Chaos in Tenerife as popular luxury resort taken over by squatters | World | News

A luxury resort in Tenerife overrun by squatters has been left in despair after a prosecutor recommended denying eviction rights. Callao Sport Hotel in the popular tourist area of Costa Adeje has been taken over by squatters since February 17, when 12 people broke into the hotel.

Despite it triggering alarms, a police response and the arrest of two people, invaders have since taken over the whole 92-bed complex, including the reception, gym, kitchens and even spa massage cabins. The hotel’s request for precautionary measures, which would have led to the immediate eviction of the squatters who have been there for more than two months, could be rejected, despite reportedly submitting “overwhelming” evidence.

Carmen Margarita, the sole administrator of the company that owns the hotel, expressed her frustration in a local radio interview.

“The law doesn’t just ignore us, it shields those who break it. At this point, I feel like they’re mocking us, me, and all the residents who live nearby,” she said.

The public prosecutor recommended that the judge overseeing the case, based in the Court of Instruction Number 2 in Arona, deny the owners’ plea for precautionary measures, arguing it would not be “proportionate” given the legal precedent.

Margarita added: “We’ve submitted evidence, police documentation, and witness statements, yet it seems the prosecutor hasn’t even read them.”

Margarita also believes the hotel is being used by a criminal group to lease out rooms and profit off the invasion.

“This is not just squatting, it’s a criminal operation. People are making money from leasing out what is not theirs, and nothing is being done to stop them,” she said. 

She criticised the prosecutor’s request to identify all the occupants before any action can be taken, adding: “People come and go all the time. Just the other day, a couple showed up in a Mercedes A-Class. This isn’t about vulnerable people in need of shelter, this is systematic exploitation.”

Photos show deterioration inside the property, but the owners remain financially responsible for utility bills, which have reportedly tripled since the invasion.

“It’s alarming. We are being harmed, but so is the community,” she said.