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Looking for a Tenerife hotel that actually works for a large family? We stayed at Baobab Suites in Costa Adeje as a family of seven spanning three generations. Here’s my honest review of our three-bedroom private-pool suite, the facilities, location and whether I’d book it again.
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Our multi-generational Tenerife holiday: 7 people, 3 generations
Seven people. Three generations. One week in Tenerife.
This trip was my husband and me, our three children (one teenager and two tweens) plus my parents, who are in their 70s.
And that changes what I look for in a hotel.
After more than 20 years travelling professionally and almost 90 countries, I’m fairly quick at working out whether a hotel works on paper. But large and multi-generational family holidays are a different beast.
We needed three proper bedrooms, enough communal space to actually spend time together, things for the kids to do and somewhere my parents could relax.
But perhaps most importantly, we needed enough space that seven people didn’t have to do everything together.
A standard hotel wasn’t ideal. A villa would give us the space, but I didn’t particularly want to spend my holiday shopping, cooking and clearing up after everyone.
So we booked a three-bedroom private-pool suite at Baobab Suites by Domes in Costa Adeje.
And for this particular combination of people, it got a lot right.
Baobab Suites Tenerife review: the quick verdict
Baobab Suites is a particularly good option for larger and multi-generational families who want the space and independence of an apartment or villa, but still want hotel facilities.
Our three-bedroom suite slept all seven of us and gave us a proper kitchen, living area, terrace and private pool, while we still had breakfast options, housekeeping, communal pools and an excellent sports and fitness centre.
I also think it works well for families with older children who have outgrown traditional kids’ clubs, with one caveat.
If you have very active teenagers who want entertainment on tap, there’s not masses for them to do independently inside the resort beyond swimming and the sports facilities. I’d have loved to see a games room, pool table or table tennis.
The other consideration is location. Baobab Suites sits above Costa Adeje rather than directly on the seafront, so you’re trading doorstep beach access for more space and a quieter setting. (More on that later.)
Neither would stop me booking again. But both are worth knowing before you do.
Our three-bedroom private-pool suite at Baobab Suites
Baobab Suites by Domes is a five-star, all-suite property above Costa Adeje, with accommodation ranging from one to four bedrooms. Some categories have private pools or Jacuzzis, which immediately makes it more interesting if you’re travelling as a larger family.
We booked a three-bedroom suite with a private pool, which meant all seven of us could stay together without having to book multiple hotel rooms.
And anyone with more than two children will know what a win that is.
Search for accommodation for two adults and two children and you’ll find endless options.
Add child number three and suddenly you’re dealing with connecting rooms, sofa beds, occupancy limits and trying to work out whether your children will actually be allowed to sleep in the room you’ve found.
Add two grandparents and you’ve basically got a spreadsheet.
Our suite gave us separate bedrooms and bathrooms, a proper living area, kitchen and outdoor terrace.
And then there was the private pool.
Was the private pool worth it?
For seven of us, absolutely.
Not just because it felt luxurious, but because it made the whole holiday easier.
Nobody had to organise the entire family every time one of the kids fancied a swim. They could jump in while somebody else was getting ready. We could come back and have a quick dip. My parents could sit outside while the kids were in the water.
It made the suite somewhere we actually spent time rather than somewhere we simply slept.
Would I insist on paying extra for a private pool if I were travelling as a couple?
Probably not.
With three children and seven people sharing one apartment? I’d seriously consider it again.
Just check your room category carefully when booking because not every suite at Baobab Suites comes with a private pool. And some pool suites are situated facing the main pool, which limits your privacy.
Having a kitchen without having to self-cater
The other thing I appreciated was having a proper kitchen.
There’s a fridge/freezer, cooking facilities and dishwasher, plus a washing machine – which is extremely useful when you’re travelling with children.
But did I spend my week lovingly preparing meals for seven people?
Absolutely not. That’s the point.
We could keep drinks and snacks in the fridge, make something if we wanted to and throw some washing on without committing ourselves to a fully self-catering holiday.
Eating at Baobab Suites: breakfast and self-catering
Breakfast at Baobab Suites is more flexible than your standard hotel buffet because there are several ways to do it.
There’s the Bite breakfast buffet, which is the traditional help-yourself option.
There’s also breakfast at BB Lounge Club, which is more of an à la carte experience and overlooks Costa Adeje. The hotel currently lists this at €20 per person, so I’d check exactly what your particular board basis includes when booking.
And then there’s the option of having breakfast delivered to your suite.
This is particularly lovely if you’ve booked one of the private-pool rooms because you can eat outside on your terrace rather than getting seven people dressed and out of the door.
Current booking information also lists one complimentary in-suite e-breakfast box per stay, although inclusions can vary, so again I’d check your specific rate.
For us, having choices was the important bit.
We could go for breakfast. We could eat at the suite. We could make something ourselves.
And there’s something wonderfully civilised about seven people being able to get up in the morning without anyone asking me whether we’ve run out of cereal.
Pools, gym and activities: is Baobab Suites good for teenagers?
This is where I’d slightly qualify my recommendation for families with older children.
Our children loved having the private pool and there are also communal pools around the resort.
Across the road you’ll find Actívate Sports Club, which was one of the standouts for me.
I’ve stayed in plenty of hotels where the “gym” turns out to be one treadmill, a cross trainer and three dumbbells in a basement.
This isn’t one of them.
The gym at Baobab Suites is genuinely good.
As well as the conventional gym equipment, there’s an outdoor area at the back where you can train more freely with equipment such as battle ropes and free weights.
Actívate also offers padel and has a sand sports area used for beach volleyball, alongside fitness classes and other activities.
But there was a downside.
Some of the sports facilities cost extra
We were disappointed to discover that padel wasn’t included for hotel guests.
That’s a bit of a bummer when you’re already staying at a five-star family resort, particularly when you’ve got several children and these are exactly the facilities that could keep them occupied.
And this is probably my biggest reservation about recommending Baobab Suites specifically as a teen hotel.
There’s a kids’ club aimed at younger children, but once yours have outgrown that, I’d like to see more things they can just wander off and do.
A pool table. Table tennis. A games room. Somewhere to hang out.
Nothing elaborate, just free, casual entertainment that doesn’t require a parent to book it or pay extra.
So, is Baobab Suites good for teenagers?
I’d say yes for the space, pools and independence; less so if you’re specifically looking for a resort packed with teen activities and entertainment.
That’s an important distinction.
Location: can you walk from Baobab Suites into Costa Adeje?
Yes. But there’s a hill involved.
Baobab Suites is set above Costa Adeje in a quieter residential area rather than directly on the beachfront. The hotel currently describes the beach as around five minutes away by car and offers a daily beach transfer.
We walked down into Costa Adeje, and my parents, who are in their 70s, actually did the walk at least once a day.
They treated the hill as their daily exercise.
So I wouldn’t say you need a car simply because Baobab isn’t on the seafront.
But the location does need to suit the people you’re travelling with.
If someone in your party has mobility issues, or your idea of a Tenerife holiday is stepping straight out of your hotel onto the promenade, I’d probably choose somewhere closer to the beach.
For us, it wasn’t a deal-breaker.
In fact, my parents seemed positively pleased with themselves every time they conquered the hill.
What to do near Baobab Suites with older kids and teenagers
This is where I think it’s important to distinguish between what’s available at the hotel and what’s available in Tenerife.
If you’ve got active teenagers, I wouldn’t necessarily plan to spend seven days inside Baobab Suites.
Fortunately, there’s plenty to do nearby.
Siam Park
The obvious one is Siam Park, Tenerife’s huge waterpark in Costa Adeje.
It’s particularly good for older children and teenagers because many of its headline attractions are very much at the adrenaline end of the spectrum rather than being designed around small children.
We visited during this trip and I have enough to say about it that I’m writing a separate Siam Park guide, which I’ll link here once it’s live.
Golf and watersports
There are golf courses around Adeje as well as plenty of opportunities for surfing, snorkelling, kayaking and other watersports along Tenerife’s south coast.
So if your children need more action than lying beside a pool, you can certainly build that into the holiday.
Next time, we would definitely try the jetskiing and boat tours.
Hiking and exploring Tenerife
And then there’s the rest of the island.
Tenerife is far more than its beach resorts.
Hire a car and you can head inland towards the volcanic landscapes around Teide, explore different parts of the island or go hiking.
There are trails around Adeje itself, including Barranco del Infierno and Roque del Conde, while further afield you’ve got some of Tenerife’s most dramatic landscapes.
We didn’t hire a car or go hiking on this particular trip, so I’m not going to pretend those are personal recommendations.
But if I returned with the kids, I’d seriously consider hiring a car for a few days and using Baobab Suites as a base rather than staying around Costa Adeje for the entire week.
What we didn’t love about Baobab Suites
No hotel is perfect.
And if you’re spending a decent amount of money on a family holiday, I think it’s just as useful to know what didn’t work as what did.
I’d like more for older kids
The private pool did a lot of heavy lifting with our teenager and tweens.
Without it, I think we’d have noticed the lack of casual entertainment for older children much more.
I’d love Baobab Suites to add something as simple as table tennis, pool tables or a games area where older children could go without needing adults to organise it.
Paying extra for padel
This was probably the thing that annoyed us most.
The sports facilities are one of the attractions of the property, so discovering that padel cost extra was disappointing.
When you’re travelling as a family, all those additional charges add up quickly.
The hill won’t work for everyone
This wasn’t really a negative for us, my parents happily walked it daily – but I can absolutely see it being one for somebody else.
If beachfront location is your number-one priority or you’re travelling with anyone who struggles with hills, factor it into your decision.
For me, none of these things outweigh the advantages of the hotel.
But they’re things I’d want to know before I booked.
Baobab Suites vs a villa: which would I choose?
This was the question I kept coming back to.
Because from the terrace, with three bedrooms and our own pool, our accommodation looked and felt remarkably like we’d rented a villa.
But there was one important difference: I didn’t have to run it.
I love a villa. I do not love spending my holiday doing supermarket runs, making breakfast for six other people and clearing up afterwards.
At Baobab Suites we had the things I wanted from a villa – bedrooms, kitchen, living space, terrace, privacy and our own pool – while retaining the convenience of a hotel.
| Baobab Suites | Typical private villa | |
|---|---|---|
| Separate bedrooms | Yes | Yes |
| Private pool available | Yes, selected suites | Often |
| Kitchen | Yes | Yes |
| Breakfast available | Yes | Usually self-catering |
| Housekeeping | Hotel service | Varies |
| Resort pools | Yes | Usually no |
| Gym and sports facilities | Yes | Varies |
| Restaurants on site | Yes | Usually no |
| Privacy | High | Usually higher |
If I were travelling with another couple and wanted total privacy, I might choose the villa.
For three generations and seven people, I’d choose this setup again.
How we booked Baobab Suites – and was it good value?
This is probably my favourite part of the story.
Looking at a three-bedroom apartment with a huge terrace and its own private pool, you might assume I found it through a luxury villa company or specialist hotel website.
Nope. I booked it as a package holiday.
And it was much better value than you might expect.
That’s something I’ve learnt repeatedly from travelling for a living:
Don’t be snobby about where you book. Be smart about what you book.
A package holiday doesn’t automatically mean a cookie-cutter resort.
Booking independently doesn’t automatically mean you’re getting better value.
And spending more doesn’t necessarily mean you’re getting a better holiday.
I compare the accommodation, flights, inclusions and total cost and look at what we’re actually getting for the money.
I’m not interested in finding the cheapest holiday at all costs.
I’m interested in finding the right holiday at the best value I can.
There’s a difference.
Would I book Baobab Suites again?
Yes, particularly for another large-family or multi-generational holiday.
And surprisingly, the private pool isn’t the main reason.
It’s the combination.
Three bedrooms. Proper living space. Kitchen. Privacy. Hotel facilities.
Seven people could holiday together without having to spend every minute together.
The hotel isn’t perfect for active teenagers, and I’d like more complimentary things for older kids to do. It isn’t beachfront either.
But those things wouldn’t stop me returning because Baobab solved the much bigger problem we had: finding one place that genuinely worked for three generations.
After almost 90 countries, I’ve learnt that the more people you’re travelling with, the more important it becomes to get the accommodation right.
Seven people. Three generations.
And, crucially, plenty of doors.
I’d call that a successful family holiday.
