Lanzarote Hotels - Home of the World's Best 3 Star Hotels

Lanzarote has everything you'll ever need for a dream holiday; stunning white sand beaches and crystal-clear ocean water, spectacular landscapes, wonderful sunny warm weather all year round, lots of party places, museums and national parks, tax-free shopping centers and more amusements than you could visit in ten trips. It is very easy to spend your holiday in Lanzarote, the place has everything that you could want and is very accessible by both sea and air transport. This makes Lanzarote a favorite destination among holiday makers from all around the world not just nearby Europe. This is also the reason why famous hotel chains from around the world have not hesitated to put up their investments on the island. Modern, high-rise hotels; and fantastic resort complexes; are still being built as every worthwhile hotel chain is making a Lanzarote addition to their portfolio of hotels.

Enjoy a luxurious stay in one of these hotels in Lanzarote.

Paradise Island

A 3 star hotel at the outskirt of Playa Blanca or 'White Beach', the devoted English-speaking staff will look after you and your whole family making your stay a comfortable and memorable one. You will never have a problem with an over-crowded swimming pool,since the hotel houses a total of four swimming pools; one pool with a heater facility for winter seasons. The hotel has sports facilities like a volleyball court, a field for archery and a garden with chessboard tables. There is also a children's disco for the kids. One advantage of the hotel is that it is just a short drive away from the port that will take you to Fuerteventura if you are in the mood for island-hopping.

Club Sicoro

For holiday makers who want to benefit from all-inclusive deals at a 3star accommodation, the Club Sicoro is the perfect place for you. The hotel has an adult swimming pool and one for the kids with a lifeguard on duty. The hotel owns a sprawling wide grassy field where you can enjoy horse-back riding, polo and even rifle and clay pigeon shooting.

Hotel Barcelo Lanzarote

A half kilometer away from the Beach in a secluded part of the Costa Teguise, this is the perfect hotel to stay if you want to relax, pamper yourself and have some quiet time. Enjoy laying around and play in their bubbling Jacuzzi. You will feel refreshed and revived after a steaming bath in their luxurious saunas. The hotel also has two freshwater pools, one for adults and another for the kids which has a lifeguard on duty during open hours.

The hotel's guests can get to see the actual food preparation as Las Palmeras, a restaurant inside Hotel Barcelo opens its kitchen for avid food lovers. The hotel serves delicious buffet during breakfast, lunch and dinner.

The Costa Teguise Resort Hotel

A hotel in Lanzarote that is just a 20 minutes drive from the Arricife Airport. It is a great resort hotel where you can enjoy the absolutely clean and peaceful Los Curachos Beach. Los Curachos is well-known for having a wonderful sea breeze that is why it is the perfect haven for avid windsurfers.

Regardless of whether you choose to stay in any of these lanzarote hotels or one of the many others, so easily found and so well situated on Lanzarote. There is no reason to stay in an expensive 5 star hotel when there is such great 3 star accommodation available. Simply jump on the Internet and search out your wonderful 3 star hotel on Lanzarote.

Holiday Guide To Lanzarote

Location Of Island

Travel west from the coast of Africa (the Iberian Peninsula to be exact) ' about 125 kilometers west ' and if you started in the right spot, you might just find yourself on the Island of Lanzarote. This island is the northeastern most of the Canary Islands, and is the fourth largest of the islands of the chain, which is owned by Spain.

How To Get There

You can get to the Island of Lanzarote through the Arrecife International Airport, which saw over five and a half million passengers in a single year (2006) alone. Aside from agriculture, the tourism industry is almost the only industry on the island, and is a booming one, having been primary in the island for about 40 years.

Lanzarote Weather

If you are planning a holiday to Lanzarote Island, no need to worry overmuch about a jacket. Night time in the winter can drop as low as 14 degrees centigrade, but it rarely dips so low, and almost never below that, making it a nice, warm climate, especially in the summertime when temperatures can rise as high as 32 degrees centigrade (though rarely higher than that). The cooling trade winds of the North Atlantic create this temperate climate, keeping it from rising as high as the nearby Sahara, and keeping the climate pleasant and beautiful.

Island Landscape

Relatively recent eruptions (in the 18th and 19th Centuries), have left parts of the Lanzarote landscape looking alien or lunar, and the lack of erosion because of the low precipitation rate means that these incredible landscapes look much like they did just after the eruptions. The area is magnificent, with a unique landscape that has attacted many film makers. (Planet of Apes was shot on the Island).

Attractions & Surroundings

Except for the Grand Hotel in Arrecife, local regulations on development mean that there are no high rise buildings on the island, and there are no billboards, either. Lanzarote is gorgeous, beautiful and unspoilt, though it is undoubtedly populated. Pay a visit to the island to see attractions like Jameos del Agua, a cave complex with a natural concert hall, a restaurant and museum, and an underground lagoon. There are man-made attractions as well, both historical and modern. You can pay a visit to the Wine Museum of Lanzarote, or check out the Castillo de San Gabriel in Arrecife, which is a 16th Century fortress overlooking the Arricife Harbor. No matter what your tastes, you are sure to find something pleasing in Lanzarote.

5 Different Ways to Get Around Lanzarote

Lanzarote may be the fourth largest of the Spanish archipelago, however it is still large enough to require transportation to get around and visit the different places and attractions. The island attracts millions of tourists from around the world, every year, thanks to its 12 month warm climate and its close proximity to the Sahara.

Lanzarote holidays can be so much more than just lying on the beach, that is if you have the means of getting around. There are a number of attractions on the island that we well worth visiting but they are quite a distance from any of the main resorts. Add to that, if you have transport, you are not restricted to your own resort but you can also get out and about to discover what the other tourist resorts have to offer.

Here are 5 different ways that you can get around Lanzarote.

Hire Car - Maybe the most obvious one, but a hire car is an easy and affordable way to get around whilst on holiday. If you pick your car up from the airport you don't have to worry about resort transfers. It's literally a case of picking up the keys, loading the suitcases and away you go. Of course, if you are not used to driving in Spain you will need to remember that they drive on the right, and go around roundabouts anti-clockwise but other than that, when you have got used to the gear stick being on the right driving in Lanzarote is a breeze.

Excursions - If you don't fancy driving in Lanzarote, but still want to see the sights there are plenty of excursions that run on a regular basis from the main resorts. So if you fancy getting up to Teguise Market on a Sunday morning, or you want to visit the Timanfaya National Park there will be an excursion almost tailor made for you.

Taxis - The first thing you will see when you get off the plane in Arrecife is hundreds of Taxis! Most of the taxis on Lanzarote are all luxury Mercedes although we have noticed that many of them do not like to have the air conditioning on and when it gets really warm, having the window down just doesn't have the same effect. Taxi prices are reasonable, and you can now even book your taxis online if you have internet access in your accommodation.

Segways - The Segway is a relatively new form of transport, and really is just used for getting around a resort, although various tour companies also take you out into the volcanic terrain. If you haven't seen a Segway before its a two wheeled vehicle that is operated via balance. Whilst a Segway might take some getting used to at first, it is a really fun way of getting around.

Push Bikes - There is no shortage of cycle hire shops in Lanzarote. Lanzarote is very popular for athletes who are training for events (such as the Lanzarote Ironman). The island can be quite forgiving with its steep climbs and twisty roads. Add the heat and you can understand why cycling around the island isn't for the faint hearted. However, as a cost effective means of getting around your resort a push bike is ideal.

These are just 5 of the most popular, and cost effective, ways of getting around the island. There really is so much to see and explore, even if you are just in Lanzarote for a week, and it would be a shame to miss out on some of the amazing sights and events that the island has to offer.

Why I Would Recommend Hiring a Car When You Visit Lanzarote

Lanzarote - a very popular holiday destination, thanks to its year round warm climate, long hours of sunshine and gorgeous beaches. The first thing you think of when some one mentions Lanzarote is the beach and the weather but with the use of a car you can see and sample so much more of the island and what it has to offer.

Lanzarote is an island with an impactful history. In the late 1800's volcanic eruptions shaped the area that we now know as the Timanfaya National Park. It is unfortunate that many people who visit Lanzarote might not even know about this magnificent national reserve. Stemming from the volcanic activity there are other attractions around the island that have been created out o lava bubbles and tunnels. These creations, made by man from natural events are very popular and you wont find anything quite like them anywhere in the world.

With a hire car you can also venture out to other events taking place around the island, such as the weekly Teguise market. This takes place every Sunday morning until 2pm and you can literally spend hours looking at the local crafts, leather goods and other products that are on sale. There is local entertainment on as well, which all comes together to make a great atmosphere.

If you or your family likes animals then you can jump in your car and visit the Guinate Tropical Park in the North of the island, where you can see all sorts of wild birds, or visit the Rancho Texas Park just outside Puerto del Carmen, where they have also just introduced a new water park area - great fun for all the family!

Of course, having a car just means that, if you want to, you can get out of your resort and go and sample the different areas of Lanzarote. Imagine that you are staying for two weeks, and one day you wake up and its cloudy. If you fancied doing something a little different you could head over to Arrecife, the capital of Lanzarote to find out how the locals really live - or simply see what the other resorts are like and how they differ from the one you are staying in.

Having a car means you can stretch your mind further afield. You can try different beaches, sample the foods of restaurants in other places, and if you are in Lanzarote at the right time of year you could even go and see one of the local carnivals.

Car Hire in Lanzarote isn't expensive, especially if you book before you travel. Whats more, the cost of diesel and petrol on the island is also very reasonable, and with Lanzarote being such a small island you could find that you experience much more without a huge additional cost.

Visit Lanzarote

Lanzarote is the most popular of the Canary Islands when concerning tourism. This beautiful, volcanic landscape is breath-taking, and most of its visitors will return. Although small, the island as so much to offer, and you probably won't be able to see it all in one visit. Here are a few places to put at the top of your to-do list...

Timanfaya Volcano Park

This National Park is home to a landscape of bright and colourful volcanoes which have been dormant since 1736, when a series of eruptions lasting for six years, creating a sea of lava. The seas of lava and sands are maintained by visitors not being able to walk through the park, meaning that corrosion is minimal. You can see this spectacular sight by a commentated coach tour, which will stop off at the best points and allow for photo opportunities. There is also a fantastic restaurant situated in Timanfaya which grills its meat and fish using the heat from the lava. A tour will cost you around £10 and is open daily.

Jameos Del Agua

This stunning space was created by the artist and architect Cesar Manrique in the 1960's. This resort is an actual collapsed lava tube, and is now a stunning underground lagoon, surrounded by tropical gardens. The lagoon boasts to be the home of tiny albino crabs that glisten in the waters, which are exclusive to Lanzarote. The facilities here are second-to-none and be sure to indulge in one of the bars and restaurants.

Jardin de Cactus

When visiting Lanzarote you should definitely visit the cactus garden. The heat and the low levels of rainfall make Lanzarote the perfect climate for these wonderful species. You will not find a more varied and eye-catching range of cacti, which is why the Jardin de Cactus is one of the main tourist attractions on the island.

Year Round Surfing in Lanzarote

"We're waxing down our surfboards, we can't wait for June" sang the Beach Boys on one of their hit songs, well there's no need to wait for June on Lanzarote as the surfing season continues all year round. Even though the big surf beaches may be fairly quiet at the moment, there are still a few hardy surfers who go out every day. However, plenty of surf fans will be planning their surf holidays for next summer and booking their flights to this popular island in the Canaries.

A few of the surf schools on the island have been in business for over 10 years now and have well established bases, teaching surfers from all over Europe throughout the year. Famara is the best known spot on Lanzarote for surfing, for a number of reasons. It's location is key, being in the ideal spot to receive those ideal Atlantic swells that roll in continuously, sometimes quite ferociously, sometimes more serenely for beginners. Famara also has a lovely beach, to keep the spectators happy and, being quite remote from the typical tourist beaches, there's no problem with sun seekers getting in the way. An added benefit is the area's beauty, with no lack of wonderful scenery to provide a perfect backdrop to a day's surfing the waves.

Now and again surfers experience the huge waves that non-surfers conjure up in their minds when they think about the typical Hawaiian surfers shown in advertisements and magazine shoots, but for most of the surfers that visit Lanzarote, such huge waves would only mean most people having to sit out the day on the beach, watching just a few highly skilled experts getting their kicks. No, for most people the usual gentle waves of Lanzarote's surf beaches are plenty big enough. In addition to the favoured beach at Famara, the tiny island of La Graciosa, which lies off the north west coast of Lanzarote, provides a different surf spot just south of the beach at Playa de las Conchas. South of Famara is another area around the La Santa Sports Club, with a choice of 4 locations, but advised for more experienced surfers due to the speed of the waves and the rocky sea bed.

Finally on the southern end of Lanzarote's western coast are El Golfo and Janubio beach, both suitable for surfers of intermediate ability. Lanzarote has also gained a great reputation as one of the best places to host surf competitions in Europe and regularly hosts the European legs of the world's top international surfing competitions. In early November 2009 the Santa Pro surf competition was held at Famara beach, although organisers were forced to shift beaches south to la Santa for a couple of days due to the conditions. A total of 93 competitors competed for the prizes and huge twelve foot waves provided exciting conditions. Australian professional Drew Courtney overcame Brazilian Bernardo Miranda in the final.

Earlier in the year, during July, Spain held its national kitesurfing championships in Lanzarote at Playa de Famara, when 84 competitors visited the island to compete for the national titles. Professional windsurfing also came to Lanzarote during July when the PWA championship event was held at the Playa Las Cucharas in Costa Teguise. In 2010, professional surfing returns to the Canary Islands when the ASP Junior Surf Tour comes to Realejos in Tenerife during September.

For people new to surfing, who are not sure where to start, then the beginner's version of wave boarding or "boogie" boarding is the ideal way to get going and Lanzarote's beaches are the perfect place to. With some cheap equipment and a little instruction, complete beginners can be out in the waves having fun almost straight away. You just need a board and some optional flippers and you'll be away. The waters are not cold like the UK and you won't even need a wetsuit during the summer months. Its probably best to start with a lesson or two at one of the many surf schools, if only to pick up some tips beach etiquette (how to avoid upsetting everyone else out there) and to understand the safety aspects of rip tides and danger areas. Apart from than that it's a great surf sport for young and old.

Shipwrecks and Other Ideas For Diving in Lanzarote, Canary Islands

The Canary Islands off the coast of Spain were originally formed by volcanic activity and the accumulation of hot lava. Lanzarote is one of the most popular destinations for those on holiday in the Canaries, and diving in Lanzorate is a popular past time. This is because its marine life and underwater features offer something more extraordinary than many other diving locations.

The Canary Island chain is broken up into seven major and one minor island. The islands are quite close together, yet each has something unique to offer diving enthusiasts. Diving can get deep very quickly in the Canary Islands, however, it is not necessary to go deep to enjoy many of sites.

There are a number of scuba dive sites in Lanzarote, especially off the south and east facing coasts. Dive sites can be accessed from the shore itself or by boat for a more exciting trip. Generally, the farther out the dive the more advanced it is. In 1993, the island was declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO.

In addition to its dive sites, Lanzarote is also home to over 500 species of fish, such as moray eels, octopuses, barracudas, angel sharks and sea horses. Some, including the red octopus and sand eel, can only be seen at night. Underwater volcano caves are another big draw for those who enjoy night time diving. . Night diving in Lanzarote is very popular, and those who take the plunge are well rewarded with views that are unique to the Canaries.

El Emisario, for example, is home to a beautiful lava reef, while Pechiguera, with its majestic underwater landscape is known as the "Grand Canyon of the Canaries". Many of the 500 species found in the Canary Islands make Pechiguera their home, so it is well worth checking out.

Since the Portuguese and Spanish first came to the Islands in the early 14th century, the region has seen many shipwrecks. Many scuba diving tour operators offer trips to Lanzarote's wrecks, which is an experience that can't be missed. The wrecks can be divided into old wrecks and new wrecks. And with a rich sailing tradition, there are some beautiful ships on display.

The Harbour Wrecks (Los Erizos Wrecks) is one of the more popular wreck locations in Lanzarote. It is home to some particularly eye-catching ship wrecks, many of which were sunk on purpose.

Diving in Lanzarote offers amazing value to any divers of any experience level. It has a lot to offer during the day and night, and has many diving centres to help guide you. Those interested in marine life will be thrilled bored by the sheer magnitude of species on offer.