Best Beach Hotels in Playa de las Americas, Tenerife

Hotel Sir Anthony is a boutique resort that's part of a larger complex shared with two rowdier -- and less chichi -- resorts. The 70 rooms and suites are unabashedly elegant, with high-end amenities (minibars even have full-sized bottles of top-shelf liquor), sleek bathrooms, and sea-facing balconies. Its location next to the beach in the heart of Playa de las Americas is among its most attractive selling points, although the lovely outdoor pool surrounded by grass and palm trees is not too shabby either. A great restaurant serving locally sourced fare and a spa with ample treatments are also available, but no fitness center directly on-site. Travelers who like the location but want to save some cash may prefer the more affordable Cleopatra Palace or Mediterranean Palace, both of which are part of the same larger resort complex.

The two-and-a-half-pearl Vistasur Apartments is tucked inside of the Vistasur Shopping Center complex and a two-minute walk from the beach. The location is convenient, with plenty of shops and dining options nearby -- especially beneficial as there is no restaurant and just a poolside bar. While the complex and lobby have a contemporary aesthetic, the rest of the hotel is quite dated and the pool deck is well-worn. Its 59 apartment-style rooms look straight out of the '70s, though they do come with flat-screen TVs, free Wi-Fi, well-equipped kitchenettes, and furnished balconies; only the sea-view rooms promise air-conditioning, however. It's worth comparing rates with the Kn Columbus Aparthotel, which has a ton more features and some modern rooms, but it's set farther from the beach.

Parque Santiago IV is a simple and tranquil mid-range beach resort with a stellar location in the middle of Playa de las Americas. Its L-shaped structure, which has a classic Spanish stucco style with green-tile trim and striped awnings, sleepily commands a prime corner position on the coast. The 94 apartment-style units range from studios to three-bedroom apartments and penthouses; all are basic and old-fashioned, but feature furnished balconies or patios and kitchenettes. The resort's standout feature is its beautiful and peaceful beach-facing garden, which has two huge pools, a snack bar, a playground, and gorgeous and well-maintained landscaping. There's no pounding music, supervised activities, or poolside entertainment. As a result, the vibe here is substantially more serene than most of the resorts along the promenade. For a place with more buzz and bounce, try Parque Santiago III, next door.

The upper-middle-range, 431-room beachfront Cleopatra Palace Hotel is one of the three hotels in the Mare Nostrum Resort complex, along with Mediterranean Palace and Hotel Sir Anthony. The Mare Nostrum compound at large is what comes to mind when one thinks of the quintessential ornate Playa de las Americas beach resort, but Cleopatra has more of a calm atmosphere that caters to couples. A pool framed by Roman-inspired statues and sunning patios, a thalassotherapy center, a beach bar, and a buffet restaurant (where the free breakfast is routinely praised) are the main features here, and guests can also access all Mare Nostrum facilities. Rooms are all quite dated, but their furnished balconies -- some with plunge pools -- and marble bathrooms are nice perks. The beachfront location on Playa de las Americas' Golden Mile is fabulous, but of course with that comes noise.

The upscale, beachfront H10 Las Palmeras was one of the first hotels in the area, but thanks to a 2015 renovation, it's also one of the freshest, with a bright, retro-modern look that is a major deviation from what is commonly found at Playa de las Americas hotels. But there's substance as well as style. In addition to trendy decor, the 519 rooms have mini-fridges, air-conditioning, flat-screen LED TVs, and balconies or terraces -- many with ocean views. Plus, Las Palmeras has so many features (three pools, five eateries, three bars, an exhaustive entertainment program...), you'd think it was in the middle of nowhere, not in the smack-dab center of town on a prime beachfront piece of land. Travelers looking for less of a big-resort experience could check out Aparthotel El Duque, a scaled-down all-inclusive that's a short walk from Costa Adeje's best beach.

The beachfront 716-room Parque Santiago III is a solid, mid-range resort with a pulse -- and multiple pools and dining options. Apartment-style rooms start with 320-square-foot Studios with two twin beds and go up to 1,300-square-foot Three-Bedroom Villas that can sleep eight guests. Like the rest of the hotel, rooms have a traditional Canarian look, plus kitchens, flat-screen TVs with free satellite channels, and private balconies or lawns. A vast lagoon-shaped pool with an island dominates Santiago III's courtyard, which also contains a heated aqua park for kids, several food and drink spots, and a path connecting Santiago III's public shopping complex to the beach. As a result, non-hotel guests are constantly streaming through, contributing to the high energy level. Travelers wanting a more restrained and sequestered vibe could consider sister property Parque Santiago IV, which is right next door.

H10 Conquistador's monstrous concrete exterior commands the coastline, but the 485-room upscale resort makes up for its unsightly bulk with a surprisingly fresh and contemporary interior design, warmhearted service, and a considerable set of features. Three pools, a gorgeous spa, seemingly endless buffet, and three distinct a la carte restaurants are standouts among the substantial offerings, not to mention direct beach access. Rooms are a squeeze, but come with mini-fridges, flat-screen TVs, and balconies, many overlooking the ocean. In all, the property has across-the-board appeal for all sorts of guests -- families, couples, even the rare business traveler -- but those looking for a quieter vibe (and the same killer location) could check out Parque Santiago IV.

In a lot of ways, the upper-middle-range, 535-room, family-friendly Mediterranean Palace Hotel is the archetypical Playa de las Americas beach resort (except that it's not all-inclusive). Features here are profuse, especially when you take into account the amenities at Cleopatra Palace Hotel, Mediterranean Palace's sister property where guests have access (Hotel Sir Anthony is also part of the complex, but it is not accessible to Mediterranean guests). Mediterranean's best features are those geared towards children; both the hotel's pool and kids' club are enormous and outfitted with play equipment. Though the rooms here have certainly seen better days -- furnishings and decor are in urgent need of replacement -- they all have balconies and free Wi-Fi and safes (mini-fridges cost a fee). Travelers wanting a more grown-up atmosphere, all-inclusive rates, and modern rooms would be happier at the adult-only HOVIMA Costa Adeje, though that hotel is a bit further back from the beach. 

The 354-room mid-range Hotel Troya has a prime location steps from the sand, overlooking Troya and El Bobo beaches. Rooms types and views vary, but all units have air-conditioning, soundproofing, private balconies, and free Wi-Fi. Shared features are abundant and appealing: a large pool with a shallow kids' end, a buffet restaurant, a pool bar, a stylish solarium, and an enormous spa center -- a somewhat rare commodity at Playa de las Americas hotels -- with a hot tub, hydromassage pool, and thermal cabins. Note that Troya will close for three months in 2017 to complete renovations it began in 2013; this time, the hotel will completely redo the pool area and add an entire new floor of rooms. It's worth comparing rates with Troya's nearby sister property, Hotel Gala, which is slightly set back from the beach, but has equally impressive spa facilities. 

The 357-apartment Family Garden Compostela Beach is a mid-range property located a three-minute walk from Las Vistas, the most popular beach in Los Cristianos. The one- and two-bedroom apartments are bright and spacious, outfitted with kitchenettes, living areas, and balconies (some shared), but they lack air-conditioning. There are two heated pools, including one for kids, a pool bar, and plenty of sun loungers. Kids are well-catered for with a playground, kids' club, and plenty of activities. All-inclusive packages are available for the large buffet restaurant, but it serves mediocre and repetitive food; plenty of bars, restaurants, and a large shopping mall are within a short walk, though. Beware of extra fees for Wi-Fi, additional fans, and in-room safes. The nearby Green Garden Resort & Suites has better all-inclusive perks, but it's pricer and lacks the beach location.