I’m from Australia and stayed at Maraya Coliving for 6 weeks in June and July of 2022.

I planned to stay for one week, but ended up extending upon realising how special the Maraya community is! 😊 As a result, I moved between the dorms and private rooms Blue Horse, Memphis and Mochi.

ROOMS
Dorms – Great for making friends quickly. The dorms are extremely comfortable and there’s only 6 beds. My sleep was never disturbed as each bed has a thick curtain enclosing it and its own lockable compartment in the bed head, each guest has their own shelf / cubicle in the separate lounge area, and the bathroom is separated from the dormitory by a hallway.

Private Rooms – All of the private rooms are great, and have their own pros and cons. Memphis has a fantastic view of the ocean and a large desk (I was most productive here). Blue Horse is quite private as it’s towards the back of the house and conveniently located next to the shared bathrooms. Mochi is the most private, with its own bathroom, on the second floor and separated from the dormitory by the indoor kitchen, however it’s harder to integrate with the community from there.

Ants – At the beginning of my stay there were ants in my room, and at times a few in my bed, but this was never particularly bad and I was conscious that this was Maraya’s first summer. Fortunately during my stay, Maraya hired professionals to ant-proof the house and this completely eliminated the ant issue in all rooms.

VALUE
Maraya provides breakfast every morning (consisting of eggs, oatmeal, fruits, vegetables, toast and an array of milks, cereals & yoghurts) and four dinners per week. The dinners vary from paella (cooked traditionally on an open fire) to pizza night (with hand stretched dough in the pizza oven), African stews and Japanese inspired bowls. Particularly for vegetarian food, Maraya is probably “the best restaurant” in Tenerife and I never ate the same dish twice.

For lunch, most guests cook with fresh vegetables and herbs from Maraya’s garden (free) and groceries from the supermarket.

ACTIVITIES
Many of Maraya’s activities are also hosted by the community’s volunteers who range from Canarian locals to travellers who have lived on the island for several months. Guests can also organise activities themselves.

Surfing – One of the owners Ben is a fantastic surf instructor. His classes are small (approximately four guests at a time) and unlike many other surf instructors, Ben is always in the water to provide one-on-one guidance.

Other Activities – Hiking, beach, surf skating, nights out, massages (by Flor / “Titi).

COMMUNITY
In my 10 years of travel, I’ve only been part of such a special community once, and the incredible thing about Maraya is that the community doesn’t rely on just one person (guest or staff), but Maraya’s culture of trust and values – So people will come and go, but the Maraya community is always amazing.

For me, Maraya’s community starts with how everybody eats together, and the types of people who are attracted to Maraya tend to be health & wellness conscious, athletic and creative. There’s also a strong entrepreneurial culture so many guests end up collaborating and supporting each other’s work. A lot of other guests work for startups and large corporations in Europe and the UK, and most are vegetarian and regularly practice yoga.

My favourite weeks at Maraya were also catalysed by guests who volunteered to host “Skillshare” workshops such as for Human Design, Photography, and Contact Improvisation. So if there’s anything you can teach, please share!

And finally, Maraya’s owners are young surfers themselves who live on the property and have created a community based on their favourite travel experiences. You’ll be able to spend a lot of time with them, and enjoy a very intimate and organic experience. Occassionally, they’ll host a party or art exhibition and that’s a great way to meet expats and locals who live in Tenerife!

Check out Maraya if you have the chance. It’s a special place where lots of people make friends for life!