The view is spectacular. From the terrace your eyes wander over the deep blue Atlantic Ocean to La Gomera. Tenerife’s neighbouring island rests on the horizon like a sleepy whale in the early morning light – you can even see it from your bed. Melvin Villaroel, the architect behind the Abama, has made clever use of the 160 hectare site from the gentle slopes of the Pico del Teide volcano down to the tiny but beautiful sandy beach on the west coast. He has designed the five-star deluxe hotel and resort in Moorish style, as a magnificent fortress or citadel.

In areas where the ground is level, enchanting paths and terraces with luxuriant plants offer astonishing views and provide privacy for guests, despite the overall size of the complex. Inside the hotel, warm earth tones, dark wood and a selection of antiques from Asia combine to create a harmonious whole. Outside is a captivating subtropical landscape, with hundreds of palm trees and an abundance of colourful flora, waterfalls and emerald-green Koi carp pools. Anyone looking for an even more relaxed and private setting can rent one of the exclusive villas in the palm garden and enjoy a morning swim in their own pool.

Other features which add to the hotel’s popularity include the charming and highly professional service (the Abama is managed by Ritz Carlton!), the spacious 18-hole championship golf course – which, of course, comes with marvellous views of the sea – and the Abama Sánchez-Casal Tennis Academy. As well as top-class sporting facilities, the hotel boasts a 2500 square metre spa area, offering innovative eastern and western treatments, a hamam, a snow cabin, yoga and meditation classes, personal trainers and an exclusive beauty programme.

For a “fulfilled life” – the meaning of Abama, an allusion to a word from the Akan language spoken in Ghana – the only missing ingredient now is food. The cuisine on offer in the Abama’s restaurants is not only varied but also mouth-wateringly good – ranging from Martín Berasategui’s gourmet dishes and the best Japanese food in southern Europe to a simple fish grill. When Rafael Carrasco in the Kabuki sharpens his knives, you know that the menu will feature melt-in-the-mouth Wagyu beef, or delicious blue shark which comes served on ice in the shape of an igloo. The kitchen of the M.B is in the capable hands of Paolo Casagrande. After just four years working under three-star chef Martín Berasategui at his San Sebastian restaurant, the master gave his apprentice the opportunity to manage the restaurant in the Abama. Alongside “colour in his life and on his plate”, the 29 year old chef loves sophisticated ingredients, such as truffles, shellfish, lobster, bison and lemon grass. Yes, Abama means a fulfilled life – and a slice of happiness.

Text: Regine Smith Thyme

Abama Golf & Spa Resort

38687 Guía de Isora, Carretera General
TF 47, Km 9, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
Tel. +34 922 12 60 00

For further information: http://www.abamahotelresort.com/ or www.ritzcarlton.com