"We recently stayed at the Beatriz Hotel & Spa in Lanzarote, and although there were a handful of positives, it wasn’t an experience we’d choose to repeat.
The best aspects were the location, just a few minutes from the airport, making transfers quick and easy, and if you enjoy aviation, watching the planes come in and out is a nice bonus. We also liked that sunbeds couldn’t be reserved, and this was managed well, meaning everyone had a fair chance of getting one. Reception staff were excellent throughout our stay, particularly one member of staff whose English was fantastic and who couldn’t have been more helpful.
Unfortunately, that’s where most of the positives ended.
The hotel feels very dated and shabby throughout. The rooms are tired, with yellow walls, loose electrical sockets and wardrobes missing their mirrored doors. We know these should have had doors, as friends staying elsewhere in the hotel had them. The showers had good water pressure, but the drainage was awful, meaning we had to keep turning the shower off every few minutes to stop the tray overflowing. Air conditioning was also poor and took several nights before the room became comfortable.
Maintenance generally seemed to be lacking. Drinks machines were frequently out of order or dispensing flat drinks, many TV channels didn’t work, bars and communal areas were often left uncleared from the previous evening, and there always seemed to be something broken. Spotting a cockroach became something of a daily occurrence, which certainly wasn’t something we’d expected.
The all-inclusive package felt very basic. There were no snacks available throughout the day for children, and even ice creams and ice lollies had to be purchased separately. There wasn’t even complimentary bottled water available for our four-year-old. Guests are encouraged to buy reusable cups for €1 for drink refills, although thankfully we’d read reviews beforehand and brought our own. Pool towels also came with extra charges – a €10 deposit per towel and €2 every time you wanted a clean replacement.
The sports bar was particularly frustrating. It was the only place showing live football, yet it wasn’t included in the all-inclusive package, so drinks there had to be paid for separately. During major sporting events it was often staffed by just one barman, resulting in queues of around 30 minutes. Service across the bars was painfully slow, ice regularly ran out, self-service drinks machines were frequently broken or serving flat drinks, and some restaurant and bar staff were surprisingly rude or short-tempered, although others were perfectly pleasant.
The food was acceptable but nothing more than average. There was enough variety, but nothing stood out. As someone with coeliac disease, I wasn’t convinced by the allergy labelling, which appeared inconsistent. For example, chips in one area were labelled gluten-free while seemingly identical chips elsewhere weren’t, making it difficult to trust the information.
The entertainment was another disappointment. The kids’ club was genuinely depressing. I took my four-year-old to have a look but left almost immediately. It was a dark, dingy room with damaged toys and absolutely no atmosphere. I wouldn’t have considered leaving him there. The evening mini disco consisted of just three songs, which was incredibly repetitive and disappointing for younger children, especially over the course of a holiday. The entertainment team tried hard, but overall lacked energy, and the underground entertainment venue made everything feel rather gloomy and soulless.
Safety standards also left something to be desired. On one evening there was broken glass on the dance floor where children were playing. When I pointed it out to staff they seemed largely unconcerned, so I ended up clearing it away myself to prevent a child from standing on it.
There were also several smaller frustrations throughout the holiday. Large inflatables and balls aren’t allowed in the swimming pool, staff often weren’t aware of maintenance issues (such as taking a deposit for pool cues only for us to discover the outdoor pool table wasn’t working), and drinks machines were sometimes recommended by bar staff despite already being out of order.
Overall, Beatriz Hotel & Spa feels like a hotel that has been allowed to deteriorate over time. While there are some genuinely friendly staff and a couple of positives, the dated surroundings, poor maintenance, inconsistent service and underwhelming all-inclusive offering mean it falls well below what we’d expect. We certainly won’t be returning."
