Lanzarote

Taking our first family holiday with a 6 month old was always going to be a different experience. We travelled to the Sands Beach Resort. The resort was a 40 minute transfer from Arrecife Airport and situated in Costa Teguise which is a quieter and more family orientated area than the bustling Puerto del Carmen. It was just what we were looking for from a family holiday.

I contacted the hotel prior to arrival to arrange baby equipment which was all handled very efficiently and was confirmed immediately upon check in. We booked a beach front bungalow which proved to be an excellent choice as we had the sun on our patio area all day long. The apartment was airy, bright, clean and quite spacious. The constant cool Lanzarote breeze ensured that having no air conditioning was not an issue.

A week long Wi-Fi package at €25 was good value, particularly considering the connection quality. Beach towels could be exchanged daily and whilst it is a little unusual nowadays to have to pay for use of the in room safe, it is reasonable and not worth complaining about against our overall experience.

The resort caters equally well for quiet relaxation time by the pool, kids of all ages and fitness fanatics. Boasting 9 swimming pools, this resort also has a 25 meter lane pool, a gym and wellness centre. The kids club overlooked the lagoon and while my daughter was too young to participate, our neighbours who had kids involved were all very impressed.

If you enjoy the feeling of sand on your toes, access to the beach itself is only minutes walk. The entire resort is extremely safe and child friendly We spent most of our time at the Mai Tai Pool, just a few steps from the apartment itself. The lagoon was always a hive of activity with canoes and paddle boards and for the more adventurous the option was there to hire wind surfing equipment.

The onsite supermarket carried a good selection of all necessities and was reasonably priced. The freshly baked bread was hard to resist! The guest information desk offered a wide range of excursions from parasailing, scuba diving to a trip to the zoo and everything in between. Renting bicycles was also extremely popular both at the resort and indeed throughout the island from what we could see. The hotel provides nightly entertainment in their main bar and whilst we were not able to partake, it certainly sounded like a lot of fun.

A leisurely ten minute stroll along the seafront takes you to a great selection of bars and restaurants and the Sunday morning market is not to be missed. My husband treated himself to a hot towel shave at a fraction to what he would pay at home.

We decided to hire a car to explore more of the island at our leisure. This took us to a buzzing Puerto del Carmen where we experienced some excellent restaurants, There is something here to satisfy everybody’s taste buds. Shops remain open late and generally represent good value. A little further south to Playa Blanca and then west to Timanfaya National Park, home to the famous Lanzarote fire mountains.

Having experienced this resort, the surrounding areas and the island as a whole, I can confidently recommend it to families, couples or a girlie getaway.

I would love to discuss this travel adventure with you and help you to plan yours.