Unique Places to Stay in Lanzarote

Going off-grid has never looked so stylish, or so appealing. Tucked a little way back from the east coast, up towards the northern end of the island, this eco-retreat (powered by solar and wind) is a joy for both children and adults.

Kids love rambling around the rural grounds, collecting eggs from the resident chickens, splashing about in the surf at nearby Arrieta Beach, and the general novelty of staying in a yurt or stone cottage. Adults will love all of those things, plus (if they’ve come with kids in tow), the peace that comes with children happily entertaining themselves.

All yurts and cottages are luxuriously decked out with huge, comfy beds and have their own private outdoor space with sun loungers and BBQ areas. While the enormous Eco Yurt Royale has three curtained-off sleeping areas and, best of all, loads of outdoor space including a kitchen and treehouse-style dining area.

Yurts from £90 per night

You might spot some familiar faces, or at least some particularly well-honed bodies, at Club La Santa, whose holiday apartments attract top athletes and fitness fanatics. They can be found doing endless laps in the pool, trail-running in the mountains or cycling along the rugged, dramatically beautiful coastline that characterises west Lanzarote.

Being an elite sportsperson isn’t a pre-requisite to stay at this bright and breezy resort, however. Anyone wanting a more active holiday, and the chance to explore the island’s extraordinary landscape while getting fit, will appreciate the all-inclusive sports, from bike rides to windsurfing and yoga classes, the spa and hydrotherapy pools, and the healthy, tasty food served in the onsite restaurants.

From around £100 per person per night, including fitness classes and activities

You could drive within a few hundred yards of this place, a thousand times over, and still be none the wiser of its existence. This retreat is hidden by volcanic cones and reached via a pitted dirt road, but it’s well worth the effort to reach.

When you do park up, you’ll probably want to pause a while and take in the surreal sight of palm trees, vivid pink bougainvillea and spindly cacti surrounding an ivory pool filled with shimmering turquoise water. Nearby, fields of black volcanic ash sprout, improbably, with grapevines.

Accommodation is in stone cottages with terracotta tiles, luxurious textiles, kitchenettes and log-burning stoves.

Tucked away in Lanzarote’s centre, it’s isolated—but that’s a big part of its draw. This is a place to take a yoga class, have a spa treatment, or just rock gently in a poolside hammock. And, on this small island, you’re never really that far from a charming village or a beautiful beach.

Cottages from £130 per night

This 19th-century estate is located in the real, rural heart of Lanzarote—dramatically different to the bronzed-body-lined beaches of the south. This self-catering accommodation is surrounded by cycling and hiking trails that weave through the otherworldly volcanic terrain (which can also be viewed from your sun lounger, if that’s your preference).

Nearby village Tiagua was the trading centre for local produce, and the main building here was a shop selling fruit and vegetables grown on the site. The owners also made wine, and the bodega is now a cottage sleeping up to six people (a further two apartments are just right for two).

If staying in a place steeped in history and wine isn’t enough to have you packing a bag, perhaps the proximity to Famara Beach—famed for its surfing—or the limpid, spearmint-green pool, tucked between the characteristically bright-white buildings, will do the trick.

Apartments from £70 per night