Where to stay in Tenerife for Families (Baby to Teenager)

The quick answer

The best hotels for families in Tenerife
Babies and toddlers – H10 Costa Adeje Palace
Children up to 8 years old – Hovima La Pinta Beachfront Family Hotel
Children up to 12 years old – Spring Hotel Bitacora
Teenagers – H10 Las Palmeras

Best family holidays in the South of Tenerife

The South of Tenerife is the island’s most popular place for family holidays, not only because most of the flights to Tenerife land at Tenerife South Airport, only 15 to 20 kilometres away, but also because most of the popular attractions are located here, like the famous Siam Water Park.

Costa Adeje

Costa Adeje is the most popular holiday destination in Tenerife for families with children of all ages, but especially for babies, toddlers and young children. Teenagers might also like this area, but they might enjoy nearby Playa de las Americas more.

• Lots of shops and family-friendly restaurants close to the beaches.
• Excellent nightlife for all ages, with shows, karaoke, and family-friendly pubs.
• Playgrounds next to the beach.
• Fun attractions like bowling, mini golf, waterparks, and go-karting.
• Lots of watersports, from relaxing pedal boats to motorized action.
• Many boat excursions leave from the marina to go whale and dolphin watching.
• Many different beaches to discover and explore with safe and sheltered swimming conditions.
• The promenade is safe, with no cars allowed near the beaches.
• All major fast food chains for those with fussy eaters.

Best family holiday hotels in Costa Adeje
€€€ – Iberostar Bouganville Playa – Located on the edge of Costa Adeje and Playa de Las Americas, close to the Playa de el Bobo, this hotel has a great kids pool and playgrounds, kids clubs and all-day entertainment.
€€€ – Hovima La Pinta Beachfront Family Hotel – Not only is this a great family hotel, but it is also located in one of the best locations in Costa Adeje. Right next to the beach, close to the harbour and surrounded by many bars and restaurants to enjoy.
€€ – H10 Costa Adeje Palace – This hotel, located in the quiet, new and more luxurious part of Costa Adeje, is huge, with many different pools and amenities for families to enjoy. It is also located directly next to a lovely black sand beach. Even from inside the hotel, you can still enjoy the beach vibes from the pools and sun loungers overlooking the beach.

Playa de las Americas

Playa de las Americas has been known as a budget clubbing holiday destination for many years. This has changed significantly over the last few years, and the area has become much more family and luxury-focused. Playa de las Americas is ideal for families with older children and teenagers.

• Lots of watersports.
• It is a trendy place to learn how to surf, ideal for cool teenagers.
• There are many shopping opportunities for teenage girls (and boys).
• Safe promenade with no traffic allowed near the beaches.
• Fun things to do in the area, like arcades and mini-golf.
• Ideal location in between family-friendly Los Cristianos and Costa Adeje for those who like to explore beyond Playa de las Americas.
• Nightlife clubbing scene and beach clubs that might appeal to older teenagers.
• Relaxing beachside lounge bars for parents to enjoy.
• This area is the flattest in the South of Tenerife, so it is easy to get around if you have children in strollers.
• There are lots of different restaurants and international cuisines to try.
• Live shows and performances in the evening.

Best family holiday hotels in Playa de las Americas
€€ – Spring Hotel Bitacora – By far the best hotel for those with kids who love swimming, this hotel is best described as a colourful waterpark. It is hard to believe how many different pools they built in this hotel. From kids’ pools with slides to an outdoor spa and rooftop swimming pool. But of course, there is also a large playground and mini club.
€€ – HD Parque Cristobal Tenerife – While many hotels in this area are tall buildings, this bungalow complex has more of a small scale and relaxed feeling. The bungalows are also centred around 2 pools, which makes it easy to quickly get things you need from your bungalow as it is never far away.
€€€ – H10 Las Palmeras – This hotel is the best for older children and teenagers in this area. Not only does it have a large area with great pools, lots of sports fields and entertainment, but it also has a generally more adult feel. Also, for teenagers, the top spot for surfing is just in front of the hotel, and you can try it or take classes to learn it there.

Los Cristianos

Los Cristianos is the holiday destination in the South that has some authentic Spanish vibes. It does not have that overly busy touristy feel that much of Costa Adeje and Playa de las Americas have. It’s a great place to visit with children of all ages.

• Closest to the airport from all the holiday destinations in this list for a quick transfer.
• It is a more relaxing setting than Costa Adeje and Playa de las Americas.
• Everything is a bit smaller scale.
• Safe promenade away from traffic.
• Great beaches.
• More budget-friendly accommodation is available and lots of holiday lettings.

Best family holiday hotels in Los Cristianos
€€ – Paradise Park Fun Lifestyle – For family holidays in Los Cristianos, this is one of the only hotels in this area with everything you can wish for. Lots of different pools, a kids club as well as a club for teenagers and lots of activities all day for adults as well. In the evening there is a mini disco and shows as well. For parents who need some time to relax there are also pools and areas for adults only.

Puerto de Santiago

Puerto de Santiago is a bit further away and less well-known than Los Cristianos, Costa Adeje and Playa de las Americas. Still, this area has a great family-friendly hotel. The only negative worth mentioning for a family holiday is that this area is rather hilly and takes some walking to get the most out of your holiday. So, it is excellent for older children and teenagers but not ideal for families with babies and toddlers in strollers if you like to explore a lot outside of your hotel.

• Unique black sand beach experience.
• More budget-friendly accommodation, food, drinks and shops.
• Lots of excursions and boat trips from the nearby Los Gigantes marina.

Best family holiday hotels in Puerto de Santiago
€ – Landmar Costa Los Gigantes – While there are a lot of budget-friendly holiday lettings and small hotels in this area, this hotel is by far the best family hotel in this area. It is excellent for families with lots of activities, sports fields and playgrounds and just a short walk away from the best beach in this area.

Best family holidays in the North of Tenerife

The North of Tenerife is less popular for family holidays than the South of Tenerife. Yet Puerto de la Cruz is also a holiday destination that is also an option for family holidays. Especially when travelling on a budget or looking for a cheap holiday.

Puerto de la Cruz

Puerto de la Cruz is one of this list’s more authentic Spanish resorts. In my opinion, it is a perfect mix of authenticity and tourism. Also, because there are so many local Spanish people living here, prices are generally lower here than in the South. While the weather on this side of the island is less predictable in winter, the weather here is excellent in summer. This resort is great for older children and teenagers.

• The famous Loro Park Zoo is located here.
• Black sand beaches with safe swimming conditions.
• The Lago Martianez waterpark offers an ideal swimming and sunbathing solution for when it is windier, or there are higher waves on the beaches.
• Authentic Spanish experience with culture and tourism.
• Cheaper restaurants, bars and supermarkets with normal prices.
• Lots of nature parks to explore.
• Many hiking routes.

Best family holiday hotels in Puerto de la Cruz
€ – Bahia Principe Sunlight San Felipe – For families looking for a budget-friendly (all-inclusive) holiday close to the beach.
€ – Apartamentos Casablanca – This is a good option for those looking for a really cheap family holiday. While it does not have all the things some of the more expensive hotels on the list have, it has some facilities for families. They even have children’s entertainment, but only during the summer months.

Bonus tips for perfect family holidays in Tenerife

• Bahia Principe Sunlight Costa Adeje and Bahia Principe Fantasia Tenerife are excellent hotels for those who like an all-inclusive family holiday and don’t care much about what the surrounding area offers. These hotels are enormous and have pretty much everything you want within them.
• Most activities, parks and attractions in Tenerife are located near Playa de las Americas, Los Cristianos and Costa Adeje. So if you like to have a lot of experiences during your holiday, this is the best choice.
• H10 Atlantic Sunset is the only hotel on this list I have not been to yet because it is a new construction. But H10 Hotels has many great hotels on the islands, so it is also definitely worth considering for a family holiday.
• Tenerife has good weather all year round, especially in the South of Tenerife. If you have non-school-age children and you can book your holiday outside the school holidays, savings on flights and accommodation are huge. You can check the complete guide on when to visit Tenerife here.