Apartamentos Marino Tenerife

The complex that houses the Marino dates back to the ‘70s, and there’s an instant retro vibe to the faux peachy-pink facade at the entrance. Inside the three-story property, the dated, somewhat sparsely decorated lobby has gray cloudy-patterned floor tiling, fairly plain white walls and ceilings, and large white round structural pillars. There’s orange-upholstered wicker-effect seating, and a billiards table. The gray and wood-paneled front desk is more modern, against a brown accent backdrop and sitting beneath elegant red downlighting. The well-tended gardens pack in tropical shrubbery and attractive water features, but the pink and yellow buildings look dated from the outside, as do the brown and yellow hallways and stairwells, and the large, bizarrely empty brown-tiled main courtyard. Guests here are mostly vacationing families.

The Marino is set on a quiet road in low-key Costa del Silencio, within walking distance of Amarilla Beach. Other hotels, restaurants, bars, and supermarkets surround the property. For attractions farther afield, a local bus stops just outside, though journey times are greatly reduced with independent transportation.

• Five-minute walk to Playa Amarilla beach
• Eight-minute walk to Montana Amarilla
• 15 minutes to Aloe Park by car (42 minutes by public transportation)
• 18 minutes to Tenerife South Airport (47 minutes by public transportation)
• 19 minutes to Los Cristianos by car (30 minutes by public transportation)
• 19 minutes to Playa de las Americas Beach (43 minutes by public transportation)
• 19 minutes to Chayofa village by car (48 minutes by public transportation)
• 19 minutes to Camel Park by car (50 minutes by public transportation)
• 22 minutes to Jungle Park Tenerife by car

The Marino’s 130 fan-cooled studios and one- and two-bedroom apartments are bright and fairly spacious, though decor is on the dated side. There’s white-tiled flooring and cream walls. Headboards, closets, and cabinets are finished in a mix of dark-tan and whitewashed wood. Beds are made with busy, frumpy cream-and-black floral-patterned linens and sit beneath old-fashioned wall lamps. There are outdated orange-brown armchairs and cream-brown sofa daybeds.

There are also simple white dining tables and plastic chairs, large wall-mounted mirrors, and garish blue-and-gold floor-to-ceiling curtains around sliding balcony doors. Bedrooms in one- and two-bedroom apartments also have decent-sized desks. Tiled balconies are pleasant across the board, and set with basic outdoor furniture. Nice pool or sea views are available from many rooms.

All units have extensively equipped kitchenettes featuring stovetops, refrigerators, toasters, microwaves, kettles, and coffeemakers. Units in one- and two-bedroom apartments add ovens, larger fridge/freezers, and washing machines, plus more worktop space via snazzier brown granite-effect counters. Amenities in all units include flat-screen cable TVs, phones, Wi-Fi (for a fee), safes (extra charges apply), and ironing equipment. 

In most apartments, chic bathrooms have large white and brown wall and floor tiles, shower/tub combos with power showerheads, bidets, and slightly old-fashioned wall-mounted cream stone vanities with submerged sinks. Some units have more dated bathrooms with cream and off-white tiling. Toiletries and hairdryers are provided. 

Facilities at the Marino include a large year-round pool with a built-in whirlpool, and sunbeds alongside, plus a small separate kids’ pool. There’s also a lifeguard on duty during the day. Note that there are charges for beach towels. All-day Alisios Restaurant serves a la carte meals until late evening, and gets good reviews, as does the pool bar, which offers drinks and snacks during the daytime. Full- and half-board options are available, but some rates don’t include the buffet breakfast. There’s an outdoor playground and a well-equipped indoor kids’ club, plus popular daytime and evening entertainment. The gym is clean, but the cardio and weight equipment are old fashioned. Other features include an attractive rooftop solarium, a well-stocked on-site supermarket, and a diving center. There are computers for use in lobby, and Wi-Fi is free in public areas.