I visited the picturesque island of Lanzarote and stayed in the exclusive Princess Yaiza hotel

Playa Blanca is the third largest tourist area in Lanzarote and is known for its beauty, tranquillity and white sands.  The Princess Yaiza is conveniently located on the beach of Playa Dorada, so every day we swam with the marine life in the turquoise waters of the Atlantic Ocean.  Dotted along the boardwalk there are plenty of bars and restaurants on the way into the old town, at the other end is one of the best recreational ports.  The finest beaches in Playa Blanca are the Playa Dorada and Playa Flamingo, known for their white sands and the convenience to many hotels.  Fuerteventura can be seen from the beach and a daily boat service runs to and from the island.

It is easy to get around Lanzarote and one day we took a day trip into Puerto Del Carmen on the bus.  We drove through some very quaint little towns including Yaiza village.  There are many other sites to see in Lanzarote including Timanfaya National Park, El Golfo (the green lagoon), Casear Manrique Museum, and the wild west of Rancho Texas Park.

Princess Yaiza Hotel and Spa

Our Family Suite in the Annexe building

In our family suite located in the Annexe building we had two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a spacious living room with kettle, fridge and a balcony overlooking the swimming pool.  Most days we swam in the family pool that also hosted a restaurant and snack bar.  The connecting walkway from this area to the hotel displayed six tropical fish aquariums.

La Plaza

On the way to the beach was the Plaza; fine cuisine and a shopping area to browse the latest fashion.  We dined in the Italian restaurant of Don Giovani and tasted the pasta dishes and homemade pizzas.  Occasionally market sellers stopped by, selling jewellery as well as other souvenirs to take home.  On the band stand, musicians played the sweetest music while diners sat outside.  Beside the Italian is a Tapas restaurant as well as the lovely gelato ice-creams parlour, step outside this area and you are on the promenade for the beach, the port and the old town.

Buffet breakfast at the Yaiza

Every morning we feasted on fruit, cereal, pastries, freshly squeezed juices, churros and omelettes were made to order by the experienced chefs.  On occasion they made fresh pancakes, which we smeared with nutella and maple syrup

Eateries in Playa Blanca

Our hotel accommodation was bed and breakfast so in the evening time we dined out and tried somewhere different, the first night it was Indian, a very reasonably priced meal with naan bread, curries and house wine.  We ate in the Aphrodite Little Italy restaurant down by the port a few times, as well as the popular Lani’s Grill and Tex Mex.  On the way into the old town there was a lovely Italian restaurant called La Gondola, they served the nicest pizza bread and pastas. We walked to the number one restaurant on Trip Advisor called Avenida 55, small but very pleasant they accommodated a table for eight people.  I ordered bruschetta as starters and I had gnocchi to follow with a glass of house red.  We visited the markets twice in the ten days that we stayed in Playa Blanca and ate in Café Del Puerto which was also attached to an ice-cream shop and spent many evenings finishing off our meal with a big gelato.

Adult entertainment and exercises

Andre our instructor kept us amused as we stretched to morning yoga class, followed by aqua aerobics and table tennis.  At night, after the kids activities finished, the adult fun began with a quiz and a bottle of champagne as the prize, which we won after answering questions on films and music.  Shows were held nightly, providing singing, dancing and magic.

Kikoland

The Princess Yaiza has mascots Hooky, Cooky and Kiko catering for the little ones, and they would often be seen hovering around the breakfast tables entertaining.  Kikoland has a children’s playground with sports facilities aging from 0 to 16 years of age.  In the evening there is a mini disco provided by the mascots and hotel entertainers.

Princess Yaiza is situated in a great location with white sandy beaches on your doorstep and just a short stroll to the shops, port and old town.  In Playa Blanca the weather is pleasant all year round with a slight breeze, ideal for families.

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