Aqua Suites

Suites on the Hill Above Puerto del Carmen

Aqua Suites sits on a hillside above Puerto del Carmen, built entirely as one-, two- and three-bedroom suites rather than the standard double rooms that fill most of the resort's hotels, each with a private balcony or terrace furnished with sunbeds and a table. The old town's Cinco Plaza is about five minutes on foot, and the beach and seafront strip a further ten to fifteen minutes downhill, a short taxi ride back up for anyone who would rather skip the climb. It is a hotel built around space, for guests travelling as a family or a small group rather than a couple alone, repeat visitors among them.

Why It Works

We chose this hotel because it treats dinner as a kitchen's work rather than a buffet line: meals are half board with à la carte breakfast and a set evening menu that changes daily, typically offering three or four starters and mains with a dessert choice. The pool area carries one of the largest jacuzzis on the island, split so adults have their own upper level away from the children's pool below. Small touches, a welcome glass of sparkling wine, bags carried to the room, attention paid to birthdays and anniversaries, explain why the property counts a steady run of repeat guests.

Why This Location

Puerto del Carmen's old town sits a five-minute walk from the hotel, around Cinco Plaza's restaurants and bars, while the beach and the resort's main seafront strip are ten to fifteen minutes further on foot, downhill on the way there and a short taxi ride on the way back. The setting trades direct beachfront for a quieter hillside position with sea and town views, within easy reach of both without the price premium that beachfront addresses usually carry. It suits travellers happy to walk, or spend a few euros on a taxi, for a calmer base each evening.

Fast Facts

• Prix: €€€

• Vibe: Boutique, suite-style, family-friendly, hillside

• Chambres: One-, two- and three-bedroom suites, each with a private balcony or terrace

• Best For: Families and small groups who want real space and a kitchenette-equipped suite

• Our Favorite Thing About the Hotel: The adults-only upper tier of the jacuzzi, set apart from the main pool

• Dining: Half board with à la carte breakfast and a daily-changing set dinner menu, plus a pool bar for lunch

• Amenities: Large main pool with lifeguard, children's pool, one of Lanzarote's largest jacuzzis, in-suite kitchenette and daily water

• Attractions: Cinco Plaza and old town (5-minute walk), Puerto del Carmen beach and strip (10-15 minute walk)

Space Built In, Not Upgraded Into

Every room at Aqua Suites is a suite rather than a standard double, scaled from one bedroom up to three, with a super king bed, a sitting area, and a private terrace or balcony furnished for actual use rather than decoration. A stocked fridge on arrival, tea and coffee facilities, and a daily-replenished bottle of water cover the basics, and baby equipment, a cot, high chair and baby bath, is available on request. For a group splitting a stay across bedrooms rather than booking several separate rooms, the layout changes the maths of a week away considerably.

Dinner That Changes Every Night

Rather than a static buffet, Aqua Suites runs its evening meals as a set menu that changes daily, usually three or four starters and mains with a dessert selection, with the option to swap the evening sitting for a lunchtime meal from the pool bar instead. Breakfast mixes a self-serve section, fruit, cereal, drinks, with table-service dishes cooked to order, a combination that suits both an early departure and a slow morning by the pool. It is a dining structure built for a stay of a week or more, where repetition would otherwise wear thin fast.