shuttle service six days a week from the hotel to Siam Mall and Monkey Beach Club, where all-inclusive guests receive free lunch and drinks once a week. Wi-Fi is free throughout.