Playa Blanca, Lanzarote, Guide

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Comments

  • Thank You ! (not worked out how to do that yet??)

    I live in Havant BTW, lots of people put a downer on this part of the world but coming from london suburbs i think its ok - lots to do with lil one in summer anyhoo.......!!

    I really want to come and visit PLaya Blanca - But have decided to widen my search to include a couple of the nice parts of lanzarote and fuerteventura (sp)as well and try and get a later deal- we are the not the type to just stay on the beach /pool all day so as long as we have a nice base for exploring at a good price ( so we can mostly spend it on yummy spainish food) that would be great.

    If i can get a late deal to Playa Blanca that would be a bonus too though!!

    Thanks again

    C x
    pennyprincess - getting more for less:p
  • swiss69
    swiss69 Posts: 355 Forumite
    Elle - Great guide. I love Playa Blanca and next year will be our 5th visit in the last 6 years.We have stayed at the Rubicon Palace hotel which we thought was nice and the Papagayo Arena hotel twice which for pure value for money was excellent.

    Last year we tried a Villa for the first time - £400 quid for a week 3 bed, heated pool, English TV etc etc... Fantastic so needless to say we are doing a Villa again next year at easter, slightly more expensive but at £550 for the week a heated pool and hot tub sound just the job!!

    Playa Blanca village is lovely as is the Marina. I just wish there were a few less camera/souvenier shops and that the amusement arcade on the front was moved away and it would almost be perfect. Nothing like eating a meal with the waves lapping the shore.

    The one issue I am finding especially during school hols when we have to go,is that the price of getting there has rocketed and with the poor £ against the euro, things are not as inexpensive as they used to be!

    We would love to live there but unfortunately lack of Spanish and commitments would make it very difficult!
  • Elle1971
    Elle1971 Posts: 349 Forumite
    swiss69 wrote: »
    Elle - Great guide. I love Playa Blanca and next year will be our 5th visit in the last 6 years.We have stayed at the Rubicon Palace hotel which we thought was nice and the Papagayo Arena hotel twice which for pure value for money was excellent.

    Last year we tried a Villa for the first time - £400 quid for a week 3 bed, heated pool, English TV etc etc... Fantastic so needless to say we are doing a Villa again next year at easter, slightly more expensive but at £550 for the week a heated pool and hot tub sound just the job!!

    Playa Blanca village is lovely as is the Marina. I just wish there were a few less camera/souvenier shops and that the amusement arcade on the front was moved away and it would almost be perfect. Nothing like eating a meal with the waves lapping the shore.

    The one issue I am finding especially during school hols when we have to go,is that the price of getting there has rocketed and with the poor £ against the euro, things are not as inexpensive as they used to be!

    We would love to live there but unfortunately lack of Spanish and commitments would make it very difficult!

    Hey there Swiss69 - it's always lovely to meet other fans of Playa Blanca! yes, the exchange rate and school holiday prices don't make it easy, do they?! But stay determined anyway eh!

    Keep dreaming of living here - one day it might just be the right thing to do. For us, it was simply the right time. Neither of us spoke any Español when we arrived. We still are FAR from fluent... but picking up bits all the time.

    Just to make everyone jealous... the last couple of days have been glorious! Mid 20s in temperature! Today was a little cludy, but it cleared up again this evening. I can just see out of my window a plane circling round ready to land at Arrecife with lots of excited holidaymakers. Oh, and it's just flip flops and vest tops here! No big woolly jumpers and gloves. hurrah!

    Ok... I'll wiggle my smug butt out of here now, and go and do something productive.

    Elle xx
    I'm not easily distracted, I just... ... ... oh my god it's a puppy!!
  • swiss69
    swiss69 Posts: 355 Forumite
    without wanting to pry too much were you financially securish without having to find work etc the minute you got there? I believe finding work is very difficult unless you are fluent...

    Will keep dreaming though as one day when retired....(15 more years of this miserable place first though!)

    We are staying in Costa Papagayo area next April - is this close to the town?
  • Elle1971
    Elle1971 Posts: 349 Forumite
    I obviously won't go into too much detail... but... we brought out enough money to live for a while so we could find our feet. But we built our own business from scratch - and two years on we're doing ok. Not millionaires... but no one comes here to make a million, just simply for a better quality of life - which we very much have.

    We didn't want to work for anyone else (although if pish had come to shove, then we would have had to). Finding work is harder yes, without the language skills. It simply limits your choices. Wages are much lower here too - but because there's no "keeping up with the Joneses", and because local ingredients are quite cheap, then it's fine. Of course ciggies and booze is much cheaper too. My favourite dry white wine is just over €2 a bottle! Oh and I've found a cheeky little rose wine for less than a euro!!:beer:

    Costa Papagayo is very nice. It's quiet... so no hustle and bustle... but a 15/20 minute stroll will have you in the town centre. A friend of ours has a house for sale down there, and it's just gorgeous! There's a market at the edge of Costa Papagayo on Wednesdays and Saturdays too. Not as big as the one at the Marina, but it's worth a mooch around, as you head to the beach.

    Elle xx
    I'm not easily distracted, I just... ... ... oh my god it's a puppy!!
  • swiss69
    swiss69 Posts: 355 Forumite
    cheers Elle, That wine sounds good! Its just about being brave sometimes isnt it. Having commitments here doesnt help either!

    I will have a look at your site for restaurants but 2 or 3 personal recommendations from you wouldnt go a miss! The one at the roundabout near the petrol station seems to score well on the reviews (Never been).

    We ate at the Marina one night last year and found it very poor for the money paid.

    The ones in PB on the seafront are fairly reasonable value though!
  • Elle1971
    Elle1971 Posts: 349 Forumite
    edited 26 June 2011 at 4:57PM
    Said vino is now in the freezer on a rapid chill!:rotfl:

    No problems with restaurant recommendations. The one by the petrol station is La Bocaina and is very good! We often meet clients there during the day, as there's a nice lunge area with comfy leather sofas. At night the menu is something a bit special. Had Hubby's birthday there, and weren't disppointed. It's run by a family (Nina, Paul et al) and they're all really friendly.
    A new kid on the block is Arte y Pasta, which is just behind the new shopping centre at the Marina. Cracking pizzas! I always have the Caprizzio pizza, which is excellent. I haven't tried the pasta there - but I've heard it's really good. It's owned by Anna & Salvatore that also have La Campaña at the other end of the resort - another hot favourite.
    If you like something a bit different, then try Transylvania (I might have mentioned this place before) for Romanian food. Their stuffed eggs starter is simply melt in the mouth goodness. It's stuffed with handmade pate, which is soooo creamy. (Update: Transylvania is now called Sebastyans)
    L'Artista is very VERY popular with visitors and locals. Try to get a table on the upstairs balcony if you can. The food, wine, service etc is all spot on!
    Of course our friends all say that the shellfish soup at Casa Elle is the best in the resort - but I'm afraid that's strictly invitation only LOL. But if you're going self catering... then let me know, and I'll give you the recipe and the best place to get all the bits and bobs. It's a hearty meal (with bread) for 4 people (double servings each) for about €10 in total - so a real MoneySaver! really REALLY easy to cook too - so no slaving over a stove whilst everyone else enjoys themselves.
    My favourite place in Playa Blanca closed a couple of weeks ago, which is a real shame - they used to do the best BBQs on a Friday afternoon. It was predominantly Spanish, and always a good giggle. We miss "Weasel Bar"! It's real name was Aqui Mismo... long story.
    Right - now I've waffled on for ages about lovely food - and I had burger and chips tonight. Ha ha ha ha.
    Catch you later!
    Elle xx
    I'm not easily distracted, I just... ... ... oh my god it's a puppy!!
  • Elle,
    Just wanted to say thanks for the brilliant guide! :beer:
    I printed it off before we left for PB and it was brilliant to be able to read it through properly and actually relate it to the area after we'd arrived.
    We spent a week in Sun Royal and loved it. VERY impressed with the hard-working cheery locals who made us feel really welcome.
    We hired bikes and cycled over to Papagayo beach and loved it. An amazingly beautiful landscape.
    We also experienced the coach tour in Timanfaya NP and for someone who loathes coach travel and would never in a million years get on any Big Dipper it was quite an acheivement for me!
    We'd booked as self-catering and enjoyed the freedom of choosing where we ate. Food was excellent and service was fantastic.
    Loved the market in the marina last Wednesday too - beautiful crafts.

    You are very very lucky to live in such a gorgeous place!
    Arriving back in UK to scrape ice off the car windscreen at 2am this morning was not nice! :rolleyes:

    Thanks again. :T
  • Elle1971
    Elle1971 Posts: 349 Forumite
    GhostDog wrote: »
    Elle,
    Just wanted to say thanks for the brilliant guide! :beer:
    I printed it off before we left for PB and it was brilliant to be able to read it through properly and actually relate it to the area after we'd arrived.
    We spent a week in Sun Royal and loved it. VERY impressed with the hard-working cheery locals who made us feel really welcome.
    We hired bikes and cycled over to Papagayo beach and loved it. An amazingly beautiful landscape.
    We also experienced the coach tour in Timanfaya NP and for someone who loathes coach travel and would never in a million years get on any Big Dipper it was quite an acheivement for me!
    We'd booked as self-catering and enjoyed the freedom of choosing where we ate. Food was excellent and service was fantastic.
    Loved the market in the marina last Wednesday too - beautiful crafts.

    You are very very lucky to live in such a gorgeous place!
    Arriving back in UK to scrape ice off the car windscreen at 2am this morning was not nice! :rolleyes:

    Thanks again. :T

    You're very welcome - and I'm so glad you found it useful! Glad you enjoyed our town too!!! Yes, I know I'm lucky... and I can often be quite smug about it too :rotfl:
    You know where to book for next time then eh?!

    I really should do guides for some other places too. I do keep meaning to di it... but the time just flies!

    Thanks again for the "thank you" - it's nice to know that it's appreciated.

    Elle xx
    I'm not easily distracted, I just... ... ... oh my god it's a puppy!!
  • Guapa1
    Guapa1 Posts: 890 Forumite
    Bumping to ask a question. Is there any nightlife in playa blanca at all? I mainly want a relaxing holiday, but might want to dance one or two nights. A salsa club would be perfecto! :p
    Getting there... A deal at a time. :T
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