Gæstebruger
17. februar 2023
This characterful Hotel in a former 18th century mansion is ideally situated in the historical heart of UNESCO World Heritage La Laguna. Public transport links are excellent, with the tram station to Santa Cruz 5 minutes walk away and a taxi rank nearby which is ideal for transfers to the northern "Los Rodeos" airport a short drive away. We stayed in a superior room for 2 nights, which was worth the supplement; the bedroom and en suite bathroom were very spacious with a small fully-equipped kitchenette, there was ample storage space for clothes and cases, quality antique style furnishings in keeping with the building and facilities included a large TV, room-safe and free Wi-Fi. The Hotel also possesses a central patio with chairs and tables, surrounded by the bar, restaurant and breakfast room. As other reviewers have noted, although the "Nivaria" advertises itself as a Hotel and Spa, we saw no information in either the room or public areas about the latter and it's location and cost remained a mystery, which we did not try to solve as we were busy sightseeing. Moreover, I can't recall any information in the room about any of the Hotel's facilities and services or about the town itself. Our stay was on a half-board basis and we were very satisfied with the buffet breakfast, which we took in the patio; a wide selection of cooked and cold items was available, also cereals, fruit, fresh bread and freshly squeezed orange juice. Dinner, however, was a disappointment on both nights- the choices for those on half-board were a very limited selection of the cheaper courses from the a la carte, such as chicken and chips (tepid chicken and chips with a hint of ice anyone? Thought not!). We asked the staff both nights whether we could pay a supplement to upgrade and they refused, saying that if we wanted any courses from the rest of the a la carte menu, we would have to pay the full cost of the course(s) and waive the entire amount we had paid for half-board. I would mention that at the Parador (also 4*) all the courses were available to those taking half-board and that at other hotels, including Paradors on the mainland, clients could pay a supplement, so in our experience, "Nivaria" is the exception not the rule! I should add that our first choice wine was not available on either night and the waitress on night 1 was particularly grumpy and then got the bill wrong. The waiter on night 2 was more friendly, but equally obstinate, presumably in line with Hotel policy. As a result, the Hotel lost out financially both nights, as we were willing to pay more. In summary, a nice Hotel in a great location for the historical sites but I'd suggest avoiding the half-board and dining elsewhere. Our 2 night visit midweek in January cost 354 Euros (c. £300) on a H/B basis, which was only average value for Tenerife given the poor food.
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