Hotel El Duque

After reading the reviews I was nervous about coming here but will honestly say it’s hasn’t disappointed at all. The apartment was very clean, had anything you could need and is a very good size. Plenty of spare in the bedroom to put your clothes away. The apartment ground of very clean, there clean round pool area every day. There are 2 pool the small pool is heated at night there put a safety rail round the pool which was a good thing for us as we have a 2 year old. Staff are all very friendly. Prices for drinks round the pool are very reasonable, I can’t comment on the food as we was self catering. The location of these apartments are brilliant your a 2 minute walk to the supermarket and 10 minutes walk if that to sea front. I would definitely recommend coming here and would return here.

Where to start? This may be on the longer side but please read for an honest review. Came for a 9 night holiday with my husband and our two children (ages 12 and 14) between 6-15th May 2025 on an all inclusive basis. We've been to Tenerife many, many times and chose this hotel because we knew we wanted to be in this area and it suited our budget. For personal reasons this was our last family holiday so we were really hoping it would be as good as our previous holidays have been. Reviews looked good, and we were all excited about arriving. Our only requirements were that rooms were clean, pools were adequate and that the food was edible. I have a dairy allergy so prior to booking the hotel I actually emailed the hotel directly and asked if allergen information was provided at the buffet. I was assured it was. I wouldn't have booked unless I had confirmation of this. Upon arriving however, this was NOT the case. No allergens were provided for any of the dishes on offer. There was a screen before entering the restaurant that said to advise of allergies and they would cater for you. Other hotels we've been to have had placards showing images of the allergens. The restaurant at El Duque had placards saying what they were e.g "Spaghetti Bolognese" but no further information stipulating ingredients. I asked the restaurant manager who told me to ask the chefs. The chefs didn't seem to understand my query, and whilst they would advise what was safe to eat I wasn't full of confidence as they pointed to a carbonara as being OK for me. Everyone knows carbonara is creamy and most definitely contains dairy. I had to stick to things I thought would be safe, such as plain grilled meat, salad and fruit. I actually lost weight on this holiday as the options were vastly limited. I visited the reception and queried my email and the fact I was told allergens were made aware, they couldn't help me and just told me to ask at the restaurant which I had done. Still, as long as my children were happy I could live on a limited diet. The second night my son bit into a chicken finger and asked me if it looked normal as it tasted funny. It was completely RAW inside. I told him to stop eating and went and showed the chefs. They didn't apologise just took it off me and that was that. My son has anxiety anyway and was in a state. Back to reception we went and they were also unconcerned. I honestly wish I'd taken a photo of said chicken but we were too shocked. If we'd had the funds we would have eaten out after this but we hadn't budgeted for eating out after paying for all inclusive. Every meal after this was filled with anxiety and we dreaded having to eat. Breakfast was the only edible meal in my opinion. Omelets were cooked freshly, along with the usual full English, continental, fruit, pastries and cereals. Lunch seemed to be left overs from the previous night's dinner. Dinner options included liver in an unappealing gravy, veal and pork. Chips and pasta became our staple

I honestly never thought I’d say this about a holiday, but I couldn’t wait to get back home. This hotel was a massive disappointment, and I’m genuinely shocked it gets any good reviews – we were completely misled. Let’s start with the staff – unbelievably rude. We were made to feel unwelcome for even basic things like filling a water bottle in the food hall. My partner asked for a tomato juice and was told it was only for Bloody Marys — so… we can’t have any juice? The attitude was just bizarre and completely unprofessional. The “all inclusive” claim is honestly false. You can’t take bottles of water, you’re not allowed drinks after 11 p.m., and the lunch/dinner times are strange and inconsistent. The food was absolutely awful – the only edible options were plain pasta and chips. All the juices were watered down, the wine tasted like petrol, and the pasta sauces were inedible. We ended up eating out every night, which defeats the purpose of an all-inclusive booking. They advertise ice creams, but you’re not actually allowed to have any except little pots that seem like they’re from prison. Our room was just okay — but definitely not worth the extra money for a “studio.” There’s no air conditioning, just a ceiling fan that looked like it could fall down at any moment. The shower pressure was poor, and the hot water barely worked. The lift seemed clearly wrong — it made horrible noises and looked so unsafe that we avoided it altogether. The smell around the hotel was awful, and many areas looked completely run-down and neglected. Cleanliness was another issue. There was a drink spilled on a table and it literally stayed there until 10 p.m. the next day — clear proof the place wasn’t being cleaned properly. Some positives: the pool was nice, the entertainment was actually decent, and the music around the hotel was enjoyable. The shops just outside the hotel were honestly what saved us — without them, I think I’d have come back four stone lighter. Overall, this was a horrible holiday. If it weren’t for the shops and entertainment, it would’ve been a complete nightmare. The service was slow but okay — the real issue was how unwelcome we were made to feel. Do not book this hotel. We read the reviews and were filled with false hope. Big mistake. BEWARE.

Second time staying here and wasn’t disappointed we requested the same room and got it so was very happy We did self catering so had an apartment with a big balcony The hotel is fully gated so feels safe it’s next to the duke shopping centre so lovely shops there is a big hypodino supermarket under the shopping centre and good prices there is a market opposite the duke shops twice a week The pool doesn’t officially open til 10am but you can go there earlier but no life guard but it stops all the putting towels on the beds early there was always plenty of sunbeds both pools are lovely It’s about a 15 minute walk to the beach it is a bit of a hill to come back up but doable and worth it because there are so many lovely bars and restaurants I can’t comment on food cos didn’t eat here The check in is after 3pm so pack your pool stuff on top so can change in the toilets and put cases in locked room This hotel is good value for money its basic but has everything you need and is clean and in a nice area I would go back again definitely

I have never been to an all inclusive hotel where drinks, water at least, are not readily available. Having to walk to a supermarket for a basic necessity when I have payed extra for all inclusive has made it difficult to enjoy this holiday. Drinks are served from 11am-11pm, so you really need to stock up on water. On a more positive note, the room is clean and spacious and the staff are friendly.

Great family break away. Rooms were cleaned daily and we stayed in a one bed apartment which was well equipped if you were self catering. We were all inc- i had read reviews and was concerned about the food options before arriving. However, we really surprised at multiple options available to us each day. I am fussy eater due to health condition and managed to find adequate options each meal. No snack bar but you could order food if you wished at an extra charge. Always able to find a sun bed with no issue. Stayed in block F which overlooked the pool. Great spot. We used the kids club and found the staff to be great.