Lanzarote´s Hottest Hotels
There are over 200 hotels in Lanzarote for holidaymakers to select from. With six 5 star establishments amidst their ranks, all offering high levels of luxury and service.
The Arrecife Gran Hotel stands head and shoulders above the rest – quite literally. As it is housed in the only high rise building on the island. Which was originally constructed in contravention of local planning laws during the 1980´s. And which then lay idle for years as the local government wrestled with what to do with the edifice.
For a while it became a real eye sore as the structure was burned out by arsonists and then surrounded with ugly corrugated iron sheeting. A real shame given its great location right next to the beach at Playa El Reducto which lies in the heart of Lanzarote´s capital city. But pragmatism finally won through and a few years ago the island government decided that it would be better to utilise the building than demolish it. Granting permission for the creation of the Arrecife Gran, which gives guests great views across the island from its seventeen floors.
Despite this heritage though the best known hotel on the island is still the Gran Melia Salinas, which is located in the resort of Costa Teguise – a ten minute drive from Arrecife – and which was developed with the help of the famous local artist César Manrique. His objective was to create an upmarket resort using the Gran Melia as the anchor for the development. And the resulting creation contained a number of trademark flourishes which haven been copied by many other hotels since. Such as the lush internal garden which occupies the hotel’s central atrium.
Today some visitors have suggested that the Gran Melia´s glory has faded somewhat. But there is still plenty to recommend it and the recently opened Salinas Villas extensions also gives guests access to some of the best holiday villas in Lanzarote.
Playa Blanca in the south of the island is home to a huge range of four star hotels – as well as the Gran Melia Volcan. Which has been modelled after Lanzarote´s most famous tourist attraction, the volcanoes of the Timanfaya National Park. The hotel is located right next to the luxury Rubicon Marina and offers high standards of accommodation. With five main blocks, each of which is named after one of Lanzarote´s best known villages. Making this one of the best hotels in Playa Blanca by some distance.
Villa Sunshine in Playa Blanca
Visitors to Playa Blanca are often surprised that this resort has only really come into being in the last ten years. As it would seem to be the logical choice for a holiday destination on Lanzarote for several reasons.
Not least amongst these is the fact that it enjoys better weather than anywhere else on the island. The average temperature is usually at least one or two degrees higher here, whilst the town’s position means that the prevailing winds from the north east are somewhat tempered.
Its position facing the neighbouring island of Fuerteventura is another obvious advantage. Not least because just outside the town of Corralejo, where the Playa Blanca ferry docks, are the famous Fuerteventura sand dunes. Twelve kilometres of white sand beckon holidaymakers from Lanzarote to make the short journey over the Bocaina Strait for an afternoon at Las Dunas.
But for those who think this is more effort than they can muster, there are some equally beautiful beaches to enjoy just outside Playa Blanca. The Playas de Papagayo are formed of six pristine coves and bays that are ideal for sunbathing and snorkelling.
For visitors staying close to the Marina Rubicon, it is a very short drive to reach these beaches. A quick trip to a Lanzarote car hire concession and then you can pack up a picnic to visit this lovely part of the coastline. The beaches are actually part of a protected reserve, which is much of the reason why they are still undeveloped.
Having a car is also a good idea for holidaymakers who opt to stay in one of the many Playa Blanca holiday villas. Not only does this alleviate having to get a taxi to and from the airport, but it also opens up the whole island to be explored. And there are many places worthy of a visit during a holiday on Lanzarote.
The island is exceptionally unspoilt, with very little visual clutter to get in the way of its unusual landscapes. It regularly captivates visitors and as a result, many holidaymakers find themselves seriously considering looking at Lanzarote property in the course of their sojourn.
One of the most popular places to look for that villa in the sun is Playa Blanca. Which is hardly surprising for any of the thousands of people who have visited the resort and had a week of soaring temperatures and unbroken sunshine.
Villa Breaks in Playa Blanca
Whilst no holiday destination in the world can guarantee sunshine every day of the year, the climate in the south of Lanzarote can usually be relied upon most of the time. Which goes a long way to explain why Playa Blanca has grown in popularity over the last ten years and is now the second most visited tourist resort on the island.
It also benefits hugely from the location of the Papagayo beaches which are just at its eastern most edge. These six golden sandy coves are generally acknowledged to be amongst the best to be found in the whole of the Canary Islands. They are directly facing the neighbouring island of Fuerteventura and the islet of Los Lobos and have translucent waters lapping at their edges.
Many holidaymakers arrive at Papagayo by boat, as a number of excursions run between the resorts and the beaches. Which is just as well, as the route to Papagayo by land is via a dirt track or coastal footpath. Protected as a natural reserve, the area has managed to escape development so far.
The town has spread itself along the southern coastline in the last ten years. So that now there is a greater number of holiday villas in Playa Blanca than in either of the other main resorts. Not to mention the concentration of four and five star hotels that can also be found here.
In fact, the accommodation in Playa Blanca is newer and has more facilities than elsewhere on the island. Holiday villas here have heated swimming pools as standard, with extras such as Jacuzzi’s and air conditioning in many. Their recent construction means that most have stylish modern interiors, with kitchens fully equipped for self-catering.
And it is this style of holiday in Playa Blanca that has grown noticeably over the last few years. As the freedom that rented accommodation gives is often preferable for families with children, than the rather rigid dining options that prevail in many hotels.
Holiday villas also provide the most flexible base for people who like to get out and explore. And Playa Blanca has one or two attractions almost immediately on its doorstep. With the volcanic park at Timanfaya only a fifteen-minute drive away and the picturesque village of Yaiza slightly closer to hand. Cheap car hire on Lanzarote makes this a particularly good way of seeing the rest of the islan