Terraza House Bar on Playa Torviscas
Sea Views and Sangria in Tenerife’s Playa de las Americas
Sep 19, 2009
There’s no shortage of watering holes in Playa de las Americas, but bars without a theme or some other novelty ‘value’ are slightly less easy to come by. Playa Torviscas and Playa de la Pinta, both with resplendent sea views being on the beach, are the locations to go to (mostly) avoid the gaudiness. The Terraza House bar, next door to the Bistro del Mar castle restaurant , on Playa Torviscas is a marked option.
Drinks at the Terraza House Bar
Drinkers feel they’re getting great value for money at the Terraza House because most drinks are sold as ‘specials’, much cheaper than the price advertised on the menu. A liter of sangria goes for just 4.99 Euros, a large beer is just one Euro and a glass of wine is 1.75 Euros. Cocktails come in at a fairly steep 5.99 Euros, but they don’t scrimp on the shot sizes. For those looking for a new experience, get half a liter of champagne sangria for 6.50 Euros. The French Riviera does Tenerife indeed.
The Atmospheric Bar Overlooking Playa Torviscas
It’s the ambience and location of the Terraza House that sets it apart from the other bars in the area. Occupying a large expanse of the Torviscas patch, passers-by can’t miss the cosy tables with trendy wicker chairs, woven between exotic plants and palm trees. The tables with high stools give that bit of extra height needed to watch one of the perfect Canarian sunsets, while the comfortable low sofas are the ideal spot for a more intimate drink. The candle-filled lanterns that appear on the tables after dark altogether complete the scene.
To maximise the mood, try to sit out of view of the pirate statue, which is an unfortunate piece of unnecessary decoration that cheapens the surroundings. Being Playa de las Americas, there supposedly has to be one token piece of tackiness in every bar. The trickling water of the fountain gives that clichéd feeling of tranquillity and the misty spray is welcome on a hot day (although not so much once the sun has gone down). Coupled with the soft chill-out music and romantic Spanish guitar playing in the background, Terraza House feels like the absolute retreat.
Facilities at the Playa de las Americas Bar
The serenity is spoiled somewhat when the dance classics come on, nudging-out the chill-out vibe. Listening to lyrics like: “I’m the whore who had your baby” disfigures the karmic balance somewhat. The only other downside to Terraza House are the bathroom facilities. They are a good walk behind the bar, merging in with the dirtier, seedier behind-the-scenes space not normally intruded on by the general public. The bathrooms are not the cleanest, to say the least, and the locks don’t work. Not ideal when it’s not clear who is lurking in the shadows outside. What’s more bizarre than anything else are the taps hanging in their piping from their ceramic sockets. Anyone could pull them all the way outside the door, if they really wanted to. And the mirrored ceilings? Entirely unnecessary.
Terraza House – the Place to be Early Evening
The bad points should not be outweighed by the good, however. Terraza House is without doubt one of the best bars in the area. The choicest time to go is early evening to watch the sun go down and take in the mellow beats before they put in the ‘Clubber’s Paradise’ CD.
Move on to one of the nearby restaurants afterward – Bistro del Mar serves food of exquisite quality, while Meson Mediterraneo is a more affordable option serving charming home-cooked tapas.
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