Take a break at the hotel where Keeley Hawes dealt with a hostage situation in Crossfire — you’re sure of a better time
Crossfire is available to watch on BBC iPlayer
Matt Charlton - 20 October 2022
It’s easy to have preconceived notions where the Canary Islands are concerned: beet-red Brits at 9.30am, pint in hand, asking why there are no chips on the breakfast menu; crowded beaches bordered by theme pubs and cheesy clubs; lines of beige buffet food, where the most sophisticated element to a meal is being able to have Iberico ham on your pizza. But across the Canaries, there are not just pockets that disprove the stereotypes, but vast swathes of volcanic, lush beauty, from eco-fincas nestled in the alien landscapes of northern Lanzarote, via the picturesque driftwood-clad surf havens of Fuerteventura, to the sophisticated south of the largest island, Tenerife.
But in Crossfire, the BBC thriller you may have missed in the days after the Queen’s death, the lead character Jo (played by Keeley Hawes) has little more than half a day to take in this beauty and peace. Jo, it turns out, is a little bit too busy – after hearing gunshots fired and pulling her trainers on, she attempts to take control of a hostage situation in the high end resort where she’s just arrived for a holiday with family and friends. Crossfire is the latest in a line of shows – The White Lotus, Nine Perfect Strangers, Death in Paradise – using sun-kissed climes as a backdrop for high drama. But here, the lovely location beyond the show’s tension, tragedy and violence is very much visitable in real life.
Barceló Tenerife (barcelo.com) is a luxurious resort located near the small, picturesque fishing village of Los Abrigos on the southern tip of the island, and was the main shooting (pun intended) location for the show. It’s nestled just 25 metres from a secluded beach and its playful, irregular, angular collection of terracottacoloured buildings look as if they’ve sprung up out of the otherworldly surrounding landscape, a luxury moonbase next to a sea of tranquillity.
Filming took place when the resort was closed for refurbishment, but I arrive a few weeks after it’s reopened, the vague smell of fresh paint carried on a warm salty sea breeze. Reassured by staff that there are no planned hostage situations, I check into my sumptuous room located on their “Royal” level, and prepare to immerse myself into resort life. It’s a place you never have to leave in order to have a fulfilling, relaxing break – but on an island that is home to 140 endemic plant species, the highest peak in Spain and the largest lava tube outside Hawaii, I want to strike a balance between taking it easy and getting to know the southern part of the island.
Tenerife is, of course, a year-round destination, and ideal for some winter sunshine, with November temperatures rarely dropping below 21°C. And far from being merely a “fly and flop” choice, it’s an ideal destination for hikers, naturalists, bikers and extreme sport lovers. In fact, a microcosm of the island’s biodiversity is to be found around Barceló Tenerife itself, where they offer visits to the San Blas Nature Reserve a short walk away, and even transparent kayaking on their lake. (As long as you don’t fall out. As some people may have done. Repeatedly.)
Duly dried off, I attempt to make myself more buoyant by eating at the Arrozante restaurant on site… and it seems to work. A half-hour walk from the resort and I’m keeping my head almost above water in the Piscinas Naturales de Los Abrigos: natural crystal-clear pools formed in volcanic cliffs, filled with tidal water from the surprisingly warm Atlantic. Well fed, well rested and pampered, the second half of my week is spent in Villa Blue Cloud, a property let by British company Oliver’s Travels (oliverstravels.com) not too far from the resort. I use this upscale accommodation, with its pool and widescreen views over the beautiful volcanic Costa Adeje, as a base from which to explore the island.
I find my own secluded metre or two of beach out of the 43 miles available on one afternoon, feast at the Michelin-starred El Rincón de Juan Carlos (elrincondejuancarlos. com) that evening, putting the next day aside to head towards Pico de Teide, the world’s third tallest volcano at over 12,000ft. This requires a permit ahead of time, however, so instead I opt for the more modest altitude of La Rambleta, at a mere 11,663ft (make sure you bring layers; it gets much colder the higher you are). In the evening, only slightly closer to sea level, I drink in the wondrous, clear, star-drenched skies in the Teide National park, on a night tour (volcanoteide.com). The sun has already set on my time on the island. You can’t help feeling sorry for Jo. If those gunmen hadn’t turned up, she would have had a wonderful few days in the resort, and then seen everything this magical island has to offer. And not an Irish theme bar in sight.
It’s easy to have preconceived notions where the Canary Islands are concerned: beet-red Brits at 9.30am, pint in hand, asking why there are no chips on the breakfast menu; crowded beaches bordered by theme pubs and cheesy clubs; lines of beige buffet food, where the most sophisticated element to a meal is being able to have Iberico ham on your pizza. But across the Canaries, there are not just pockets that disprove the stereotypes, but vast swathes of volcanic, lush beauty, from eco-fincas nestled in the alien landscapes of northern Lanzarote, via the picturesque driftwood-clad surf havens of Fuerteventura, to the sophisticated south of the largest island, Tenerife.
But in Crossfire, the BBC thriller you may have missed in the days after the Queen’s death, the lead character Jo (played by Keeley Hawes) has little more than half a day to take in this beauty and peace. Jo, it turns out, is a little bit too busy – after hearing gunshots fired and pulling her trainers on, she attempts to take control of a hostage situation in the high end resort where she’s just arrived for a holiday with family and friends. Crossfire is the latest in a line of shows – The White Lotus, Nine Perfect Strangers, Death in Paradise – using sun-kissed climes as a backdrop for high drama. But here, the lovely location beyond the show’s tension, tragedy and violence is very much visitable in real life.
Barceló Tenerife (barcelo.com) is a luxurious resort located near the small, picturesque fishing village of Los Abrigos on the southern tip of the island, and was the main shooting (pun intended) location for the show. It’s nestled just 25 metres from a secluded beach and its playful, irregular, angular collection of terracottacoloured buildings look as if they’ve sprung up out of the otherworldly surrounding landscape, a luxury moonbase next to a sea of tranquillity.
Filming took place when the resort was closed for refurbishment, but I arrive a few weeks after it’s reopened, the vague smell of fresh paint carried on a warm salty sea breeze. Reassured by staff that there are no planned hostage situations, I check into my sumptuous room located on their “Royal” level, and prepare to immerse myself into resort life. It’s a place you never have to leave in order to have a fulfilling, relaxing break – but on an island that is home to 140 endemic plant species, the highest peak in Spain and the largest lava tube outside Hawaii, I want to strike a balance between taking it easy and getting to know the southern part of the island.
Tenerife is, of course, a year-round destination, and ideal for some winter sunshine, with November temperatures rarely dropping below 21°C. And far from being merely a “fly and flop” choice, it’s an ideal destination for hikers, naturalists, bikers and extreme sport lovers. In fact, a microcosm of the island’s biodiversity is to be found around Barceló Tenerife itself, where they offer visits to the San Blas Nature Reserve a short walk away, and even transparent kayaking on their lake. (As long as you don’t fall out. As some people may have done. Repeatedly.)
Duly dried off, I attempt to make myself more buoyant by eating at the Arrozante restaurant on site… and it seems to work. A half-hour walk from the resort and I’m keeping my head almost above water in the Piscinas Naturales de Los Abrigos: natural crystal-clear pools formed in volcanic cliffs, filled with tidal water from the surprisingly warm Atlantic. Well fed, well rested and pampered, the second half of my week is spent in Villa Blue Cloud, a property let by British company Oliver’s Travels (oliverstravels.com) not too far from the resort. I use this upscale accommodation, with its pool and widescreen views over the beautiful volcanic Costa Adeje, as a base from which to explore the island.
I find my own secluded metre or two of beach out of the 43 miles available on one afternoon, feast at the Michelin-starred El Rincón de Juan Carlos (elrincondejuancarlos. com) that evening, putting the next day aside to head towards Pico de Teide, the world’s third tallest volcano at over 12,000ft. This requires a permit ahead of time, however, so instead I opt for the more modest altitude of La Rambleta, at a mere 11,663ft (make sure you bring layers; it gets much colder the higher you are). In the evening, only slightly closer to sea level, I drink in the wondrous, clear, star-drenched skies in the Teide National park, on a night tour (volcanoteide.com). The sun has already set on my time on the island. You can’t help feeling sorry for Jo. If those gunmen hadn’t turned up, she would have had a wonderful few days in the resort, and then seen everything this magical island has to offer. And not an Irish theme bar in sight.
MATT CHARLTON