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So I guess there’s no surprise that once I started to write my own blog I called it OCEAN’S DESIRE: Inspired by the ocean and island life. Despite the fact that at that moment I was living far away from the ocean or any island. And who might have thought that in a few years my dreams will become a reality?
My acquaintance with Alberto and Hacienda Cuatro Ventanas was unexpected. I found this hidden paradise very accidentally while I was working as a photographer for the spanish fashion brand called Maison Hotel. I had to find a place for a shooting in Tenerife and Hacienda Cuatro Ventanas seemed exactly what we were looking for.
I remember the first day we arrived, when we opened the huge gates and got into a completely different world: the building was surrounded by emerald jungle and countless colourful blossoms. We stepped out from the car and heavy tropical air instantly filled every inch of our lungs together with unexplainable calmness and harmony. It seemed that we were on the edge of the world: just us, this tiny tropical wonderland and endless ocean. No time, no rush, no noise: the paradise I knew only from the books and movies was real and I was standing in the middle of it.
Every single day we spent there was like a dream: vivid sunsets slowly melting into the ocean, early morning dips into infinity pool with awakening island view and sounds, different wild beaches just few minutes away, countless banana plantations around and fresh plates of bananas in all of Hacienda Cuatro Ventanas for everyone to have a healthy and energising snack at any moment of the day or night.
And yet I guess I felt the true essence of the place only when I came here for the second time. Alberto invited me to work with one of his projects and I had an amazing opportunity to see all of the 6 villas inside-out.
The experience I had exceeded any of my expectations or imagination. There were not only typical different style villas, Alberto masterly created a strong and unique personality for each of them. Every single corner with every single detail in there was carefully thought out with a lot of love, passion and deep knowledge in many areas.
Each of 6 villas has its own aesthetic and style. Different mood in them was created not only by selecting the main place or interior details but also by huge attention to the natural light and connection with the nature around. Some of the villas are always full of sunshine like El Risco while others for example Marques de San Andres are drowned in a mystical twilight.
Hacienda Cuatro Ventanas for me is way more than just a complex of villas with a beautiful view: it’s a masterpiece of something magical that hardly fitting in words. This place combines art, history, nature, architecture and boundless imagination. The more attention you give to this place and the more times you coming here the deeper and the more interesting understanding you get about the whole concept.
And to the end I want to give you my small secret advice: wait for the night when all of the lights will be turned off and go far a walk in the garden or just lie down close to the pool. Take the look up: salty sharp night air mixed with distant sounds of the island and the vast abyss of heaven highlighted by countless amounts of stars. In that moment you’ll truly realise how special and how unique this small paradise is.