The Place
This parador has arguably the most extraordinary location of any hotel in Spain. The only proper building for miles around, it stands within an enormous volcanic crater – a bizarre jumble of chocolate-brown and red rubble and weirdly-shaped rocks – and towering over it is the cone of Mount Teide, Spain’s highest peak. Canadas del Tiede is most enjoyable when the day-trippers who descend on its cafeteria and park information centre have departed. Come evening, the setting sun turns the landscape a deep orange, and at night the clear air reveals a firmament of a thousand stars.
Styled as a plush mountain chalet, the parador has recently undergone a much-needed revamp. Bedrooms (try to bag one with a view of Mount Teide) are very comfortable and understated, with Canarian pine floors, dark wood furniture, and swish marble bathrooms. Spacious, open-plan public areas capitalise on the views, and feature a large selection of prints showing Tenerife’s stunning scenery.
Expect good food, in the form of mammoth buffet breakfasts, and hearty dinners that concentrate on Canarian specialities such as rabbit and goat stews. To work up an appetite, you can follow two circular walks through the crater that start from the hotel’s front door.