BRIGHT AND AIRY – SUN OR NO SUN Niamh Walsh
As a sun worshipper of long standing, I reckon there’s nothing better than stepping off the plane to be greeted by that blast of warm air and sunlight that you can totally forget exists if you live in Ireland.
And, a 10 minutes car journey after landing in Lanzarote, we had already arrived at our destination, the Aqua Suites Hotel. It’s a neat, bright complex, airy and welcome – more of a boutique hotel than a traditional holiday apartment block.
Having arrived quite late and a little hungry, we downed the glass of cava that greeted us, dropped off our bags and headed straight to the restaurant. It was packed — and one look at the menu and one smell of the and smells wafting in from the kitchen and it was easy to see why. A bottle of Marques de Riscal, which would normally set you back upwards of €30 at home was on the menu for less than €20. It’s the food that is the standout feature of this newly renovated hotel. There’s a real emphasis on quality and choice, and that includes the bar food and breakfasts.
And if, as happened to us, the weather is disappointing, each room has its own Netflix, so you can relax indoors.
On one of the few nights we ventured out to eat, it was to the Port area, where we had a superb meal at a tapas restaurant called La Taverna De Nino. The food there was absolutely mouth-watering, especially the papas arrugadas, traditional Canarian potatoes with mojo sauce.
Near the hotel, we found a beautician that provided a manicure and pedicure so good that I decided to book in for a facial the following day. And like most things in Lanzarote it was half the price of back home.
It has been 10 years since I’ve visited the Canaries, and after such pleasant trip it most certainly wont be another 10 until I am back.