History of the hotel
Hotel Marquesa since 1887
The Irish arrived in the Canary Islands in the 17th century. Among the Irish who settled in Puerto de la Cruz, there is Bernardo Valois, who would be dedicated to the import and distribution trade of the island market.
In 1700, Bernardo Valois inaugurated the San Patricio chapel in the Parish Church of Puerto de la Cruz in La Orotava. In 1712, he finished building his house and business office, in the religious and social commercial center of the Port, located in front of the square of the Church of Our Lady of Peña de Francia. The house came to possess a library with more than 700 copies in French and English. Originally, it housed the Valois family with their servants.
In 1798, 7 family members, 8 servants, and the Consul of Genoa lived in it. The Valois family intermarried with other families such as the Cólogan. The main house welcomed several generations of the Cólogan surname, being the one who owned the property until the 20th century. Four members of the family served as mayors of Puerto de la Cruz. Due to the family’s economic-political-social influence, the house was a refuge for numerous personalities, such as Alexander Von Humboldt.
In the mid-19th century, the so-called “health tourism” began in the Canary Islands, largely due to its wonderful climatic conditions.
Taking advantage of one of their most beautiful homes in the city, the Cólogan family opened in 1883 one of the most charming hotels in all of Tenerife, with its balconies overlooking the main street. The hotel was a home museum where all the belongings and furniture of the family were preserved. It was a place where important social events were held.
Laura Micaela de Cólogan Franchi y Heredia held the title of Marquesa de Candia from 1864, a name that would pass to the hotel when she, after the death of her husband (Tomas Fidel Cólogan), operated it directly. Nowadays it still retains this name: Hotel Marquesa.
Among the many distinguished guests stood out the musician Charles Camile Saint-Saëns. Today, this beautiful house is home to one of the most iconic hotels in the city, being a prominent symbol of the historical hospitality of Puerto de la Cruz. Inside, many things maintain the aristocratic splendor of the past.
