Hotel Rural El Navio

For travellers seeking a very relaxing retreat close to Tenerife's southwest coast, which tends to enjoy one of the island's warmest and sunniest climates, it would be hard to beat this delightful little hotel. Tucked away within a 75,000 square metre banana plantation, El Navio's peaceful setting is further enhanced by the hotel's adult-only policy (minimum age 16 years).

The hotel comprises just a dozen guestrooms, arranged in a single-storey terrace a short stroll from the main building that contains the restaurant, reception and other public areas. Each room its own large and fairly private terrace, equipped with a patio table and chairs as well as a pair of sunloungers, perfect for unwinding with a good book or a chilled glass of wne and enjoying the views across the banana plants towards the ocean and the island of La Gomera, which are especially enchanting at sunset time. Inside, the rooms are spacious and prettily furnished in a traditional country style. All have attractively tiled en-suite shower rooms, and come equipped with satellite TV (limited English-language channels), minibars, hairdryers, safety deposit boxes and free WiFi. In addition, Superior Rooms have a small ante-room with a convertible sofa-bed for a third person and tea-and-coffee-making facilities.

As befits its bucolic setting, the ambience at El Navio is pleasantly informal, with a small honesty bar in the comfy communal lounge area. Breakfast is automatically included and makes use of fresh fruit from the adjoining plantation, home-made jams and a varied range of savoury options. In the evenings, a reasonably-priced set dinner, drawing on local produce and traditional Canarian recipes, is served either on the charming courtyard terrace or in the cosy dining room, depending on weather conditions; please advise the staff at breakfast time if you wish to dine in that evening. Alternatively, there is a selection of restaurants in the small town of Alcalá, approximately 20 minutes' walk or a 5-minute drive away.

A 15-minute walk along a private footpath, for which guests are given their own keys, takes you through the banana plantation to the seafront, crossing a road halfway along. Here you will find the volcanic beach Playa La Jaquita and its adjacent natural rock pools, as well as a recently created coastal path leading past Alcala's only large hotel to the village centre.

Using the hire car that is included in your holiday, it takes just 15 minutes or so to reach the small resort of Los Gigantes and the towering cliffs after which it is named, whilst in the opposite direction the larger resort of Costa Adeje with its golf courses and extensive shopping facilities is just a little further. Those keen to explore the island's stunning mountain scenery can head inland towards the Teide National Park or drive north beyond Los Gigantes towards Santiago del Teide, the Teno range and the stunning Masca gorge. Alternatively, you may prefer to spend at least some of your time relaxing on the terrace by the hotel's swimming pool and enjoying the tranquil surroundings.