Introduction I don't believe there have been any reviews of Alua brand properties so far on FT, so I'm sharing our recent experience starting with Alua Tenerife, a family-oriented hotel (would not call it a resort - more about that below) on the north coast of the island of Tenerife.We visited Tenerife in late November, and split our stay between north and south coasts, flying into TFN, and flying out of TFS. We stayed 3 nights at Alua Tenerife in one of their family suites.Most guests appeared to be from Germany and France - mostly older couples, who reserved 99% of pool loungers by 9 am, and would line up at the buffet as soon as it opened for meal times. Only a handful of children - and the property was very busy. Location Alua Tenerife is located on the north shore, about 30 min from the TFN (Tenerife Norte) airport, and near the town of Puerto de la Cruz. It's the "quiet" and more scenic side of the island - and way less "touristy" vs the south coast.It's walking distance to a large black sand beach (which was closed for swimming due to swells during our stay), and Loro Parque - one of the best Zoos we have been to, and highly recommend visiting. There are a few convenience stores and restaurants in the immediate vicinity, but it's not a busy area.A shuttle is available for those wanting to visit the center of Puerto de la Cruz - it's a nice small town, but nothing special; Orotava or La Laguna, which are also nearby are much more interesting.There's an underground parking garage, which is 12Euro per night, and limited street parking. Check In We arrived in our rental car, and were promptly checked in by a friendly agent. No further updgrade from the base suite we booked, however Globalists receive "My Preferred Club" benefits at this property, which unfortunately are very limited.The "lounge" is a joke - small windowless space, with a Nespresso machine, a few bowls of candy, and bottled soda and beer, as well as a tiny buffet of small sandwiches and desserts. Sorry, no photos.The only other club benefit is a dedicated seating area at the buffet restaurant, so you don't have to hunt for a table. Room We had booked a standard family suite for 2 adults and 2 children. All family rooms are in the separate building - access is a bit inconvenient with a steep and slippery incline to navigate past the pool area. The suite was listed as 40 sq.m. and is very tight - barely any room to spread out. Only one TV in the living room, nothing in the bedroom beside the bed and small closet. There was a large terrace/balcony overlooking the "garden" area. The decor was "institutional" - zero art pieces or visual interest, but functional.Stock photos of the suite (note that these show a much larger unit vs. what we received - there was no room for the desk or sideboard under the TV as in the photos):View from the terrace:The room was equipped with a mini-fridge and a tea kettle. A Nespresso machine was provided on request, and capsules were replenished. Housekeeping was efficient and cleaned well - no complaints there. The biggest issue for us were the beds - matresses in the bedroom felt like sleeping on concrete blocks, and we are used to firm beds in Asia. Dining We booked the All-inclusive rate as it was extremely reasonable. The hotel has the main buffet (open breakfast, lunch, and dinner), the main bar (open 11 to 11), and a small terrace near the pool with a "snack" service.Food:Functional, but mostly devoid of any flavor. You won't go hungry, but nothing is really worth eating - the worst was the grill station where plain meat and fish (with zero seasoning) was thrown on the oiled flat top and doused with more oil... Mmm... dirty grill oil chicken.Drinks:House wine, beer, and liquor were included, anything beyond that is chargeable. Honey rum on the rocks was my go to - pretty tasty, and local.If planning to eat (or even just drink) on property, definitely get the AI package - I believe it was only $50-60 extra for all four people. Service Service was reasonably friendly (for Europe). Housekeeping was definitely the standout. One thing worth mentioning is that towel service is pretty odd - you have to make a cash deposit at the front desk (10Euro per towel) - this gave you towel cards, which can then be exchanged for towels by the lifeguards. Overall Not a horrible place, but I would not return. There are better properties on Tenerife, including other Alua hotels.