Plaza Palmeras

First of all, I should mention that we booked this holiday as a super last-minute deal for roughly half the regular price. Because of that, it feels a bit unfair to be overly critical. Overall, we had a genuinely great stay, and I would rate every aspect of the holiday positively, with only a few minor reservations. We travelled as a couple, without children.

The hotel is in a great location, set on a small hill just a few hundred metres from the promenade and the beach. It offers a peaceful atmosphere while still being within easy walking distance of the beach, shops, restaurants, and everything else you might need.

The food was decent, with a menu clearly aimed at British guests, but everything was well prepared. Local specialties such as paella and regional cheeses appeared from time to time and were delicious. The only slight downside was the pool bar food, which mostly consisted of leftovers from the main meals, such as pizza, toasted sandwiches and fries. However, I actually appreciate the hotel’s effort to reduce food waste, and with three buffet meals a day, there was hardly any need for snacks in between.

The entertainment was fantastic. I’m saying this as someone who usually avoids hotel activities altogether, yet this time I genuinely enjoyed taking part. The charismatic entertainment manager organised plenty of activities, from daytime games and water polo to evening quizzes and bingo. At the same time, there was absolutely no pressure to participate, so if you’d rather spend the day relaxing by the pool or head back to your air-conditioned room early in the evening, that’s perfectly fine too.

The staff were consistently friendly, welcoming and helpful. Drinks were prepared fresh at the bar, the rooms were cleaned daily or every other day, and the reception staff were always cheerful and ready to help. Everyone seemed genuinely happy to be there.

The apartments were spacious and comfortable, featuring a separate living room with a kitchenette, an air-conditioned bedroom, and a bathroom with a shower.

A visit to Rancho Texas, located just a short distance from the hotel, is an absolute must. The park combines a zoo, dolphin and sea lion shows, and a water park, making it one of the highlights of the area.

We stayed here on our recent trip to Lanzarote and came away really happy for what we paid. It’s not a 4 -star hotel in my opinion the standard felt slightly below, but you really do get what you pay for and more.

Food was solid, classic all-inclusive fare, nothing fancy but you could easily make a full meal at every sitting with what was provided. Loved the cup system too, being able to grab more than one drink at a time made things so much easier compared to other all-inclusives, where we’ve often been limited to just one cup. There’s a euro deposit per cup, which you get back when you return them, so just worth knowing in advance. The drinks selection was big, and it was great that ice cream and iced coffee were included as part of the all-inclusive package.

Entertainment was a real highlight! Sam the entertainer was brilliant, genuinely funny and so kind with guests. There was a good variety of activities during the day and evening entertainment with fun prizes to keep everyone engaged! Making our holiday very memorable.

The hotel itself was clean throughout, and everyone we came across was friendly, with a nice mixed crowd of guests staying there. Rooms were a little outdated, but the staff more than made up for it. When we had a faulty shower they moved us to a new room without any hassle, and any issues we raised were dealt with promptly. Housekeeping cleaned daily from day two onwards, and reception was staffed 24 hours with a phone in the room if you needed anything.

Location-wise, it’s close to the beach and the strip, with a gorgeous view of the mountains, and it’s not far from the airport so transfers were quick. They even sorted us breakfast before our early flight home, which was a nice touch.

A few small downsides there were only a few umbrellas compared to the number of sunbeds, so it was worth getting down early if you wanted shade. The bar closed at 11pm and the pool closed at 6pm, so worth bearing in mind if you like a late dip or drink. Check-in being 3pm was also a bit of a pain if you land early you’re stuck waiting in the lobby with your cases. The pool was a bit chilly too, but that seems to be the case everywhere in Lanzarote, so no complaints there.

Overall, great value, lovely staff, and we’d definitely return.

We stayed here during pretty mixed weather, booked at short notice, amd the price for All-inclusive was similar to self-catering options so we went for it. It's a 5-minute walk down to the strip, I timed it, so unless you want to avoid hills it's a good location. The food was tasty, although we mainly ate out for dinner. With the weather not being great, it would have been.nice, unfortunately, to have an indoor bar area. The pool was lovely, when the sun eventually came out. It's basic but good value. The entertainer was good fun.