Playa de las Américas in Tenerife has been ranked the worst resort in the Canary Islands in a new Which? reader poll, with critics describing it as ugly, rowdy and expensive, although many holidaymakers still enjoy it.
The survey of the archipelago's 15 biggest resorts placed Puerto de Mogán in Gran Canaria at number one, praised for its food, accommodation and scenery. Playa de las Américas came last, with readers criticising its value for money, tourist attractions, shopping scene and ambiance. The only aspect that scored well was the standard of accommodation, which received 4/5 stars.
Harsh Reviews From Visitors and Guides
This is not the first time Playa de las Américas has faced criticism. A Mumsnet poster wrote: "One of the overriding memories was the amount of cockroaches - they were EVERYWHERE."
Wikivoyage is even more blunt in its assessment. "The beaches are crowded during all hours of the day," the entry reads. "Some end up having sex on the beach at midnight. While the police probably won't bother you, the local voyeurs will."
Last year, a Swedish content creator, @amberleigh.travels, posted a TikTok video saying, "I fear that Tenerife is slowly becoming like Benidorm." The video, which has more than one and a half million views, noted the high number of mobility scooters in the area and how many British and Irish visitors she counted.
Density Crisis and Defenders
In a recent article titled 'the brutal truth behind the Tenerife tourism trap', journalist Ava Hughes argues the problems extend beyond Playa de las Américas. She writes that the southern coast of Tenerife, specifically Los Cristianos and Playa de las Américas, operated on a promise of sun, sand, and cheap beer. "Developers took every available inch of coastline, building upward and outward until the natural charm of the volcanic landscape was buried under layers of asphalt and breeze blocks," she writes. "The result is a density crisis. When you pack ten times the number of people into a geographic area than the local services can handle, the quality of the experience plummets."
However, some sources defend the resort. Nomad Traveller notes that Playa de las Américas is unapologetically purpose-built for mass tourism. "It does that job well, and on its own terms it delivers hard-to-beat value for sun, sea, and nightlife," the publication notes.
Which? makes a similar argument, suggesting that complaining about budget tourism's excesses in Playa de las Américas is like complaining that Las Vegas is brash. "It's in the place's DNA. The resort has never pretended to be anything else since it appeared practically overnight in the late 1960s," it says.
Tips for Visitors
Which? advises visitors to avoid Playa de las Américas beach unless they want to watch surfers, noting there are five other beach options, including the calm Playa del Camisón. The publication suggests that with hundreds of rental outfits, tour operators and Siam Park waterpark, visitors are as likely to run out of activities as bar options. "It's not even rowdy if you stay around Camisón beach. The trick to Playa de las Américas is to visit with your eyes open. Who knows, you may have a blast."
The full ranking of the 15 biggest resorts is available on Which?'s website.
