Year round sunshine and relaxation at the 5* Hesperia Lanzarote Spa and Hotel sounded enticing.
But this was to be our first taste of Lanzarote and I must admit that we approached the holiday nervously, fearing tattoo-covered chavs drinking pints of lager at 10 in the morning. We need not have feared!
Our first impression of the beautiful 5* Hesperia Lanzarote was one of tranquillity and calmness. The entrance lobby is cathedral like in its vastness, with hushed staff bustling about. We were offered a cooling drink on arrival before being shown to our beautiful suite overlooking one of the four swimming pools and the sea.
The hotel, opened in 2003, is located in a quiet corner of the island, away from the tourist spots of Puerto del Carmen and Playa Blanca and within a 10 minute walk of the upmarket new marina of Puerto Calero where there are fantastic designer shops and a choice of about 10 restaurants along the harbour.
The gardens and terraces of the hotel lead down to the sea and are beautifully maintained. There is even a little shelter built on the edge of the gardens for the local cats, where food and water is left for them. The terraced pool areas are spacious and fantastic for soaking up the rays.
The hotel is large but was very quiet when we were there. The rooms are beautifully furnished with large king size beds and a balcony overlooking the sea or gardens. Our suite even had a Jacuzzi for those relaxing moments after a hard day lying in the sun, sightseeing or enjoying a beauty treatment in the spa. The room was fully equipped with all the usual luxuries such as air conditioning, satellite TV, mini bar, robes and slippers, wireless internet access and of course a hairdryer. Every comfort one could imagine!
The excellent Spa facilities are located below the lobby, in a calm, tranquil area of the hotel. My husband, who is suffering from a recent back injury in a car crash, spent time every day in the thermal massage spa pool where the powerful jets eased out the tension and pain.
The Spa and Wellness Centre is very comprehensive, with a sauna to relax in, a Turkish bath to clear the pores and the large thermal massage spa pool itself. The treatments available are excellent with much emphasis placed on locally available materials such as Aloe Vera and volcanic mud.
There are four restaurants on site although not all were open when we were there and we went out every night to a new local restaurant, most of which were great value for money and offering delicious, locally caught fresh fish. The breakfasts at the hotel were excellent and enormous. The vast buffet offered everything one could ever dream of eating for breakfast (and also some things that you wouldn’t dream of eating or drinking at that time of day!). Eggs were cooked to order, freshly baked bread of every shape and size was available, beautiful fresh fruit, hams, sausages, bacon, on and on! We ate so much most mornings that lunch was often missed!
We were so sad to leave the beautiful tranquil surroundings of the Hesperia Lanzarote and are already planning our return trip.
