Tenerife (Puerto de la Cruz), Spain
Rating8.1
Rating6.6
Rating6.6Above Average
Based on 4k reviews
Exceptional Staff & Service
Guests consistently praise the hotel staff for their friendliness, attentiveness, and willingness to go above and beyond, making stays pleasant and welcoming.
Prime Oceanfront Location
The hotel's amazing oceanfront setting provides stunning sea and Mount Teide views, with easy walking access to the town center, harbor, and local attractions.
Heated Outdoor Pool
The attractive and well-maintained pool area, featuring a pleasantly heated main pool, is a significant draw for guests seeking relaxation.
Overall Cleanliness
Despite some minor comments, the hotel receives consistent praise for its high standards of cleanliness across all areas, especially rooms and common spaces.
Spacious Rooms with Views
Many guests appreciate the comfortable and spacious rooms, often featuring large balconies that offer fantastic sea or mountain vistas.
Inconsistent Food Quality
Dinner at the buffet often receives criticism for a lack of flavor, repetitiveness, and overall subpar quality, leading some guests to dine elsewhere.
Dated Room Decor
While clean and functional, many rooms are considered outdated with tired decor and worn furnishings, prompting calls for modernization.
Increased Parking Costs
Guests frequently express dissatisfaction over the significantly increased and high daily cost of on-site parking.
Loud Evening Entertainment
Some visitors find the volume of the evening music program to be too loud, potentially affecting their enjoyment of the evening.
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Sustainability certification
Travelife
The Bahia Principe Sunlight San Felipe holds an unusual claim in the all-inclusive world: it's a genuinely old building — constructed in 1964 — that sits directly on the seafront in Puerto de la Cruz on Tenerife's north coast. Most mass-market all-inclusives are built in sandy resort strips; this one is embedded in a real town with a working harbor, historic architecture, and local restaurants within a 10-minute walk. The view from higher-floor rooms takes in both the Atlantic and, on clear days, the snow-capped summit of Mount Teide — a combination you won't find at most beach resorts.
The San Felipe suits travelers who want the convenience of all-inclusive pricing but also want to step outside the bubble. Couples, solo travelers, and older guests who appreciate walkable culture will feel at home here. Families with young children will find less to occupy them than at purpose-built resort complexes — the mini-club only runs during school holidays, and Martianez Beach is rocky rather than sandy. This is not a resort for guests who want a swim-up bar and structured pool activities all day.
The honest drawback is age. Last renovated in 2006, the rooms show their years — expect dated décor, modest square footage in standard categories (around 200 sq ft), and an overall aesthetic closer to 2006 than 2024. Guest reviews consistently flag worn furniture and tired bathrooms. The spa and indoor pool add meaningful value, but the physical plant is overdue for a refresh.
Practically speaking: 261 rooms, two à la carte restaurants (Italian and Mediterranean), a main buffet, and an indoor spa with hydrotherapy circuit and gym. The all-inclusive rate covers all meals and most beverages. Tenerife North Airport (TFN) is a 20-minute drive, making this one of the more convenient airport-to-hotel transfers on the island. Price tier is mid-range for Tenerife — noticeably cheaper than the large southern resort complexes, which reflects both the age of the property and the north-coast location.
Puerto de la Cruz receives significantly more rain and cloud cover than the southern resort zone. If consistent sunshine is your priority, look at south Tenerife. If you want an interesting town with actual Canarian character — botanical gardens, the famous Lago Martiánez lido complex, local restaurants, and a real market — and you can accept a 60-year-old building at a corresponding price, the San Felipe delivers solid value.