The short version: Stay. The Riu Buenavista is a genuinely well-run four-star all-inclusive in Costa Adeje, with five pools, smart interiors, a packed daily activity schedule, and food that ranges from good to very good. There are quibbles (the two “premium” restaurants are still buffets, fridges in the rooms come empty), but at an average rate of £427 per night for a family suite on this island, it represents real value. Visited 27 to 31 July 2025 with the family.
Quick facts
| Location | C. El Horno 35, Urbanización Costa Adeje, 38678 Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain |
| Resort tier | Four-star, all-inclusive |
| Best for | Families looking for a well-run, mid-priced all-inclusive on Tenerife |
| Pools | Five: infinity, sports pool, kiddie pool with slides, adult-only, baby splash |
| Restaurants | Two main buffets (Yaiza, Atlántico) plus two pre-bookable themed buffets (Don Giovanni — Italian, Mandalay — Asian) |
| Bars | Lobby bar plus three around the resort, all with self-serve and bar service |
| Entertainment | Nightly shows on the main stage; activity app with something happening roughly every 45 minutes during the day |
| Parking | €9 per day in the secure on-site multi-storey, or free on-street |
| Wi-Fi | Strong enough to work remotely on |
| Average rate paid | £427 per night (family suite, all-inclusive) |
| Visit dates | 27 to 31 July 2025 (four nights) |
First impressions
Walking into the reception lobby, the first thing that hits you is the standard of the decor. The quality of the interiors is high, and the lobby bar gets properly used as a social space rather than sat as a wasted thoroughfare. It’s cool, breezy, well-done, and people enjoy it. The tiling is beautiful. From the lobby you get a clear view down to the main stage where the entertainment team are typically practising for the evening’s show.
Check-in is over on the right, and across the whole stay I never saw a queue there. That’s a small thing, but it matters when you arrive after a flight with kids.
The pools
Five pools on site, spread across a tiered hillside layout, and the resort has clearly thought hard about seating capacity. There are deck chairs and sun beds on every level, with seating tucked under shade covers wherever it’ll fit. They’ve used the roofs of lower buildings as additional seating terraces. It’s a smart use of the space, and even with everything they’ve put out, the loungers still get taken early. The towel-on-the-bed routine starts before breakfast.
The infinity pool at the top of the site is the headline pool. Large, with the proper infinity edge, lots of seating around it, and the best view on the resort. Next to it is what I called the sports pool, which had volleyball running most days (they’ve recently moved to a larger ball than a standard volleyball, which seems to work better) plus other activities like darts in the area off to the side.
Down the hill there’s a kiddie pool with a few small slides, a water bucket that tips on a timer, and a play area. Adjacent to the kids’ club is a tiny splash pool for babies. The adult-only pool sits separately and has a completely different vibe to the rest of the resort: quieter, more subdued, ideal for a snooze or a book. Good of Riu to recognise that not everyone on a family resort is travelling with kids.
There’s a bar serving the lower two pools with full bar service for cocktails plus the standard self-serve options. No food at that one, unfortunately, but the view down across the pool edge is one of the better ones on the property.
The busiest pool during my stay was one of the middle pools, which also hosted aquafit during the day. It looks like that’s where most families gravitate.
The rooms
One small thing worth flagging up front: 90% of the rooms are accessed off long internal corridors. They have all the character, charm and soul of a council multi-storey car park. Bit of a let-down given how nice the public areas are. Once you’re inside the room itself, that disappears completely.
We were in a Family Suite, which is two proper rooms split by a partition. One side has a double bed, a seating area with a sofa-bed (didn’t need it for our party), a fridge in the cabinet (empty, not stocked, more on that below), tea and coffee facilities, and a generous balcony. The other side has two singles plus its own balcony view, this one looking out over a parkland valley that sits between resorts.
The single beds have a clever housekeeping feature where the mattress raises up, presumably so housekeepers can clean underneath. Very European-firm mattresses (read: hard). I don’t mind it. Both rooms have individual air-con and ceiling fans. The air-con is typically Spanish: keen to party at night, less effective during the day. Decent storage and hanging space, plugs on either side of the bed (one side with built-in USB, the other plug-only), a safe, good light, big mirrors.
The bathroom is split smartly, with the toilet in its own cubicle so someone can use it while someone else is showering. Dual vanity, excellent mirrors with good lighting and a magnifying mirror, built-in hair dryer, towels fine if not luxurious. The shower is a decent size but it’s handheld only, no rainfall option. For the rate paid, I’d have liked a rainfall head. Toiletries are the Riu-branded Natural Zen Herbal Cosmetics range, which are nice.
One housekeeping note that’s worth knowing: the tap water in the rooms is not potable. You can’t drink it, which makes filling the kettle for tea or coffee a question worth asking at reception.
Wi-Fi was strong enough that I worked remotely from the room across the stay. Worth knowing if you’re tempted to mix work and a family week away.
Evening entertainment
The main stage gets put to proper use. Across four nights we saw quizzes, a jazz set, salsa dancing, a Michael Jackson tribute, and a big group performance from the in-house entertainment team. You can see them practising the choreography during the day, and that prep pays off because the shows they put on themselves are noticeably tighter than the external acts.
One thing to flag: Friday nights apparently get the bigger headline parties (a neon party in our week). We weren’t staying on a Friday, so we missed it. If you’re booking and you can flex your dates, I’d build the trip around catching one. Mildly puzzling decision on the resort’s part to put the biggest party of the week on the night people are most likely to be flying in or out; doing it midweek would help fill the lower-occupancy nights.
Daytime activities
The day is busy. There’s a resort app and the schedule on it is genuinely packed: roughly every 45 minutes something is happening somewhere. Over the stay I saw scheduled beach volleyball (tucked away in what looked like a back alleyway, but absolutely thriving), water polo for the kids, plastic-bow archery, organised football, and bingo. Aquafit runs in one of the main pools. There’s an art class (Riu Art) running a few times a week, plus a fully kitted gym with treadmills, bikes and free weights that gets steady use.
You don’t have to take part in any of it, but if you want a programme to slot the kids into, it’s there and it’s well-run.
Other resort facilities
One observation that doesn’t normally make a hotel review but deserves a mention here: the public toilets across the resort are spotless. Genuinely noticeable. It sounds like a small thing, but a lot of resorts struggle with this and the Riu Buenavista doesn’t. The whole site is well-kept and clean, with the fabric of the building obviously being looked after.
Parking
Most guests will arrive by coach transfer, so this won’t apply to everyone. If you’re hiring a car, parking is €9 per day in the on-site multi-storey, which is secure, clean and well-kept. There’s free on-street parking nearby, which is fine if your hire car excess is reasonable; I had a higher-value car with a steep excess so I paid for the security of the multi-storey.
Breakfast
Breakfast runs 7:30 to 10:13 (an oddly specific finish time, but there you go). Two venues: Yaiza, which is up by the rooms and the one most people prefer, and Atlántico down the hill, which acts as overflow when Yaiza fills up. The maître d’, José Luis, is one of the friendlier people you’ll meet on the resort, and very helpful with sorting your evening reservations at the two premium restaurants.
The buffet itself is a strong spread: pancakes, toasted sandwiches (ham and cheese), churros, pre-toasted bread (or two self-serve toast stations if you’d rather do your own), baked beans, sausages, bacon (thicker than the usual British style), egg dishes, a chef cooking eggs to order, a central section with cheese and meats, cereals (including sugar puffs), various milks, a standard fruit selection (watermelon, melon, grapefruit), juices (mixed fruit, grapefruit, an infused water, chocolate milk, tomato juice), donuts, croissants, sponge cake, breads, yogurts, porridge and hot chocolate served by ladle. The soda fountain is on, the beer and wine taps are open (didn’t try them at breakfast, but I imagine some people do).
One drinks-station note: the juices from the machine are very tart. Sock-blowing tart. Worth a smaller pour first time you try it.
The two themed restaurants: Don Giovanni and Mandalay
The resort has two themed restaurants that the marketing positions as premium. Both are pre-bookable on the app (6:45 or 8:45 slots, and the earlier slot books out fast). Both are themed and decorated well above the standard of the main buffet. Both have upgraded place settings.
Don Giovanni is the Italian option, just off the main stage. The team here is excellent (special mention to Jesus, the maître d’). Drinks are table service at the start, then you can self-serve from the standard resort drinks selection. Food-wise, you’ve got a good Italian spread: pizzas, pasta selection, meat dishes including cuttlefish in garlic, chicken breast, mussels, an aubergine and tomato lasagne I had myself which was excellent, minestrone soup that’s vegan-friendly, bread, cheese. The desserts are the same as the main restaurants, which is the first sign that this isn’t really an upgraded experience so much as an upgraded room.
Mandalay is the Asian option (sometimes listed as Asiatic). Wonderfully themed inside, place settings include chopsticks and nice glassware. The food selection covers rices, tempura, vegetarian spring rolls (the noodles aren’t suitable for vegetarians, worth knowing), poppadoms, miso soup, a sauces section with soy and others, a sushi selection, fish and salad bowls, and main courses including an impressive rib roast. The vegetarian options are limited to a vegetarian curry plus broccoli (most of the rest is meat). Desserts include a matcha dish, lychee balls, and the same ice cream selection as everywhere else.
Both are good. Both are buffets. Which leads to my main critique below.
The backup buffet: Atlántico
The Atlántico is the second main buffet, used as overflow at breakfast and as the everyday alternative at lunch and dinner. No queueing for a table, you just walk in. Inside and outside seating, with the outdoor balcony looking out over the pool below being genuinely lovely; in the heat of the day it might actually be cooler than the air-con inside.
The Atlántico opens for lunch earlier than Yaiza (12:30 versus 13:00), which is worth knowing if you’ve got hungry kids. Spread covers breads, two soups, a good salad selection (some sandwiches, some more intricate composed salads), desserts (similar to the main restaurant, repeats day to day), ice cream (four flavours including a toasted cornmeal one I didn’t try and probably won’t, but if you do, let me know in the YouTube comments), a meat station with burgers, bacon and hot dogs, bruschettas (I’m fairly sure these are yesterday’s bread rolls chopped up and topped, but they work), paella, a spaghetti station, pizzas. Variation day to day is minimal. Drinks are self-service with the standard Coca-Cola products, juices, beer, wine, and ice available.
Dinner at Yaiza, the main buffet, gets the tablecloths out and the menu does mix things up a bit more: pollock (or possibly hake, the maître d’ said one and I heard the other), interesting cooked meats, a flambéed fruit dessert, meatballs that weren’t on the menu earlier in the week, and a vegan burger option. So there is variation, just not at the Atlántico.
The bars
Including the lobby bar, you’ve got four bar options. The main one is just off the main stage, with bar service and self-service alongside each other. Bar Play is the second option and the one to know about if you’ve got slushie fans in your party (lemon and strawberry); the other bars don’t have them. Bar Play has the full all-inclusive cocktail list, which is genuinely extensive, plus the standard self-serve drinks: Coca-Cola products, juices, two beers including Amstel, white wine, red wine, rosé, sangria, and hot drinks.
Off the same area is Pepe’s, the snack outlet, which is open from midday to 6pm and serves chips, burgers, hot dogs and salad.
The third main bar is all the way at the bottom of the hill, sat between the two lower pools, and has both bar service and self-serve. Handy if you don’t fancy the walk back up.
One small miss across the bars: none of them have any kind of bar snacks. No crisps, no nuts, nothing to nibble on with a drink. A small thing, but a noticeable absence.
Who is the Riu Buenavista for?
Families and couples who want a properly run, mid-priced all-inclusive on Tenerife without paying Bahía del Duque or Gran Meliá Palacio de Isora money. If you want premium in the truest sense (à la carte fine dining, attentive personal service, deep-luxury rooms), this isn’t that resort. If you want a comfortable, well-maintained four-star all-inclusive with five pools, food that’s genuinely good rather than dire, and a packed entertainment schedule, this is excellent value at around £427 per night for a family suite.
It’s also a workable choice if you need to mix a family week with a few hours of remote work, given the Wi-Fi strength and the separate-rooms layout of the family suites.
Frequently asked questions
The verdict: stay or stay away?
Before the final call, the honest detractors. The two “premium” restaurants would genuinely elevate into a premium experience if they were à la carte; being buffets, with the same dessert offering as the main restaurant, holds them back from what they could be. For the room rate, I’d have expected fridges to be stocked daily. And I noticed across every meal that my food wasn’t as hot as I’d like, although my wife didn’t experience the same issue, so it might genuinely just be the dishes I was picking.
On the good side: the entertainment is properly good, especially the internal team’s own shows. The variety and quality of food is well above what some resorts on this island serve. The fabric of the building is in great condition, the public areas are spotlessly clean, and the resort visibly looks after itself.
This resort represents incredibly good value for money on Tenerife. At an average rate of £427 per night for a family suite, against £650-plus for comparable properties on the island, it’s a clear stay. The Riu Buenavista is a definite recommendation. Stay.
Full video transcript
Auto-generated from the YouTube video and lightly cleaned. Timestamps preserved.
00:00 Welcome to the Riu Buenavista here on the beautiful island of Tenerife. This is the Resort Report. I’m going to be taking you through this resort, telling you all about the rooms, the food, the entertainment, and everything in between. Let’s get straight into it and head into reception.
00:18 So, as we walk into the reception lobby now, check-in is over on the right. I’ve never seen a queue there. One thing that immediately hits you is the standard of the decor. The quality of the interiors is fantastic. This reception lobby bar actually gets used quite a lot. This space is nice and cool, breezy, done out well, and people like to enjoy it. Just look at these fantastic tiles, really well done. And from here you get a nice view down to the main stage where the team are practising for tonight’s show.
01:07 So in terms of pools here at the Riu Buenavista, there are five. This one behind me is the infinity pool. A nice large pool with lots of seating around it, although as with all the pools, the sun beds get taken early in the morning with people putting their towels down. The pool you can now see behind me is what I call the sports pool. I’m not sure what they call it, but there’s always good activities happening in there. There’s volleyball happening right now; they’ve just upgraded to a larger ball, but lots of people in there having fun.
01:55 Just to the side of the sports pool there’s an area where they do other sports, including darts. Below me now we have a kiddie pool with a few slides, a water bucket that splashes down, and a small play area. All the seating is under shade covers, which is nice. You’re not too far from the Atlántico restaurant for an earlier lunch (12:30 start, unlike the main restaurant at 13:00). Just in the distance there’s another pool, plus the adult pool on the other side and a tiny splash pool for babies adjacent to the kids’ club.
02:52 Here at the adult-only pool, a very different vibe to the other pools, far quieter and more subdued. The perfect place for a snooze or to read your book. One thing worth highlighting that the resort does really well is the amount of seating that’s out. All of it gets taken pretty quickly, but every level has more opportunity for seating: roofs have steps going up so they could put more capacity, and they’ve really thought about how to get as many deck chairs and beds out as possible. Good to see they’re thinking about all segments of the market.
03:37 Between the adult pool and the other lower pool there’s a bar. Unfortunately no food, but they do have the full bar service for specialist drinks plus the self-serve options. What I really like is the view from this bar, the way the edge just falls off there. Wonderful view and a perfect place to grab a drink.
04:07 Whilst this isn’t the main pool, I think it has been for us, and it’s certainly the busiest pool. Arguably the busiest pool. Seats here are hard to come by later in the day. It’s used for the aquafit, which is really good fun.
04:42 90% of the bedrooms here at the Riu Buenavista are off these corridors. It’s got all of the character, charm, and soul of a council multi-storey car park in my view. Bizarre. Not that exciting, but let’s check out the rooms.
05:06 Welcome to one of the family suites here at the Riu Buenavista. I want to start in this room, which features this double bed. I think this is typically where the adults would sleep. We’ve put the kids on the singles because they’re larger. We have a seating area with a sofa-bed (didn’t need it for our party size). There’s a fridge in this cabinet. Unfortunately it doesn’t come with anything in it, which is a shame given the room rate. Tea and coffee making facilities here, although the tap water is not potable, so I don’t know where you’re going to fill your kettle up. Big balcony. Great size room. Good size TV. There’s fans in both major rooms and individual air-con control in both as well. The air-con is typically Spanish: ready to party at night, less effective during the day. There’s a safe, and a translucent semi-opaque glass partition through to the shower.
06:41 On this side, two single beds. They feature an amazing system the housekeepers use, where the beds raise up so they can clean underneath. Very European-firm mattresses (incredibly hard). I don’t mind it. Extra pillows. View out to a park, a valley between resorts. I’ve been working remotely while I’ve been out here; the Wi-Fi has been great. On either side of the bed there are plugs, with USB on one side. More storage and hanging space. We split the toilet situation: a single toilet so someone can use it while someone’s showering. Interesting bog brush in a pool of disinfectant. On this side, dual vanity units, excellent mirrors, great lighting, magnifying mirrors, built-in hair dryer. Towels okay, not special. Shower is a good size but handheld only, no rainfall, which I would have liked. Toiletries are the Natural Zen Herbal Cosmetics. Modern, recently renovated, clean, functional, good for a family.
09:20 Behind me now is the main stage, put to incredible use by internal and external operators providing entertainment. We’ve seen quizzes, jazz, salsa dancing, Michael Jackson, everything in between. The internal team here do a really good job; you see them practising during the day and it pays dividends because they put on a great show.
12:32 You’ll have got a flavour of what we’ve been enjoying. An important note is that on Fridays they do some really big parties. We’re not staying on a Friday, so we’re missing out, which is a shame. They should probably put it on midweek to incentivise people to come on lower-occupancy nights. Don’t worry, it’s not just night times where they have entertainment. The day is literally full; they have an app and every 45 minutes there’s something amazing going on.
13:46 Hidden away down an almost back alleyway is the beach volleyball. A scheduled event. A great activity to play in the sunshine.
14:17 Water polo happening just behind me for the kids. On the other side, friendly plastic archery. A football activity. Top marks for putting on activities in the sunshine. Plus classic bingo.
15:00 As we head down the hill towards more pools and the Atlántico, we have Riu Art (only three sessions a week from what I can tell, doing various art classes), and the gym for people who want to work out: treadmills, bikes, free weights. Not for me, but it’s in heavy use.
15:50 Welcome to the deep dark depths of the multi-storey car park at the Riu Buenavista. Most guests will come by coach, but if you travel by car like I did, it’s €9 a day to park here. Secure, clean, well-kept. There’s on-street parking as well; I decided not to do that because of the high excess on my hire car.
16:17 One thing worth mentioning is how clean the toilets are. Spotless. It’s noticeable how fresh and looked after they are across this entire resort.
16:42 Breakfast each day is 7:30 to 10:13. Two options: Atlántico down the hill, and Yaiza, which is where we’ve been each time. José Luis, the very friendly maître d’, always tries to help people with their dining reservations in the evenings. Outside dining area which is popular, and indoor dining. Modern fit-out, great light fixtures, great furniture, and the buffet.
18:01 Pancakes, toasted sandwiches, churros, pre-toasted bread, baked beans, sausages, bacon (thicker than you might be used to). Various little egg dishes. Eggs cooked fresh to order. Lots of cheese and meats in the central section. Cereals including sugar puffs, various milks, standard fruit (watermelon, melon, grapefruit), juices (mixed fruit, grapefruit, infused water, chocolate milk, tomato juice). Donuts, croissants, sponge cake, breads, yogurts. Two toast stations. Porridge and hot chocolate via a ladle. The soda fountain is on for breakfast. The juice machine drinks are very, very tart.
20:39 Just off the main stage we have Don Giovanni, one of the two premium restaurants. Both have time slots 6:45 and 8:45, pre-bookable on the app, and the earliest slot gets booked up soon. Dolce Vita-style Italian. Staffed by amazing people including Jesus. Filming towards the end of service and items still fully stocked. Drink service is table service to begin with, then you help yourself. Italian-style option: pizzas, meats and pastas including cuttlefish with garlic, chicken breast, mussels, aubergine and tomato lasagne, minestrone soup (vegan), bread and cheese. The desserts are typical of the other restaurants; the ice cream selection is the same. Decor is upgraded, looks good. Interestingly no music. Upgraded place settings with bread sticks. Highly recommended. I’d prefer à la carte, but being a buffet isn’t too bad.
22:51 On to the second specialist restaurant, Mandalay, also known as Asiatic. Wonderfully themed with upgraded interior decor. Chopsticks and nice glassware. Selection of rices, tempura, veggie spring rolls (both noodles aren’t suitable for vegetarians), poppadoms, bread, miso soup. Standard drinks selection. Sauces including soy. Sushi selection, fish and salad bowls. Main dishes including an impressive rib roast. The vegetarian curry is the only vegetarian dish; the rest are meat. Missing the sesame tuna (end of service). Dessert: a matcha thing, lychee balls, otherwise standard. Shame it’s not à la carte, but thoroughly enjoyable regardless.
24:55 The backup buffet restaurant is the Atlántico. No need to wait for a table. Inside and outside seating. Plenty of selection: lots of breads, two soups, good salad selection, sandwiches, desserts (similar to what we saw yesterday and what we’ll see tomorrow). Ice cream available at most outlets, no lollipops, just scoops, with strawberry, chocolate and caramel sauce. Four flavours including toasted cornmeal. Cooking section featuring meat dishes including burgers, bacon and hot dogs. Bruschettas (I’m 100% sure are chopped up rolls from yesterday with toppings). Paella, spaghetti station, pizzas. Very little daily variation. Drinks self-service, same as the rest of the resort.
27:02 Sat on this beautiful balcony today, I wonder if it’s actually cooler out here than in the air-con. Beautiful views out over the pool and plenty of space, no drama getting a table at the Atlántico.
27:25 Into Yaiza for dinner service, and they have been able to mix things up. Tablecloths on the tables. Pollock there (I said hake earlier). Interesting meats being cooked off. Flambéed fruit as one of the desserts. Meatballs (not seen earlier), vegan burger. Wonderful quality for all the guests for dinner.
28:20 In addition to the lobby bar you have three main options. There’s a large bar just off the side of the main stage with bar service and self-service. The second is Bar Play, which has the slushies (lemon, strawberry); the all-inclusive cocktail list is extensive, made to order, plus the self-service options (Coca-Cola products, juices, two beers including Amstel, white, red, rosé, sangria, hot drinks). None of the bars have snacks, which I think is a missed opportunity. Off this bar is Pepe’s food, open midday to 6pm with chips, burgers, hot dogs and salad. The third main bar is at the bottom of the hill between the two lower pools, with both bar service and self-service.
29:46 So is it a stay or a stay away? First the detractors. The two premium bookable restaurants, I’d have preferred them to be à la carte; being just another buffet means they miss out on premium status, especially with the same desserts as the main restaurants. For the price point, I’d have expected something to be in the fridges. My food hasn’t been as hot as I’d like (tested by being first into the restaurant; my wife hasn’t experienced this, so it could be the dishes I’m picking). Now the good bits. Entertainment has been very good. Selection and quality of food good. Quality of furnishings and standard of the fabric of the building very good and well looked after. Clean. Represents good value for money on the island; we paid £427 per night for a family suite, against £650-plus for some resorts on Tenerife. Good four-star property. Final score: the Riu Buenavista is definitely a stay. I’d recommend it. Incredibly good value for money in this location.