5 star Iberostar Heritage Grand Mencey review in north Tenerife

Walking into the lobby of the 5-star Iberostar Heritage Grand Mencey in north Tenerife on a hot summer’s day, it really has the wow factor. Nestled in the heart of the island’s bustling capital, Santa Cruz, it celebrated its 75th anniversary last year, and seamlessly blends historical architecture with modern luxury, resonating with 1950s glamour.

The Mencey is the only 5-star hotel in the city and has a long list of former celebrity guests. Its central setting has drawn famous faces like Richard Burton, Elizabeth Taylor and Sophia Loren to stay here over the years, not to mention the Spanish royal family. Hollywood director Guy Ritchie was a recent resident when he was filming his action-thriller In the Grey. 

It is a meeting place for numerous prominent figures from the social and cultural life of Santa Cruz, and a benchmark in the city’s social life. Some of the most relevant figures of the 20th and 21st centuries have passed through its doors. “It is a heritage hotel with a story to tell about the big moments in the city’s history,” reflects the hotel’s sales manager Paz Hernández. “A leisure hotel and an events hotel, it is open for the locals of the city, the island and beyond.”

Who For

While the sunny south attracts much of the island’s mainstream tourism with beach destinations, the north weaves its own magic for travellers seeking lush landscapes, culture, and authentic Canarian food. Only a three-and-a-half-hour flight from the UK, Santa Cruz is not a tourist destination in itself, but its strategic location makes it an ideal point for those wishing to explore the north of the island— with walking and hiking in the natural landscape and watersports like swimming, surfing and snorkelling on the stunning coastal beaches all year round. Winter is the hotel’s peak season as Tenerife’s lovely mild Mediterranean temperatures give a welcome escape from chillier parts of Europe.

Accommodation 

You can choose from standard double or twin rooms (often with garden or city views), spacious junior suites, and superior double rooms. Many come with balconies, hardwood floors, and mid-century decor. My luxurious garden suite bedroom at the rear of the hotel had a spacious lounge, a private balcony, and windows overlooking the mountains and the hotel’s manicured tropical gardens.

I was told my suite might have had a royal visitor at one time or another. It was certainly fit for a king (or queen). The Mencey is a protected building and is a perfect mix of old and new. It underwent its last renovation in 2011 after the hotel was taken over by the globally prestigious Spanish-owned hotel chain Iberostar, and its period features are regularly maintained and restored.

During the renovation process, the number of rooms was reduced from 293 to 261, resulting in 30 new suites while still paying tribute to the aesthetics of the 1940s and 1950s. The Iberostar portfolio of Heritage properties is a collection of 5-star, historic, culturally significant and architecturally stunning hotels in prime locations, and this beautiful property is a gem. Rooms have air conditioning, smart/satellite TV, free WiFi, and a minibar. Fluffy white bathrobes and beautiful bath products add that edge of luxury. 

Food and drink 

The excellence and diversity of the hotel’s cuisine has star quality. The hotel’s main Los Menceyes Restaurant puts on an exceptional buffet spread in the morning and doubles up as an à la carte restaurant in the evening with fish, fruit and vegetable ingredients sourced locally.

Papa Negra is their gourmet a la carte restaurant in their patio courtyard. There are additional on-site restaurants in the grounds, offering something for everyone and I enjoyed a lunch of Mediterranean specialities at Los Laureles Restaurant with impeccable service (thank you Andrios) while Kon-Tiki’s global fusion menu also impressed. 

Dinner at Calmado 17, just off the marbled lobby, was unmissable. Chef Juanjo López opened Calmado 17 at the Mencey last year, and his signature small, delicious dishes such as ensaladilla and sea truffle and shrimp popieta and mango meunière, accompanied by crisp local white wine, made it an unforgettable experience. Describing itself as a “lobby restaurant” and “one of the smallest restaurants in the world,” this highly intimate, 10-seat chef’s-counter experience is recognised by this year’s Michelin Guide for a menu focused on minimal-intervention Canarian produce, such as local cheeses, tartares, and salted fish made. 

Another highlight was lunch at Duke, located inside a neo-Canarian-style villa in the gardens adjacent to the Mencey. Focused on Japanese cuisine but with elements of fusion (on the menu you will find nigiri, maki and sashimi specialities), it too has a mention in the 2026 Michelin Guide. Their Red Prawn Taco (crispy rice, tempura red prawn and avocado) and Usuzuku Hotate (thinly sliced scallop with chipotle emulsion) were mouthwatering. 

Facilities and services 

The Mencey’s whitewashed walls, wooden balconies and terracotta roof are textbook Tenerife. Located in the city centre with beautiful grounds and a vast Canarian courtyard patio, there is also a gorgeous heated outdoor swimming pool and friendly mixologists at the poolside bar keep a steady supply of perfectly blended cocktails.

For evening entertainment, there is a fabulously glamorous retro-designed cocktail bar adjoining the courtyard with large relaxing sofas to chill on, and a casino bar in the hotel’s basement. A massive luxury modern spa in the grounds of the hotel, Spa Sensations, is kitted out with a sauna, footbath, Turkish bath, dry thermal bath, flotarium, hydrotherapy pool, water well, jacuzzi and several sensation showers.

There is also a good-sized menu of beauty, facial and body treatments. A fully equipped fitness centre is housed in the spa and offers daily Pilates and yoga classes which are also open to external clients (you may even find yourself on an exercise bike next to the Mayor of Santa Cruz who is a regular gym-goer.) And the hotel is also well known for its exceptional service, which I can confirm. Staff are always consummately professional, friendly and attentive. The longer you stay at the Mencey, the more it feels like a delicious secret you might prefer to keep to yourself.
 
Moments to remember 

Two minutes from the hotel is the enchanting García Sanabria Park known for its lush, exotic vegetation, beautiful floral clocks, winding pathways, and striking open-air sculptures. To add to its charm, strolling serenely through the park at night, the trees are lit up as fairy lights with the names of dozens of world-famous artists entwined in their top branches.

What’s nearby?

Right on the brink of Santa Cruz’s bustling centre, the seafront and the main shopping scene are less than 15 minutes’ walk away. There are tapas restaurants, cafes, ice cream parlours and upmarket boutiques and the historic quarter—particularly around Calle de La Noria and parts of the old town—features charming narrow streets. The impressive Mount Teide, an active stratovolcano which makes up the centrepiece of the UNESCO-listed Teide National Park  – and Spain’s highest peak – is about an hour’s car drive away from the Mencey, and there is also the natural beauty of Anaga Rural Park. There are local wineries, La Orotava, among others, and the cultural gem of La Laguna Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a mere 20 minutes away.

A jewel of Santa Cruz is the golden Playa Las Teresitas Beach, a short taxi ride from the Mencey. Protected by breakwaters, it has calm turquoise waters and vibrant chiringuitos (beach bars). https://www.playadelasteresitas.es/en.

Also worth visiting is the Parque Marítimo César Manrique — a stunning complex of seawater pools designed by the famous Canarian artist himself, that look like a David Hockney painting. With bright white walls, volcanic rock, and turquoise water framed by palm trees, it feels more like a tropical resort than a public pool.

Parque Marítimo César Manrique

Nearby to the Marítimo is the Palmetum, which is a must-see. It is hard to believe this wonderful 12-hectare botanical garden, specialising in palms from around the world, was transformed from a former landfill. I enjoyed a relaxing walk in nature just a short walk from the city centre with stunning sea and city views. Plus it has the cutest cafe in the heart of the gardens. 
 
VERDICT:  Sunshine, great food and a splash of culture, after almost a week of peaceful hospitality of this delightful oasis meant I was de-stressed, my batteries re-charged, and my Fitbit showed a sleep score of: Excellent. And don’t forget, mum’s the word. The Mencey is our little secret.
 
Jane was hosted by the Iberostar Heritage Grand Mencey Hotel. The hotel provides several room configurations which are tailored to different types of guests and range in price. Rates are variable to the season. Seven airlines fly from the United Kingdom to Tenerife Norte-Ciudad de La Laguna Airport which is about 11 KM from Santa Cruz.
 

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