We stayed from Feb 1st to 8th - had an excellent check-in with complimentary bubbly whilst formalities completed, friendly porter to take us to our room which turned out to be huge with a beautiful bathroom and walk in shower plus large bath - (my husband took a bath for the first time in years and really enjoyed his wallow). All staff we met were very attentive - thus prompting the question, were we staying at the same hotel as all the other reviewers, or has the message got through to management? My husband was celebrating his 60th whilst we were there and we went abroad as he didn't want any fuss, I hadn't mentioned his birthday to anyone in reception, but on the day we were presented with canapes, a bottle of wine and a card from the hotel, plus a bottle of bubbly at dinner - now that I call attention to detail, obviously picked up the date from the passport. Yes, the food was a little repetitive, but that said it was completely edible with a large choice - only one gripe, the price of wine, but that happens in a lot of places - (5 euro bottles being sold for 23 euros, that sort of thing). We would have no hesitation in staying again, it certainly suits our age group, not so sure about teenagers though.

We were transfered from an other hotel which we refsused to stay at beacause of the dire accommodation the timanfaya palace. Upon arrival the room was fantastic compered to at the other hotel. It was a superior room, large bathroom with power shower jets and large balconey, and seperate dressing room. The hotel was rated 5 star but I would rate the management 2 star. On arrival on the 21st December the hotel was empty about 40 people more came in for Christmas and more again for New Year. The total for New Year around 700 and they could not cope. (We were told the hotels full capacity was 3000) We received a letter asking us to book our table as the hotel was busy!! you could select 6.30 or 8.30. This was confirmed by head waitress and we were told to have the same table each night. Well absoulte chaos the times got later and later each night, we were on the second sitting with or two children(5 and 8 years old) some nights it wasas late as 9, 9.30, 9.40 and then the best 10.25) You could not even enter the dinning room before above times) The hotels other resurants did not fair much better. One was absoultley freezing and the other El OLIVO had three things left on thier Al a carte menu when we dinned there on New Years night.(If you are half board you receive a 15 euro allowance). If booking this hotel I would suggest B&B. The buffett food was fine but for a two week stay very boring breakfasts were fine everything you could wish for. Two great restaurantes we would highly recommend are the Aroma in YAIZA(have the tastey 35euro menu fab) a short cab ride fron hotel about 3 euro. Or in the rather empty shopping complex next door walking distance Nicholas fab food. The childrens club is not run not by the hotel. It is run by tui the german tour operator, therefore the mini disco was mainly in german and at times held at the hotel next door or at a different time(without any notification to guests so on may nights we had an upset 5 year old who had missed it). Bad management again. Rom service did not happen on 3 occasions and when we rang reception no word of sorry. We have stayed in many five star hotels the rooms warrant the 5 star rating and I think if they smooth out the teething problems(The hotel opened in April 2006) they may keep them, but if not I think they will loose the 5 star rating. Go when it is not busy!!!! and just stay B&B

This was probably one of the worst hotels I have ever stayed in. Yes, it is 5 stars only in the country category (catalogue said 4,5 stars) but I do not know where they got them from. Yes, the rooms are large, yes they offer spa and laundry service and restaurants and there is a large pool area and yes, room service is good (everything is very clean) but the laundry service is only open three days a week, the restaurants are closed most of the time and you have to eat at the buffet which is great the first night but then it is show cooking italian and chinese on the second, the third etc. day, the waiters are completely overtaxed (we had to eat in two sittings because the hotel was so full and they kept pushing the starting times back, people did not get the table they booked etc.) the spa reminds me of a communical swimming pool, you have to get your luggage into your room yourself, check-in is totally inefficient, the airconditioning can only cool not heat (and that with less than 10 degrees at night). "This is lanzarote madam, we have no heating. We can bring you a blanket". A blanket to sit in my room? Hello? I thought this had 5 stars and we specifically booked something where I was promised I could turn the heating on if need be? The overall layout and design is absolutely awful - a hotchpotch collection of buildings - a maze with no proper signposting and just paper sheets stuck on walls to point to the spa. Lanzarote is a lovely island and some the staff did try their best especially the lady in the spa but I really do not want to continue. I hope never to have a similar experience again.

My family and I (2 adults and 1 child aged 7) have just returnd from our two week holiday to The Gran Castillo, Playa Blanca Lanzarote, which is our fourth trip to this resort, as we arrived at the entrance a bell boy was there to take our luggage which was a pleasant surprise, then to be greeted by hotel reception staff and presented with champagne or orange juice whilst we waited for our room to be assigned. We were then taken to our room via a short tour of the hotel complex by a member of the reception staff, our bags were taken to our room, and boy what a room. Very spacious and well decorated, definately warranting the five stars for accomodation, our first room consisted of a large walk in closet, well laid out bathroom with large walk in shower, twin sinks, bath, toilet and bidet. Queen size bed and a pull out sofa, televison and dressing table out onto a large balcony with a table and chairs. My only critisim is the finishing touches, there were a few things left unfinished nothing major just things you would expect to be sorted out before you open a Five Star complex, these were very apparent in places like the toilets around the hotel. The evening entertainment was very minimal but upon talking to hotel staff this was due to the fact that it was now the winter season and things were slowly winding down, the childrens entertainment and hotel run clubs were non existent, and facilitlies listed in the holiday brochure were not made apparent to us upon arrival, the sports and lesuire facilitlies were in the neighbouring Gran Castillo which is easily reached through a tunnel next to the spa and gym. The spa and gym facilities were open from 10-10 and had a variety of treatments on offer, prices were not that expensive and ranged from 30 euros to 75 euros depending on the what treatments you wanted. We were at Gran Castillo the same time as the Steele family as per previous review, and experienced the same problems, which I found our tour operator very poor in sorting out our questions and problems, it was only down to the hotel management that amended any problems we had expereinced due to the mis advertised holiday by our tour operator. The hotel went above and beyond the needs of its guests, we were on a bed and breakfast basis, but they upgraded us to all inclusive and changed our already fantastic room to a Junior Suite which was outstanding! There were three restaurants on site one being El Olivio which is an italian restaurant which was closed, the main buffet restaurant, and the A la Carte which faces onto the beach. Which would be nice if you were a couple on your own wanting that little bit extra, but not really suitable if you have small children. The breakfast buffet consisted of every thing you could want champagne, caviar, smoked salmon, full english, cereals, fresh juices, pastries, cheeses, breads fresh fruit, pancakes, and lots more. Lunch was fresh pastas, salads, fresh cooked meats and fish whilst you waited, hams, cheeses, breads, fruits, cakes and pastries and ice cream. Dinner vastly improved on the 2nd week chinese food was eliminated and suckling pig, lamb shanks and, good roasts were introduced. Vast selection of fresh fish to the menu, fresh king prawns, advacados etc, along with soups, salads and fresh cooked meats and more variety. All in all the food only got better as the two weeks went on. The pools were very well laid out, if a little cold but the warm pool was like getting into a bath. There was a vast sandy area with play equipment for the children, which was a god send as they spent a lot of time building sand castles and playing on the see saw. The first week was a little crowded round the main pool, and i am affraid to say it but you had to be quick with the sun loungers, to beat the germans to the pool. There is a beach just outside the gates which is only accesible with your key card, the beach has still not been developed and is still very rocky and very little sand but still good fun to jump waves and look for shells. The hotel staff were brilliant into the second week they relaxed more when they knew we were out on hoilday to relax and have a laugh, they enjoyed the banter of the english and joined in, they made an effort with the children which was great. Diego down at the pool bar ws very easy to talk to and would see to all your needs, Alicia, Leo and Fernando at the hotel bar always made the time to chat to you and to see to your needs. Even so when they finished at midnight they would come a sit with you and chat and have a drink after their long shift had finished. I would love to return to this hotel when the teething problems have been eliminated and the area around it developed more as it is quite a way from Playa Blanca central, where most of the restaurants and bars are. Taxi into town was 3.90 euros. The new marina is a fifteen twenty minutes walk from the hotel, which hosts a market on a Saturday morning, has a few designer shops, couple of restaurants and a supermarket. Soon to finish the new indoor shopping centre and bowling alley. The hotel should not be classed as in Playa Blanca but in Las Colorades which in time will be a resort on its own, it has in place empty retail and restaurant units waiting to be filled and opened which will finish the resort off, the Gran Castillo is next door to the Papagayo beaches all of which are great for sunbathing, snorkling, diving and fishing, very little amentities are available on the beach so go prepared. All in all had a very nice time, and would like to say a big hello to the Steele Family and the Hubbard Clan.

My husband and I and our 2 kids (aged 6 and 4) travelled here for the October School half term break. The hotel itself is superb -Champagne and orange juice in the foyer served to us whilst we waited to check in (a whole 5 minutes). There was a comedy moment when the bell boy could not find the room but boy when he did it was worth it - the family rooms are very spacious although I have to say that some families did not always seem to get the correct type of room. We certainly had the right type and it was definitely 5*. The food was great - some clients complained of the same food every night but I feel this is unfair - yes there was chinese every night, yes there was Pasta every night, yes there was a chef cooking fresh fish, chicken, pig, beef etc every night, there was salad every night, a vast array of cakes evey night, fresh fruit, an ice-cream bar etc ever night. You get the picture - the choice was ours to make. The a la carte restaurant was shut which for us was no big deal as I doubt whether I would take such young kids into such a dining experience but for couples on their own this might have been an issue. The swimming pools were fantastic, especially the warm one! This was our 5th trip to Playa Blanca and when hotels say heated pool they are not really heated but this one was and it was great. The pool bar was great even though the service was a little slow. The biggest issue for us was the lack of facilities for the kids. Yes there is a very large sand-pit area with see-saw etc and there are 2 childrens pools and 4 other pools. There is a massive playground just outside the hotel and the papagaya beaches are easily walkable. There is tennis, football, pool, internet access and a TV lounge. However the hotel says it has its own hotel run mini-club. This was not the case. The mini-club is run by the German tour operator TUI and is only available for their guests. When I and some other families suggested to the manageress (a fantastic lady) that this was elitism and nothing short of segregation she completely agreed and did put on some day time stuff and a mini-disco for the non-german kids. If you are a Thomson guest don't think you will be included in the TUI club - the TUI rep was very insistent about the fact that you won't be and I have written to Thomson's about this even though we did not book through them. However parents of young kids need to be aware that there was atleast one occasion when my 4 year old son was left in the room on his own because there was just not enough staff. However there was a childrens dinner put on which allowed parents to have a meal without kids. The biggest issue that came out of the lack of facilities for the kids was the fact that some of the TUI guests had been told that this was a child free hotel and others had been told that any kids that were there would be in the kids club. At one point I did think World War 3 was going to break out because quite obviously it is not our fault what certain tour operators tell their clients. I personally told at least 2 Tui clients to complain to their operator and not to me or my children because they were just on holiday and actually were not being that loud. It did impact on the childrens holidays beacuse they felt that certain adults were always telling them to be quite. There was a incident in the pool when 5 children and an airbed were having a good time and someone asked the manageress to stop them. Thankfully the manageress said she would not because they were the only 5 people in 5 pools. The manageress was very accomodating and to make peace with some of the non Tui clients made a lot of them, including ourselves, all inclusive. She certainly gave the impression that better facilities would be in place for next summer. I would advise that couples, older families (over 12's) and those who like walking (its 2miles into Playa Blanca and 1mile to the new marina) will love this hotel but anyone else, especially with kids between 3 and 12 might be better going to the Rubicon Palance or the TImanfaya Palace.