Tenerife, Spa Mode - Part One

Tenerife is one of those places where spa culture actually makes sense. Not as an add-on, not as a rainy-day activity, but as part of how the island works. Volcanic landscapes, ocean air, steady temperatures, and that slow Atlantic rhythm naturally push you toward rest. You don’t rush here - your body simply refuses to.

What I noticed quickly is that spas in Tenerife aren’t about doing the most. They’re about doing things properly. Space, silence, heat, water, and time. Whether you’ve spent the day walking, swimming, golfing, or doing absolutely nothing (a valid choice), slipping into a spa here feels like a continuation of the island rather than an escape from it.

This blog is about three five-star hotels that understand that idea very well. Each one approaches wellness differently - from large thermal circuits to calm, elegant spa spaces designed for quiet recovery. Different styles, different moods, same goal: helping you genuinely slow down.

Because in Tenerife, a good spa doesn’t just relax you. It resets you… and sometimes, that’s the highlight of the entire stay.

How to Choose the Right Spa Treatments at a 5-Star Hotel

Five-star spas can be overwhelming. Long menus, poetic descriptions, and suddenly you’re questioning whether you need a “chakra alignment” or just a nap. After trying a few very different spa experiences in Tenerife, here’s how I now choose treatments - without overthinking it.

Start with water.
If the hotel has a proper thermal or thalasso circuit, always do that first. Pools, jets, saunas and contrast temperatures prepare your body for everything else. It’s also the easiest way to slow your nervous system down before someone starts working on your muscles.

Go local when you can.
Luxury spas often incorporate regional elements - volcanic stones, sea salt, marine water, island oils. These treatments usually feel more thoughtful and less “copy-paste” than standard massages you can get anywhere in the world.

One long massage is better than two short ones.
Instead of stacking treatments, pick one signature or extended massage (90–120 minutes). Your body needs time to actually let go. Short treatments are fine, but long ones are where the reset happens.

Hydro + body = the perfect combo.
A hydrotherapy bath or exfoliation followed by a massage is a winning formula. Your muscles are already warm, your skin is awake, and the massage works deeper without feeling aggressive.

Don’t underestimate simple things.
Sometimes the most effective treatment is not the most exotic one. A well-done anti-stress, lymphatic or therapeutic massage by a skilled therapist can be more powerful than the fanciest ritual.

And finally: leave space for nothing.
Don’t book back-to-back treatments all day. The real luxury of a five-star spa is having time to sit, float, drink tea, stare at the ceiling and do absolutely nothing - without guilt.

If you walk out feeling calm, slightly sleepy and not in a rush to check your phone, you chose well.

Vincci Selección La Plantación del Sur - Nammu Áreas Spa

Image credits: Vincci Selección La Plantación del Sur website

I don’t overthink spas. If I leave feeling lighter than when I arrived, it’s done its job. This one definitely did.

The corridors of the Nammu Áreas Spa are quiet, warm, softly lit, and everything feels deliberately unhurried. No rushing, no background noise, no feeling that someone’s about to tap you on the shoulder because your time is up.

The Nammu Áreas Spa at Vincci Selección La Plantación del Sur is big - around 2,500 m², but it doesn’t feel overwhelming. It’s cleverly laid out so you move through it naturally, almost instinctively. Different thermal circuits, calm transitions between spaces, and enough room to breathe, sit, and just exist for a moment.

I tried two treatments here, and both felt very intentional rather than indulgent-for-the-sake-of-it.
The Abhyanga massage was the standout. Warm lotus oil, slow rhythmic movements, and that deep, grounding kind of relaxation that creeps up on you quietly. It’s based on Hindu philosophy and focuses on moving stagnant energy - and honestly, it felt like someone pressed “reset” on my nervous system. I walked out lighter, calmer, and slightly confused about what day it was (a good sign).

The hydrotherapy and deep moisturising treatment was shorter but incredibly effective. A customised hydromassage bath with salts and oils that completely took the edge off. Twenty minutes doesn’t sound like much, but it was enough to relax muscles, calm the mind, and leave my skin noticeably softer - one of those treatments where you feel the result immediately.

I also loved that the spa isn’t isolated from the rest of the hotel’s wellness mindset. There’s a gym, guided wellness activities, and a general sense that recovery here isn’t an afterthought - it’s built into the stay. Everything ties together: the pools outside, the gardens, the spa, the pace of the place.

This spa didn’t feel flashy or performative. It felt thoughtful. Like somewhere designed for people who actually want to rest (not just say they did).

Gran Tacande - VITANOVA Spa: Reset Mode (Seriously)

Image credits: Gran Tacande website

At Hotel Gran Tacande, the spa isn’t something you schedule - it’s something you surrender to. VITANOVA is calm in a very confident way. No dramatic whispers, no awkward spa rituals you don’t understand. Just quiet, warm water and the gentle suggestion that you should stop overthinking everything for a while.

I had access to the thermal circuit (included in my reservation, bless), which already felt like a small life win. Two hours of moving between marine-water pools, saunas, salt cabin, Turkish bath, bithermic showers, and hydromassage tubs. Hot. Cold. Float. Repeat. By the third stop, I forgot what day it was - which, honestly, is the whole point.

The design helps a lot: dark stone, soft lighting, water everywhere, and that constant trickle sound that somehow convinces your nervous system to unclench. The staff were attentive but never hovering - present when needed, invisible when not. Peak spa behaviour.

At the end, they brought cherry tea and small snacks, which felt like a gentle re-entry into society. No sales pitch - just a quiet “you survived the reset.”

What I really liked is that VITANOVA doesn’t force you into one mood. You can go full monk-mode, or balance it out with the gym, guided activities, or fitness area if you like your relaxation earned the hard way. Either way, you walk out slower, calmer, and slightly smug - the best post-spa state to be in.

Iberostar Selection Anthelia - Spa Sensations (Where Time Simply Gives Up)

Image credits: Iberostar Selection Anthelia website

If the previous spas helped me relax, Iberostar Selection Anthelia helped me disappear. This is the kind of place where your phone suddenly feels offensive and your calendar becomes a bad joke.

Spa Sensations is beautifully thought out, calm without being boring, elegant without trying too hard. The thermal circuit alone could be a full experience: an active pool with jets and waterfalls that actually do something, a proper 40-degree pool that melts any remaining tension, a cold plunge that makes you question your life choices (briefly), plus Finnish sauna, hammam, and sensation showers that feel like a soft reboot for your nervous system. Entry is 16+, which immediately improves the vibe.

Then came the main event:
ANTHELIA SIGNATURE SUBLIME RITUAL - 115 minutes (€197)
This is not a treatment. This is a journey.

It starts with an ultra-sensory peeling using white sand from Bora Bora, sea salt, coconut shells and vegetable oils - basically a very chic way of saying “your skin will never be the same again.” Then follows a powerful trio of massages: Traditional Thai, anti-stress, and Ayurvedic, adapted to exactly what your body needs that day. The ritual ends with a personalised facial and moisturiser that somehow smells like the ocean decided to be kind to you.

By the end, I was so relaxed I forgot what language I spoke.

As a bonus (because apparently this spa believes in excess done well), I also got my nails done. The beauty area is minimal, airy, and calm. No loud dryers, no rushed energy, just quiet efficiency. They also offer facials, therapeutic massages, hydrowellness treatments, and targeted body work - all delivered by ISO 9000-certified therapists, which sounds serious because it is.

This spa doesn’t overwhelm you and doesn’t sell you spirituality. It just works - deeply, quietly, and very confidently.

You don’t leave floating.
You leave reset.