Amy Adejokun
Section editor
The Bahia Blanca Rock is a 3 star establishment located on Playa Blanca. Approximately 20 years old and last renovated in 2002, it primarily caters to families and includes 120 rooms/apartments. The building's traditional architecture is full of charm and blends in nicely with the surrounding landscape.
This Playa Blanca hotel is located approximately 300m from the beach and 700m from the village centre in a quiet and secluded area.
The apartments have been decorated in a simple manner. The main room serves as a sitting room and a kitchen, and includes a sofa bed, a coffee table, an American-style kitchen and a dining table with four chairs. The bedroom is also simple and impeccably clean. It includes a large bed, a large wardrobe and two bedside tables. A large mirror and a couple of floral paintings provide the decor. The bathroom is brand new and very pleasant, with the floor covered in white and blue tiles. However, it may seem a little small to accommodate a family of 4. All the apartments have a pleasant and sunny terrace. There is no air conditioning but the temperature never exceeds 86°F in Lanzarote.
The small reception area in the entrance is welcoming and a wicker-decorated lounge is at your disposal while you wait. Next to it, there is an Internet area that allows you to stay in contact with your friends and family and there is a small shop where you can buy postcards and other items you may need. Next to the reception area is a theatre where guests can enjoy the evening entertainment put on by the animation team. It's very spacious and boasts an impressive decor. There are two outdoor swimming pools, one of which is heated in the winter and includes a paddling pool for children. The area around the pool is well-kept and nicely decorated with flowers. There is also a poolside bar where guests can enjoy a drink. As far as sports are concerned, the hotel has a multi-activity field, but guests can also play pool, table football, table tennis, or try their skills out at archery. The hotel has laundry, medical and babysitting services. The staff will also be happy to hire a car or a bicycle for you. Finally, a beauty salon and a massage parlour give guests an opportunity to pamper themselves.
The restaurant is a very pleasant. It affords a view of the swimming pool and small mountains of food are laid out on tile-covered tables, creating an impressive buffet of international cuisine. In addition to the restaurant, there is a snack bar that offers a selection of light dishes.
This is truly a family-oriented hotel, with a mini club where children 6 months to 3 years are looked after and entertained. For the 4 to 8 year old category, the children's club organises activities on a daily basis. Children aged 9 to 12 are placed in the capable hands of the animators, and, finally, there is a group exclusively reserved for teenagers aged 13 to 16. Each activity is therefore adapted to the right age group, thus ensuring that parents can fully benefit from a truly relaxing and restful holiday.
spa, beauty salon, Turkish bath, keep fit, sauna, massage
tennis, basketball, sports, water-polo, mountain bike, fitness
Nathalie O.
Appartement pratique, non loin d'un centre commercial, près de la plage, dans un quartier calme
Emplacement, appart hôtel d'où choix de la restauration, belle piscine
Travaux près de la piscine durant notre séjour, canalisation défaillante, manque d'airco
This 4 star Playa Blanca hotel is located approximately 300m from the beach and 700m from the village centre. It is one of the oldest of the H10 hotels on the island. Some of the rooms have been renovated, but, to be honest, some of the common areas seem to have remained untouched since the 70's - the setting is a bit old fashioned! However, the hotel is generally very pleasant and calm.
The Princesa Yaiza is one of Lanzarote's biggest and best quality hotels as far as resorts are concerned. So if this is your cup of tea, it doesn't get any better. You'll find this huge hotel sitting along the promenade of Playa Dorada, the main beach of Playa Blanca. With its eight restaurants, shopping boulevard, enormous spa centre and six pools, Princesa Yaiza really does have it all. It even has its own mini resort for kids next door, 'Kikoland' complete with its own sets of pools, theatre, restaurant and tons of different indoor and outdoor activities to keep children having fun throughout the holiday. This hotel is however not ideal for visitors looking for an intimate authentic Canary Island experience.
The Ibérostar Papagayo is a hotel of quality offering a wide range of sports and leisure activities, and in particular a spa. A hotel for all the family, just a stone's throw away from a paradisiacal sea and, moreover, from the famous unspoilt beaches of Playa Papagayo.
The Gran Melía Volcan Hotel is an architectural experience for all of its guests. Designed by Andrés Piñero, it was designed as if it were a typical Lanzarote village, with romantic little courtyards, small squares and traditional spots. Inside the hotel grounds, you will find some of the island's symbolic sites, such as a reconstruction of the church of Teguise through which you will need to walk in order to get to the main hall. Once there, you will find yourself in the volcano's core: the reception hall. At first, the description of this hotel may put off guests seeking luxury and refinement, but the idea is actually perfectly adapted to the general decor of the hotel. In fact, the staff has to mention these details to the guests who may not notice them by themselves.
Sun Island is one of three apartment complexes belonging to the Orly Hotel Group. Situated in the back streets of Playa Blanca, the area is calm and quiet and a short walk away from the beach. The highlight of the Sun complex is its enormous pool - we can confirm that it is the largest pool of the island. Ideal for families or large groups of friends, there are an infinite number of pools on site, but remembering where your room is may be a bit of a struggle in this maze of apartments!
HL Rio Playa Blanca is like an extension of HL Club Playa Blanca in style. The resort is a basic resort with all the essentials and comfortable bungalows. The beach is a short drive away, so this resort is not ideal for holidaymakers looking for a beach holiday. An all-inclusive resort, the food is not the best quality, but it is handy for families on a budget. In the same vein, the HL group also has a third property, HL Paradise Island, also in Playa Blanca.
The Iberostar Lanzarote Park is arranged in five rings along the coast in Playa Blanca, but far from a beach such as the Playa Dorada. The resort is ideal for families and elderly groups or couples as the layout is fairly compact. There is a good variety of facilities, including a well-equipped kids' club and sports facilities. This is not the place to stay for holidaymakers wishing to be on the beach as this part of Playa Blanca has a jagged and wild coastline, and therefore is not ideal for swimming in the sea, but the area is extremely pleasant and worth the compromise.
The large 486 room Hesperia Playa Dorada, not to be confused with its more upmarket sister hotel, Hesperia Lanzarote in Puerto Calero, was somewhat of a disappointment. Dull and drab with no sens of service, was our impression of this sad-looking hotel in dire need of a facelift. On the positive side of things, the hotel has a lovely pool and is set on the Playa Dorada, Playa Blanca's main beach. The hotel's location means that most of its rooms have sea views. There is also a golf course next to the hotel, which is a great attraction for golf aficionados. We also liked the fact that authentic works of arts were placed all around the hotel, despite the fact that the work wasn't shown under its best light.
The Gran Melía Volcan Hotel is an architectural experience for all of its guests. Designed by Andrés Piñero, it was designed as if it were a typical Lanzarote village, with romantic little courtyards, small squares and traditional spots. Inside the hotel grounds, you will find some of the island's symbolic sites, such as a reconstruction of the church of Teguise through which you will need to walk in order to get to the main hall. Once there, you will find yourself in the volcano's core: the reception hall. At first, the description of this hotel may put off guests seeking luxury and refinement, but the idea is actually perfectly adapted to the general decor of the hotel. In fact, the staff has to mention these details to the guests who may not notice them by themselves.
The Princesa Yaiza is one of Lanzarote's biggest and best quality hotels as far as resorts are concerned. So if this is your cup of tea, it doesn't get any better. You'll find this huge hotel sitting along the promenade of Playa Dorada, the main beach of Playa Blanca. With its eight restaurants, shopping boulevard, enormous spa centre and six pools, Princesa Yaiza really does have it all. It even has its own mini resort for kids next door, 'Kikoland' complete with its own sets of pools, theatre, restaurant and tons of different indoor and outdoor activities to keep children having fun throughout the holiday. This hotel is however not ideal for visitors looking for an intimate authentic Canary Island experience.
The Hipotel Natura Palace is situated in Playa Blanca, the second busiest tourist spot on the island. The hotel is large and very far from authorised architecture on the island. With its huge glass front, the hotel is hard to miss, despite being a little on the outskirts of town. Despite the hotel's large imposing structure, the exterior spaces make it a very peaceful place to stay. It is an ideal hotel for people looking for peace and quiet with all the usual facilities whilst being within walking distance of an animated part of the island.
This is a sprawling 4 star holiday complex offering numerous activities where guests may lounge around huge swimming pools or be pampered in the spa centre. The hotel is equally well suited for families as it is for young tourists, who come for the nightclub and various bars.
This 4 star Playa Blanca hotel is located approximately 300m from the beach and 700m from the village centre. It is one of the oldest of the H10 hotels on the island. Some of the rooms have been renovated, but, to be honest, some of the common areas seem to have remained untouched since the 70's - the setting is a bit old fashioned! However, the hotel is generally very pleasant and calm.
The Iberostar Bocayna Village is an absolute gem located in Lanzarote. An intimate and fairly luxurious 4 star hotel offering accommodation with an original twist, the guest rooms are actually housed in bungalows, so you will feel like you are in your own home in Lanzarote, with the added bonus of all the services a 4 star hotel has to offer.
The Ibérostar Papagayo is a hotel of quality offering a wide range of sports and leisure activities, and in particular a spa. A hotel for all the family, just a stone's throw away from a paradisiacal sea and, moreover, from the famous unspoilt beaches of Playa Papagayo.
The Sandos Papagayo Arena is the largest hotels on the island with 488 rooms, situated between Playa Blanca and Papagayo. It is a labyrinth of concrete buildings and pools that can get extremely busy and animated in the high season (June-August). The large resort is right on the coast and is ideal for families looking for a holiday where absolutely everything is included without accommodation, peace and quiet or authenticity of the island being a priority. Most tourists here tend to spend their time basking in the sun after downing a couple of pints and a stack of pancakes at the second breakfast offered at the pool bar. The resort doesn't quite do justice to the island's focus on nature, which is a shame and the décor is nothing to write home about.