How we came up with the name Tabaiba Guesthouse

How to name our business? Finding the right name for your own project is not easy. Our rural hostel Tabaiba Guesthouse is made up of two words that represent the core values of our company philosophy: Our love for the nature of Tenerife and our warm guest service. In this article you will learn more about the naming of our project.   

Tabaiba Guesthouse in Buenavista del Norte

Aerial view of Buenavista del Norte, the location of Tabaiba Guesthouse rural hostel

Tenerife offers more than sun and beach. Far from the tourist hotspots you will find authentic places, unspoilt nature and hospitable people. We have chosen Buenavista del Norte as the location for our rural hostel Tabaiba Guesthouse because we want that our guests discover things outside of conventional travel guides. With us you will live like a local, we recommend you typical Canarian restaurants, motivate you to buy souvenirs and handicrafts in small shops and to taste regional products. Doing this you will therefore help the local economy and experience the Canarian way of life.  

Tabaiba, an endemic plant of Tenerife

Sweet Tabaiba on the coast of Buenavista del Norte

Sweet Tabaiba (Euphorbia balsamífera) is a common plant in the southern and western coastal areas of Tenerife. It is a shrub with gray and gnarled trunks that can reach up to two meters. The leaves, which form circles at the tips of the branches, are of light green colour. The Sweet Tabaiba is a species much branched from the base, whose milky juice coagulates in the air after germination and forms a pleasant-tasting gum resin. Children chewed it like chewing gum according to old custom.

This gum resin was also used to wean goat calves (baifos) by gluing it to the goat udder. Furthermore, the wood of the branches, which is light but very resistant, was formerly used to manufacture and seal wine barrels. All in all, the Tabaiba has a high ethnobotanical value due to its diverse uses in the past and has played an important role in the Guanche culture (native inhabitants of Tenerife).

Numerous Tabaiba bush plants also grow on the coast of Buenavista del Norte. This species is typical of the low lying and dry areas of the succulent bush zone Tabaibal-cardonal between 50 and 400 meters above sea level. Similarly, it is characterized by the bright color of its flowers, especially in the autumn and winter months. 

What does rural hostel Tabaiba Guesthouse mean?

Rural hostel Tabaiba Guesthouse: typical Canarian village house in the centre of Buenavista del Norte

We have considered for a long time how to describe best our kind of accommodation. Therefore, words like pension, rural hotel, bed & breakfast or hostel came to our mind. However, we have decided for the English word guesthouse. On one hand, it is the right word to appeal to our international guests who come from all over the world. On the other hand, we found the following official definition of guesthouse that exactly matches our concept of accommodation that is “… a private house that has been converted for the exclusive use of guest rooms. The owner usually lives in a completely separate area within the house.” 

That is the case at rural hostel Tabaiba Guesthouse. We live in the first floor of a typical Canarian village house. The ground floor was refurbished and converted into a cosy guesthouse with breakfast. In addition, the family, informal atmosphere and the personal service are the main features of our daily work.

Click here for our blog post and find out about the “7 reasons to stay in our hostel in Tenerife”.

Book your room at rural hostel Tabaiba Guesthouse

Do you want to meet us and enjoy a pleasant stay in a typical Canarian house in the northwest of Tenerife? Book your room and get inspired by the magic and the nature of this place. Discover its natural and cultural heritage. With your reservation you will support a sustainable tourism project in a rural area of ​​great ecological value. We are waiting for you!

Your hosts, Karin and Sergio