Walter Finch
NEIGHBOURS in Tenerife are up in arms after around 200 squatters entered a nearby hotel and began selling the hotel’s furniture online.
The group, mostly of South American origin, has transformed the abandoned Hotel Callao Sport in Adeje into a makeshift squatter settlement.
They have even been selling items from the kitchen and reception areas, according to reports.
“They don’t seem like vulnerable people, but rather people who have called in,” said one neighbour.
READ MORE: Irish tourists in Spain are warned of ‘danger zones’ ahead of Easter break
“We don’t understand why the company that owns it does nothing and allows all of this to happen, without cutting off the electricity and water, since this must be costing them money.”
“They’ve started looting hotel items from areas like the kitchen and reception. There are items for sale online,” another resident confirmed.
Local authorities are struggling to remove the squatters due to complex Spanish legal frameworks that primarily address residential property squatting, making hotel occupation a legal grey area.
However, the City Council is aware of the situation and the Policia Local are believed to be studying the case and what action they can take.
Neighbours have speculated that the occupation might be organised by professional criminal networks specialising in illegal property seizures.
READ MORE: Brit, 36, arrested on arrival in Spain’s Tenerife over 2019 cocaine deal outside a hotel in Portugal
The incident highlights a growing problem in Spain, where real estate website Idealista reports over 20,000 occupied properties on sale.
The Tenerife case demonstrates the increasing boldness of squatters and the challenges faced by property owners and local communities.
