Hotel of the week: Princess Yaiza Suite Hotel Resort, Lanzarote

For this week’s Hotel of the Week, Katie Law takes a trip to the southern tip of Lanzarote …

Where is it?

The Princess Yaiza Suite Hotel Resort is on Playa Blanca, at the southern tip of Lanzarote, with sweeping views overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.

A four hour flight from London takes you to the airport on the north of the island, and it is then a 30 minute cab ride (€40) or 45 minutes by bus (€3.50) down the coast. As you drive across the island (which is about 40 miles long and 12 miles wide) you’ll get an idea of the extraordinary landscape here, made up almost entirely black and red volcanic rocks that were once streams of molten lava. The most dramatic volcanic eruptions took place in the 1730’s and then again in 1824, leaving whole areas of the island covered in ash, so not much grows here. There are few trees, apart from Canary palms, and wild life is relatively scarce. There are, however, endemic species of cacti, lichen and moss, and burgeoning home-grown artisan wine, cheese and olive oil industries.

Style

Thanks to the influence of renowned local architect and preservation campaigner Cesar Manrique, who died in 1992, none of the buildings on Lanzarote are higher than a palm tree and they are all whitewashed. But there’s nothing pint-sized about this hotel, which in spite of its cool, low-rise facade, is a huge sprawling complex that manages to retain a village-like atmosphere. Natural wood surfaces, staircases and rafters give the place a colonial feel, softened by potted plants and an indoor ‘jungle’ complete with waterfalls and fish-filled ponds. And because it rains so infrequently, (hence its year-round popularity), swathes of the buildings are open to the skies, giving the place a light, breezy atmosphere.

Facilities

The complex is divided into four separate blocks including a dedicated family block connected by a tunnel, with rather jolly aquariums set into the stone walls, that goes right under the road.  The heart of Princess Yaiza though is where the two outdoor swimming pools are, overlooking the beach and surrounded by blue and white striped sun loungers and huge parasols. One’s saltwater, the other is freshwater.  The public part of the resort includes an indoor shopping mall with fashion and jewellery boutiques, a newsagent and a hairdresser. There are eight restaurants and umpteen bars. There are also games rooms, soft play areas for toddlers, a gym (with an indoor pool) and a separate thalassotherapy spa and sauna. There is also an extremely user-friendly car rental desk with cars available immediately (from 40 euros a day), if you can tear yourself away from the sun lounger and decide to go exploring. 

Food and Drink

With its eight different restaurants, you can opt for anything from posh a la carte to simple help yourself buffets, with pizza, tapas, Japanese or poolside burgers along the way. For ambitious fine dining, Ila de Lobos, run by executive chef, Victor Bossecker, offers ambitious paired wine and tasting menus, with local wines, artisan products and lots of fresh seafood and fish, somewhat fancifully presented. Wherever you eat, do try the local Canary ‘Bonita’ potato: It’s small, waxy and slightly sweet, with rosy skin and usually comes baked in a layer of salt. Different restaurants within the resort open at different times of day, and you can request a timetable, but Italian Da Giovanni and Spanish Tapas, both by the seafront promenade, are open every day. For sheer choice, the buffet breakfast is a delight verging on daunting, there’s so much. Freshly squeezed orange juice and local pastries are especially good.

Which Room?

There are 385 rooms, ranging from superior doubles to suites with balconies and sitting rooms. They’re built in a series of blocks with ingeniously-designed open plan walkways, so you never feel hemmed in and can even feel the sea air as you walk down the corridor. Signage to other parts of the hotel help you navigate your way as you might otherwise get lost; there’s also an app. External louvered wood shutters outside bedroom windows are painted in shades of buttercup yellow, dusty pink, sage green and cobalt blue to enhance the village-y vibe, inspired by the vibrant fishermen’s cottages on the other Canary islands, Las Palmas and La Palma. Inside, bedrooms have the same plain wood rafters and whitewashed walls as the rest of the resort. There’s oodles of wardrobe space and plenty of wooden hangers, and even a duvet and pillow ‘menu’, with six types of pillow you can order through room service. Rituals products are supplied in bathrooms.   

What to Instagram?

A snap of the swimming pools with its blue and white striped loungers is likely to cause a flurry of jealous emojis, while any shot of the black and red rocky landscape in and around Timanfaya National Park – a must-visit – will elicit responses such as “You’re on the Moon!” Other oddities to look out for include La Geria – the agricultural zone in the middle of the island – where farmers have built low, semi-circular dry stone walls to conserve dew and protect their vines from strong winds. It’s quite extraordinary that anything grows here at all. 

Best For?

Families who want winter sun and style on a budget. And anyone else not tied to school holidays looking for something that feels upmarket yet affordable. There’s lots to explore inside the hotel. But there’s also plenty for expeditions-seekers. Top recommendations include Casa Cesar Manrique – and some of the other houses he designed, and Timanfaya National Park. Do try the fresh grilled catch of the day at the charming Casa Azul, right by the sea at El Golfo. With a cold beer and the glorious sunset, nothing beats it.  

Details

The hotel is unwilling to give a fixed price for rooms; deals online constantly change depending on season and how far ahead you book. Packages can also be competitive but the cheapest at the time of writing seems to be £141 for a superior double including breakfast. princesayaiza.com