Editor-in-Chief Emmie Blower dips her toe into frictionless travel in Tenerife to find out whether one resort can tick every box, and deliver that elusive moment of calm.
There’s a particular kind of pressure that comes with travel now. Have you really done Tenerife if you haven’t found a hidden village, drunk shots on the strip, hiked a volcano and eaten somewhere only locals know about? I cannot be the only person who has fallen into “tripmaxxing”. The idea that every day away needs to be optimised with some instagrammable adventure, fulfilling yes, but also very tiring!
However, there is a different version of me who desperately wants to lie by a pool and do absolutely nothing the whole entire time. Cue the internal tug of war between making the most of a destination and recognising that perhaps the whole point of a holiday is to actually relax.
As a business owner and content creator, having nothing to organise feels like chasing an elusive unicorn. My brain is permanently making decisions and switching off has become increasingly difficult. So, when the opportunity came to stay at the newly reimagined adults-only Bahia Principe Escape Tenerife in Costa Adeje, with absolutely no requirement to leave the resort, I couldn’t get to Gatwick quickly enough. Could frictionless travel actually be the answer?
It started before arrival. A direct flight from my favourite airport followed by a transfer of around 20 minutes meant minimal faff between London and poolside. The Club All Inclusive experience continued the theme with a seamless check-in, while the hotel app put bookings, information and timings in one place.
Then I received what I quickly renamed my ‘bracelet of joy‘. For this Type B girlie, who has a bedroom drawer full of forgotten hotel key cards, being able to access my room, the Club areas of the resort, restaurants, the gym with my tasteful wristband was a dream come true. No more running back across the resort to prove I can enter the buffet. This small but thoughtful touch made me smile everyday.
And then there was geography. My suite was about 15 steps from my desired habitat of The Club infinity pool. Room, terrace, pool and Club Lounge became my tiny holiday ecosystem, with snacks, cocktails and branded spirits available throughout the day. This was frictionless travel in its purest form as I slowly stopped to question where I had to be at what time. Being adults-only made more difference than I anticipated too. Without the constant background din that naturally comes with family resorts, the atmosphere felt noticeably calmer. The resort has 3 pools which are all beautifully curated with fringed parasols, chic loungers and mature palms, but I was immediately drawn to the aqua marine gradient of The Club infinity pool. This little haven was a slice of holiday perfection and became even more elevated with a Balinese Cabana experience. Charcuterie board and bottle of champagne delivered poolside silenced that inner chatter in no time.
Even exercise required little planning. There’s an outdoor gym alongside a refurbished 24-hour indoor gym, so I could move when I wanted without turning exercise into another scheduled holiday activity.
Food is often what eventually drives me out of an all-inclusive, but here the variety of locations and choice make leaving feel, well a bit pointless. Badana, the main buffet, feels fresh and light with interiors inspired by Tenerife’s banana plantations and serves a variety of cuisines, including a healthy fresh salad bar, cooked to order steaks and of course the a laden dessert counter. The Club also gives access to Gofio and Volcán. Between the tomahawk steak that was bigger than my head, tuna tartare, ham croquettes, calamari and my borderline inappropriate attachment to Gofio’s soft pork tacos, I never reached the point of craving something better elsewhere and I started to love my daily catch ups with my friendly waiter Lorenzo at Gofios.
Everything felt exceptionally clean and the staff were warm enough that my usual settling-in period was noticeably shortened. My enormous terrace helped too. I could sunbathe, work, read or sleep without going anywhere. Room service brought breakfast to me and one evening dinner arrived as the sun was setting. Why search for the perfect sunset restaurant when arguably the best table in the hotel is already on your balcony?
Importantly, frictionless didn’t mean boring. Entertainment was there when I wanted it rather than becoming another itinerary to complete, and it wasn’t your stereotypical resort entertainment either. One day it could be Water Spinning or Paddleboard Yoga, the next Sip & Paint, which turned out to be a genuinely lovely, mindful sunset activity. I could check what was happening, join in if something took my fancy, or completely ignore it and stay horizontal by the pool. Join in, or don’t. That, for me, is part of the joy.
Bahai Principe Escape Tenerife’s refurbishment references Tenerife’s volcanic landscape and banana plantations through organic plaster, muted tones, curves, cute cacti inspired pottery and bouclé furniture. While the muted palette calms the soul the thoughtful touches also provide the perfect backdrop for content creation, so for those amongst us that get our kicks from the holiday pics, this place will more than deliver on trend vibes.
As my week in Tenerife progressed, slowly but surely, my shoulders dropped. Those delicious in-between-realm naps started happening and I stopped wondering what I should be doing instead. Perhaps that is what frictionless travel is really about: not doing nothing, but removing enough decisions to give your brain the opportunity to choose nothing.
I still love exploring, but every trip doesn’t need to provide everything. We spend everyday life drowning in micro-decisions and then recreate the same cognitive load on holiday in pursuit of being good travellers. This trip made me realise that when I’m travelling purely to recharge, I might need something entirely different and this all inclusive in sunny Tenerife delivered it all.
