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Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Original poster

anyone been to Lanzarote?

36 replies

racingheart · 12/01/2013 22:38

DC and I really like the sound of it but DH doesn't.

DC: volcanoes, black sand and free ice cream.
Me: cheap hotels and sun in April.
DH: tourist trap holiday from hell.

I just really want a very cheap sunny holiday and would love to hear what people think of it.

Thanks

OP posts:
deleted203 · 12/01/2013 22:41

I've been and enjoyed it immensely, because I basically wanted to lie in the sunshine in December and do nothing. It was cheap, the hotel was very luxurious and the weather was nice and hot. It certainly wasn't a tourist trap, but we went to Playa Blanca which is in the South and quieter. Would highly recommend, provided you don't want to do cultural sightseeing (there is little to see on Lanzarote).

givemeaclue · 12/01/2013 22:42

These are lovely parts of the island, you can avoid the masses. Lots to do and see , good weather. Really liked it there

Purplehonesty · 12/01/2013 22:51

It was lovely when we went last april. We had a villa with a pool tho so we didn't really have to mingle with the other tourists too much!
Owners direct plus cheap flights and it was cheaper than a package deal
Overall nice beaches and good weather. We stayed in puerto del carmen and it was nice.
Cheap to eat out and animal park thing was a good day out. Supermarkets a rip off tho for nappies etc

finethanks · 13/01/2013 09:32

If you do go, I would recommend a visit to the Timanfaya National park, Papagayo beach and the Manrique foundation. We also did a boat trip and saw lots of dolphins. It's a bit like holidaying on the moon in some places ... really interesting for the children. Also, the weather is good. We went at Easter and temperatures were around 21c every day, so not too hot and not too cold!
We stayed at a villa with our own pool which was great.

dreamingofsun · 13/01/2013 13:38

love going in the winter - its one of our favourites - sad this year as can't afford it. no more touristy than portugal, parts of france and where we've gone in greece. yes there's tourism but i'm very averse to disco/macdonals type places - though thinking about it there might be a macdonalds in playa blanca. much much nicer than majorca - which admittedly we haven't been back to after 15 years - that was grosse.

Original poster
racingheart · 13/01/2013 20:21

Oh this is making me really want to go even more. Dolphins and moonscapes and volcanoes and black sand and SUN.
Thank you for the replies. it's definitely way up my list now. We're really craving a bit of sun.

OP posts:
GeorginaWorsley · 13/01/2013 20:26

Been 3 times and going again at Easter hopefully.
We stay in a villa in Playa Blanca,nice family friendly fairly quiet resort.

franticallyjugglinglife · 13/01/2013 20:45

I love it.... great for children, the volcano is fantastic, beaches great. Stay in playa blanca and get a car - the north of the island is far from touristy - the viewpoint is amazing (as are the views to get there). Lunch in el golfo one of my favourite things :)

Tell your DH it is only touristy in certain areas... loads of it isn't. We have always stayed in villas - can recommend if needed.

Good luck in persuading him!

:)

loopsngeorge · 13/01/2013 20:53

We went in April a couple of years ago and I was really surprised by how much I loved it. In fact I'd go so far as to say it's one of those places you should see at least once because it's unique. The volcano park is great for the kids but we also enjoyed seeing Famara beach, El Golfo (sunken crater) and Jameos del Agua.

The only bit I didn't like was the resort of Puerto del Carmen although the beach was good. I would recommend Playa Blanca - we stayed at the Natura Gardens Apartments which use all the facilities of the Natura Palace hotel where the food is lovely!

popserinis · 14/01/2013 19:57

We love lanzarote and it's got to be playa blanca every time. It's not too built up and has lovely marina. Close to the centre you'd be best in a villa or lanzarote princess if you want kids club. We love the Los colorados end which only as a few shops and hotels but close to the papagayo beaches. Papagayo arena or dream Castillo hotels are at that end and are fab but about 15 min walk to marina along coastal path and another ten or fifteen minutes walk into the town after that. At the other side f payable blanca is rubicon palace which is good for families too. We love it as although it is hot, there is always a breeze so never feels uncomfortable. Hope you persuade him, it's great. I have recommended to lots of friends who now go every year.

Original poster
racingheart · 14/01/2013 21:39

Brilliant - this is so helpful.

Playa Blanca sounds like the place to be, so I'll look there. (Though with my limited knowledge of Latin languages, that sounds like it's a white beach and the DC were really wowed by the idea of black sand. Is there black sand near by?)

The DC have asked to stay in a hotel for once as we usually go SC. They love the idea of signing for free ice creams and drinks. Can anyone recommend a good all-inclusive hotel?

Also, does anyone know, if you don't hire a car, can you get to El Golfo and the Volcano Park etc by tourist bus?

I really really want to go after reading all your comments. Off to look up Lanzarote Princess and Dream Castillo.

OP posts:
popserinis · 14/01/2013 22:54

Dream Castillo and papagayo arena good all inclusives. There is a black sand beach in front of gran Castillo though quite pebbly. The papagayo beach is about ten mins over a hill from there. There's also a nice little play area between these two hotels which has slide and zip wire. All the main tour organisers pick up from the hotels so no need to hire a car

popserinis · 14/01/2013 22:58

Gran Castillo far better hotel than lanzarote princess. FAmily rooms are great. The only thing is it's further out but walk is beautiful

deleted203 · 14/01/2013 23:02

I stayed in the H10 Rubicon Palace in Playa Blanca and we were all inclusive. The food was absolutely FANTASTIC and we couldn't believe how good it was. I would highly, highly recommend it. The hotel was wonderful - several swimming pools, right on the beach, really luxurious - beautiful Moorish architecture, great entertainment every night. I would love to go again. One thing I would add about the all inclusive was just how good value for money it was - DD1 and I found ourselves having a pina colada about 11.00am every morning, purely to spoil ourselves, although we don't drink much. But it was definitely worth doing - it would have cost you a fortune extra to fund all the cokes, etc that the kids wanted during the day.

grendel · 14/01/2013 23:16

We stayed in Gran Castillo (just outside Playa Blanca) for our first ever all inclusive holiday and were really pleasantly surprised. Lovely rooms, beautiful pools, good food, all very civilised. Beach immediately outside Gran Castillo is unappealing, stony and covered in seaweed. Papagayo beach (white sand) is 15-20 mins walk over the headland - would be a hot and tiring walk for little ones. Immediately over the headland is another pretty good beach (Playa de Mujeres I think it's called) though which is more accessible. There is not much immediately around the hotel - you need to walk over to the Marina (15-20 mins) for a selection of restaurants and gift shops.
We hired a car for a few days and explored the rest of the island. Can recommend Timanfaya, Jameos del Agua, the Manrique cactus garden. Vinyards with bright green vines each growing in its separate hollow of black lava are a sight to see!
Avoid the more tacky resorts and the rest of the island is lovely.

loopsngeorge · 14/01/2013 23:47

There's a black sand beach outside the Natura Palace and Rubicon Palace (next door to each other) with a nice little development of bars overlooking it.

JumpingJackSprat · 15/01/2013 18:33

i drove through lanzarote on a coach trip from fuerte and was struck how non touristy it was - seemed very quiet and traditional which from what i understand is the locals aim with very strict building regulations etc to maintain their way of life ( i seem to recall our guide saying this) it seemed nice for a quiet beach holiday, fuerteventura and tenerife much more lively and the sort of places your husband describes.

marmitepeanutbutter · 15/01/2013 18:53

We went to Lanzarote a couple of years ago for some winter sun with low expectations but were very pleasantly surprised. It's a lovely island, very attractive and not built up. We stayed in Playa Blanca which is a good holiday resort but I wouldn't go so far as to say it's really nice, the main town is a bit tacky but the marina is lovely, some great shops, a lovely craft market and some good restaurants. The beach at Playa Blanca is great and it's nice to walk along the front. There are also a few excellent restaurants but it's still a bit of an english resort albeit a nice one and very tame. Having said that, I would be very happy to go there again, it's great for a family holiday. We hired a car and really loved the island, we found a few nice galleries and places for wine tastingand tapas and I believe that there is a great fishing village which has wonderful fish restaurants but we couldn't find it.

Arcadia · 15/01/2013 20:53

Playa blanca is great, me and DP went once on our own and again with DD and my PILs. Managed to get two self catering villas on a little complex near the sea front, with a pool, really good value. We are snobby picky about where we go and I highly recommend! Also amazing sea food and tapas on offer if you are selective where you eat (check out trip advisor). Am utterly baffled by the 'lanzagrotty' rep of the 80s as no high rises or high density accommodation.

It is not a very exciting place (apart from the dramatic landscape) but perfect for a relaxing family holiday.

duende · 15/01/2013 21:02

Great to read this thread. DP, I and DS (3.5) are going in April. I will be about 25 weeks pregnant. We are staying at the h10 rubicon and I'm sooo looking forward to it. We will not me able to afford a holiday when I'm on mat leave and for a while after so it's our last treat for a while.

Jakadaal · 15/01/2013 21:08

We went to the other end of Playa Blanca in May to the H10 Rubicon Palace. All inclusive, food was really good, excellent animation team and built like a bit of village so plenty of pools. About a 20 min walk to the main (yellow sand beach!) along a nice boulevard. We went with Jet2 holidays and got a really good deal. Only down side was the wind - it was particularly windy in June according to the reps

wiltingfast · 15/01/2013 21:22

I've been there twice. I hate it. Tourist trap, boring, windy, no decent food, chips with everything, night life in the shopping centre, no nice shops, TOTALLY miserable fgs don't go, the sun is not worth it imo (bloody wind)!

Plus it's a long flight.

deleted203 · 16/01/2013 00:02

But you've been there TWICE???

BackforGood · 16/01/2013 00:04

Marking spot as haven't got time to read now, but was wondering about Lanzarote too.

AnyFucker · 16/01/2013 00:32

I have been twice

Once in Sept...lovely and warm, nice old town of Puerto Del Carmen (didn't think much of the "new" bit though, a bit touristy but not at Torremolinos levels, eg)

Again in February and it was absolutely freezing and rained quite a lot

Don't believe the hype about it being a winter sun destination. Well, I suppose it is if you take your duffel coat and don't want to swim in the pool.