H10 Lanzarote Princess

We have been coming to the H10 Lanzarote princess for the past 6 years we stayed here for 10 nights . Rooms need updating very dated even the ones that have been done up. The hotel is looking very run down now . Food was average they seemed to have cut down a lot on food . Pool very nice the sun beds need replacing half of them damaged the sun umbrellas also need replacing because a lot of them are broken . For the price I will not be returning to the Lanzarote princess again there are nicer hotels for the same money in playa blanca

We recently spent 10 days at the H10 Princess in Lanzarote, and I have to say, it was a bit of a mixed bag. A lovely beach, a decent pool, premium drinks and a room that eventually became comfortable… seven days after we arrived!

If you’re considering booking, here’s our honest experience, complete with a few observations that might help you decide whether this hotel is for you.

✈️ Arrival and First Impressions

We had a private airport transfer, which was a lovely touch, although be prepared for a bit of a walk from the terminal to where the vehicles are parked. On arrival, there was a little trolley with soft drinks and sweets, in the lobby, which was a nice gesture, although they didn’t exactly encourage us to help ourselves. The welcome was pleasant enough, but nothing particularly memorable.

The Suite – Not Quite the Luxury We Were Expecting My partner had been emailing the hotel repeatedly over several weeks to request one of two particular suites. We’d booked an upgraded suite, so naturally, we assumed our request would at least have been noted. Apparently not.

Despite all those emails, we were told the rooms we’d requested were not available. So after a little negotiation, we were offered what the hotel described as a “newly refurbished pool-facing suite”.

Well, if this was newly refurbished, I’d hate to see what the older rooms look like! Don’t get me wrong, the room was perfectly functional but rather average and certainly not in keeping with the stylish rooms featured in the hotel’s promotional photographs.

Perhaps we were looking at the wrong brochure?

The living area had a large sofa bed, a small table and a built-in wardrobe. There was also a kettle, tea and coffee facilities, and a nicely stocked minibar. (Soft drinks, two beers and two waters)

The bedroom had a lovely large ceiling fan, which turned out to be something of a lifesaver. More on that shortly!

The bathroom had a single sink and a large walk-in shower. A few more hooks and shelves would have been useful, but we managed. Amenity kits, dressing gowns and slippers. Shampoo /conditioner/ soap etc also supplied.

The balcony was a definite plus. Spacious and accessible from both the living area and bedroom, it had two sun loungers, a table, two chairs and a fold-out washing line. We overlooked the children’s play area of the pool. Thankfully, the double glazing did a good job of keeping the noise out.

The pirate ship in the pool looked great fun for the little ones, so families with children might particularly enjoy that area. The Air Conditioning – A Seven-Day Masterclass in Customer Service!

Now, this is where things get interesting. As soon as we entered the suite, I realised the bedroom air conditioning wasn’t working properly.

We called reception, someone came to inspect it, and we were assured it would be working within two hours.

Two hours? No problem (I was skeptical)

Except it wasn’t.

We then spent seven days of our 10-day holiday and made four separate requests before the air conditioning was finally repaired.

Yes, seven days.

Apparently, fixing a broken air conditioning unit in a bedroom in Lanzarote isn’t quite as straightforward as one might imagine. We could, of course, have asked to move rooms, but surely getting a basic maintenance issue resolved within a reasonable timeframe isn’t too much to ask when you’ve paid for an upgraded suite and unpacked?

What made the situation even more frustrating was the apparent lack of communication between engineering and reception. Each time we chased up, we were told they had no record of the problem or weren’t aware we’d previously reported it. Strange, considering reception was the very place we’d contacted every single time. Perhaps the air conditioning wasn’t the only system in need of a little attention. A functioning communication system might be a good place to start.

Seven days without working bedroom air conditioning on a 10-day holiday is hardly what you’d call a relaxing experience. But hey, at least we had a ceiling fan - phew!!

The Minibar – Enjoy It While It Lasts The minibar was nicely stocked on arrival, which was appreciated. However, it wasn’t replenished during our stay, and bottled water wasn’t supplied daily. So, despite having a minibar, we ended up buying our own bottled water, soft drinks every day.

Perhaps the minibar was intended as a welcome gift rather than an actual minibar service. A small thing, perhaps, but a little more clarity about what is and isn’t included would have been appreciated.

The Pool, Beach and Lovely Coastal Walkway The pool area was large, lots of sunbeds, couple of bars and with activities throughout the day, although we spent most of our time exploring the area and heading to the beach.

The beach is just a five-minute walk from the back of the hotel. It’s a lovely, large bay with beautifully clear water. There can be quite a strong current, but the waves weren’t particularly big during our stay. There were plenty of watersports available, including jet skis, banana boat rides and pedalos. There’s also a lovely beach bar serving excellent coffee, drinks and delicious salads. Beach sunbeds cost €15 for two beds and a parasol per day, and card payments are accepted.

One of the nicest things about the location is the lovely coastal walkway that runs in both directions. You can stroll towards the old town one way or head in the opposite direction towards the harbour.

We found some really good restaurants along the way and ended up eating out most evenings after our initial disappointment with the hotel’s evening buffet. It’s a great opportunity to explore the area, enjoy a change of scenery and discover some lovely places to eat. One word of warning, though: watch out for people whizzing along the walkway on electric scooters. Some seem to think they’re competing in the Tour de France, and they certainly don’t appear to believe pedestrians have right of way!

All in all, the beach, coastal walks and choice of restaurants were definite highlights of our stay and a big part of what made the location so enjoyable.

The Food/buffet – Nothing to Write Home About

The buffet food was, unfortunately, rather average.

The salad selection was good, with plenty of choice, but I struggled to find much among the hot dishes that really appealed to me. There was a grill station offering meat and fish on most days, which was a welcome option.

The desserts were okay, but nothing particularly memorable.

Thankfully, the rosé wine and the other drinks were of a premium variety. Phew! At least something was living up to expectations.

Late Checkout – The Generosity Was Overwhelming! We requested a late checkout and were initially told no. We then reminded the hotel that we’d spent seven days of our holiday without functioning bedroom air conditioning.

Suddenly, late checkout became available for €20. We mentioned the air conditioning situation again, and eventually, we were offered a complimentary two-hour extension. How very generous! After all, two hours of extra room time hardly compensates for seven days without working air conditioning, but we’ll take what we can get.

The Pool Towel Surprise – Because Apparently, Towels Aren’t Included! Just when we thought we were finally on our way home, checkout brought one last surprise. We were charged a pool towel levy of €1 per towel every time we changed them.

We had been changing our towels daily, as most people would when spending time at the beach and pool. Apparently, this comes at an additional cost. I’ve stayed in plenty of hotels, but I can’t say I’ve ever been charged a cleaning fee for changing pool towels before.

Perhaps we should have packed a washing machine! It would have been nice to have been made aware of this charge at the beginning of our stay rather than discovering it at checkout. Nothing quite says holiday relaxation like an unexpected towel bill on departure.

Final Thoughts

The H10 Princess has a lovely location, a nice beach just a short walk away, a spacious pool area and some genuinely enjoyable features.

The coastal walkway, nearby restaurants and beach bar were definite highlights, and we really enjoyed exploring the area and eating out in the evenings.

However, our experience was let down by the room not matching our expectations, the unacceptable delay in fixing the air conditioning, inconsistent communication between departments and a few unexpected charges.

The staff we dealt with were generally pleasant, but the hotel’s approach to resolving problems left us feeling rather underwhelmed.

For a hotel offering upgraded suites, we’d have expected a little more attention to detail and a much more efficient response to a fairly basic maintenance issue.

Would we return?

The location, beach and surrounding restaurants are certainly tempting, but the overall experience would make us think twice especially for the price of this all inclusive holiday.

If you’re considering booking, I’d recommend confirming exactly what room you’re getting, checking that the air conditioning is working and asking about any additional charges for towels and late checkout.

Because apparently, even an all inclusive holiday comes with a few hidden extras!

Our verdict: A lovely beach, a decent pool, a great coastal walkway and premium drinks, but a suite experience that took seven days to get comfortable. At least the rosé was chilled! 🍷