Where you stay shapes your days on Lanzarote. The island is small, and every resort is within about an hour of the main sights, but each area has a different feel. The south has the best-known beaches and the calmest water, the east coast has a lively resort scene, and the capital suits travellers who want a town. Winter is a popular winter-sun season, so book early. Here is how the areas compare and the hotel we would pick for each kind of trip.
Playa Blanca: for beaches and family resorts
At the southern tip of the island, Playa Blanca has a long seafront promenade, the ferry to Fuerteventura and easy access to the Papagayo beaches. It is also the base for the Museo Atlántico dive. Princesa Yaiza Suite Hotel Resort is the splurge, a five-star beachfront resort with suites, a spa, many restaurants and a children’s area. It suits families and couples who want everything on site, and the scale is large, so ask for a room near the facilities you will use most.
Puerto del Carmen: for a lively beach strip
On the south-east coast, Puerto del Carmen has a long seafront of cafés, bars and shops, and it is close to the airport. Hotel Beatriz Playa and Spa is a large four-star hotel at the quieter end, near Playa Lima, with two pools, a spa, an adjacent golf course and a children’s club. Hotel Puerto Carmen is the budget choice, a simple three-star on Avenida Juan Carlos I with a pool and a garden, about a fourteen-minute walk from the beach.
Costa Teguise: for a quieter east coast base
A purpose-built resort area near Arrecife, Costa Teguise is known for windsurfing and kitesurfing at Las Cucharas beach and is a good base for the northern César Manrique sites. Hotel Beatriz Costa and Spa is a family-friendly four-star with two pools, a spa, free parking and a free shuttle to the beach. It suits families and couples who want mid-range comfort and a car for exploring.
Arrecife: for a town base
The island capital has a waterfront promenade, a small old quarter and El Reducto beach. Arrecife Gran Hotel and Spa is a five-star hotel on the bay, about five minutes from the airport, with an indoor pool, a spa and a rooftop bar. It suits couples, culture lovers and travellers who want a city base, and it is central for both the north and the south.
Matching base to trip
For a family beach resort, Princesa Yaiza in Playa Blanca. For a beach and golf holiday, Hotel Beatriz Playa and Spa. For the north and the Manrique route, Hotel Beatriz Costa and Spa. For a town stay with a spa, Arrecife Gran Hotel and Spa. For value on the beach strip, Hotel Puerto Carmen.
Practical tips
The island has one airport, near Arrecife, and every resort is a short drive from it. If you hire a car, ask each hotel about parking, because some offer it free and others charge or provide it nearby. You can split a longer trip between two areas, for example three nights in Playa Blanca for the south and boats, then two in Costa Teguise or Arrecife for the north. Check what is included in your rate, such as breakfast, WiFi and parking, because it differs between hotels and rate plans.
