For decades countless personalities from cinema, culture and music have passed through the mythical Hotel Mencey in Tenerife. However, never in its history has this emblematic establishment been closed for a whole year. The pandemic has left images difficult to imagine, such as the empty streets of Santa Cruz de Tenerife in the middle of the carnival.
The city that is home to one of the best caranavales in the world keeps stories in its corners starring all kinds of characters. Herminio Rodríguez has been a staff at the Hotel Mencey since 1981. “One year I saw some hairy guys and after a while I realized they were from U2,” he says between laughter. “All kinds of actors and personalities have passed through the corridors of this hotel,” Herminio explains.
Sophia Loren and Gerard Depardieu stayed at the Hotel Mencey in 2008 as members of the jury for the Santa Cruz de Tenerife Carnival. “You couldn’t disturb them, you couldn’t take photos or ask for autographs, but I was a great admirer of Sophia Loren so I didn’t care if they kicked me out of the hotel, I have to ask for an autograph,” explains Felipe de la Hoz, who was a waiter at the Mencey for twelve years.
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