A set of stairs leads towards the popular la Sala Teatro Timanfaya, a theatre popular for artistic and musical folklore productions. But, looking beyond and towards the sky ahead, a hotel that once dominated the skies of Puerto de La Cruz is surrounded by scaffolding and is clearly undergoing restoration and renewal.
El Gran Hotel Taoro, built as a luxury hotel in 1890, endured financial crashes, civil wars, and world wars. It played host to some of the most prominent dignitaries in society; the list is long, but being a writer, I have to mention one of its most famous guests in my eyes, Agatha Christie.
But not everything can stay in the past, and El Gran Hotel Taoro grew tired and outdated. Unloved and occupied by various businesses, it finally closed its doors around half a century ago.
The new owners, the My Way Hotel Group, are rehabilitating the facade and interior of the building. However, what will never change is the significance the building has played in the city's history. Future guests can take in the marvellous vistas below towards the magical blue sea as Agatha did and maybe even be inspired to write a book or short story.
