Melia Hotels has poured over €25 million into reinventing its SOL brand, and the first redesigned property in Tenerife sets a bold new standard for affordable holiday hotels.
A Fresh Identity for SOL
SOL by Melia has been a familiar name on European package holidays for decades. Reliable, affordable, nothing flashy. But the hotel group has decided that reliable isn’t enough anymore, and honestly, they’re right.
As part of Melia’s 70th anniversary celebrations, the SOL brand is getting a complete overhaul. The first property to emerge from the other side is SOL Arona Tenerife, and the transformation is significant. We’re talking a €25 million plus renovation that touches everything from the rooms to the restaurants to the entire philosophy of what a SOL hotel should feel like.
Everything Under the SOL
The new concept centres around a philosophy they’re calling “Everything under the SOL.” It’s about creating a year-round summer feeling, regardless of when you visit. Tenerife is the obvious testing ground for that idea, given the island barely dips below 20 degrees even in January.
But it goes beyond weather. The redesign aims to create a hotel that feels like a destination in itself rather than just somewhere you sleep between beach days. That’s a big shift from the old SOL model, which was always more functional than experiential.
What’s New at SOL Arona Tenerife
The headline feature is the All Tribes Playground. It’s a communal social space designed to bring different types of travellers together. Families, couples, solo travellers, groups of mates. Rather than separating everyone into their own corners, the idea is to create shared energy.
Then there’s the SOL Stage, which will host live entertainment and programming throughout the day and evening. Think poolside DJs, live music, activities and events that give each day a different flavour. It’s the kind of thing that higher-end resorts have been doing for years, now being brought into the mid-range space.
Food has had a serious upgrade too. Verbena is a contemporary buffet concept with a Mediterranean focus and local Canarian influences. Papagayo is the more casual poolside option for drinks and light bites. There’s also the Play Bar serving curated cocktails, wines and beers.
Something for Everyone
One of the smartest moves is how the hotel handles different guest needs without making anyone feel like they’re in the wrong place. There’s an adults-only pool area for couples and groups who want a quieter vibe. A children’s pool with Slide Town water features keeps the younger ones entertained. And Kidsdom is a dedicated activity space so parents can actually relax.
Rooms have been fully renovated with a minimalist, sustainable design. Technology touches include self-service Beverage Stations and a Cleaning Lab for added convenience. It’s functional without being clinical.
The Bigger Picture
SOL Arona Tenerife is the first of several properties set for the same treatment. SOL Sancti Petri, SOL Falco, SOL Principe, SOL Puerto Marina and SOL Malaga Guadalmar are all in the pipeline for the new-generation makeover.
What Melia is doing here is interesting from a travel perspective. The mid-range holiday hotel market has been squeezed for years between budget airlines making cheap destinations cheaper and luxury resorts getting more accessible. SOL’s response is to stop competing on price alone and start competing on experience.
Whether they pull it off across the whole portfolio remains to be seen. But based on what SOL Arona Tenerife is offering, they’re heading in the right direction. If you’re planning a Tenerife trip this year, it’s worth a look.
Visit melia.com for more info
