Los Jameos Playa Reviews

This hotel was fantastic. We were half board and the food was lovely. My eighteen month old had to sit in a highchair but the good thing about that was all the highchairs had wheels on them so we could wheel him around the buffet, which he loved. My four year old loved the mini disco which runs from 8pm to 9pm, then the shows are from 9pm to 10pm, these are also excellent. The rooms are lovely and clean. Our children had a lovely big balcony to run around on and it was also very enclosed, so I felt that they were safe. There are 2 big swimming pools and a small baby pool. There were always plenty of spaces to sit, no need to put a towel down to reserve the sunbeds. Although we went after the school holiday. The staff were very friendly and polite. The beach is next to the hotel and it is a lovely big sandy beach. We went on a few walks towards puerto del carmen, which takes about 25 mins. But on the way there are a few mini golfs and ice-cream bars to keep the children amused. We did not venture out a lot as everything we required was at the hotel. We would definately come here again. The only thing I would say is that I would not go with Thomas Cook Select again. The staff on the plane on the way there and back were very unhelpful and unfriendly. We had a free voucher for a drink on the plane and because my four year old had a cold drink they refused to give him a free biscuit! Only free biscuits with hot drinks they said. Other people on the plane were also complaining about different things. We did not go to the welcome meeting as we had been to Lanzarote before and the children just wanted to play. I thought we would be left a note to say what time the coach was picking us up to go home - we had to find this out ourselves. So next time we come to this hotel we will go with a different tour operator. I have been told Cosmos Elite have this hotel in the brochure.

This was our 7th holiday in 8 years to this hotel. We did consider a change this year but were drawn back because of the guarenttee of excellent service and food. We were not disappointed. A few weeks before our trip (only back a few days) I emailed the hotel requesting a room on the 4th floor, this was responded to within 1 hour advising that they would do their best to accomodate and when we arrived both our friends and ourselves had rooms on the 4th floor, in fact in the same rooms as last year. The hotel has all the features we require, good food, good service and quality rooms. This has it all and with it being located in the quieter resort of los Polcillos then you do not get the noise you get in Puerto Del Carmen.

The only complaint that I have was not with the hotel but with Thomas Cook, the flight was ok but the service on board by the staff was not so 1st class. Food was very good though but spoilt by the seemingly lack of attention and in particular the space in the cabins. When will airlines start to realise we are not cattle but pay a lot of money to travel in some sort of comfort for around 4 hours. There were empty seats on both flights and I am sure they could have laid out their seating much more spaciously. I have travelled with different companies over the years and this was the worst yet.

Ignoring this one down side I would recommend anyone to try this hotel, many of my friends and colleagues have done so and have not been disappointed.

For a special occasion, we booked this hotel as it was 5 star. It was very expensive so we hoped it was going to be worth it! With Cosmos elite, we got first class seats on the plane with plenty of leg room, free newspapers, drinks and meals. In addition, the transfer was by minibus instead of having to endure lots of drop offs to get to your hotel. As it was, the hotel was less than 10 minutes from the airport. The weather was about 70f which was just right.

HOTEL

The hotel was lovely inside with lots of wood in the Canarian style. There are over 500 rooms, located in blocks around the tropical landscaped gardens. Our room happened to be near the main reception area and on the ground floor. It was very specious with 2 single beds, cane furniture and coffee table, lots of storage space, air conditioning (which you control) and a balcony. The bathroom had a bath, shower and 2 sinks and the hot water never ran out.

The entertainment in the evenings was varied although not all that good. It ranged from acrobats, dancers, drag act, music and one evening was just ballroom dancing. If it is not to your taste, upstairs is the Piano bar which was OK for a relaxing drink after all that dinner!

From the reception area you go down to the Restaurant. Part of the seating is indoors and part outside. We opted for half board as it was only a supplement of £7 a night. Soups, salads and desserts are inside whilst outside under cover is the rest. The choice was fantastic and you could have what ever you wanted. There was a grill area that had things like steak and chops cooked in front of you and also the same again for fish (normally about 3 different types each night). There was also a roast section that had 4 different types of meat each evening. In addition to that there were other dishes in sauces, pasta etc. Most evenings also had a ";theme"; where there were some specialities from that country. There must have been something there to suit everyone! The only down side was that everyone seemed to go to dinner when the Restaurant opened (6.30) and so if you did not go then, then it was not worth going until about 8.00 because there would be no tables available. You could book a table but you had to be there by 6.45 if you did.

The hotel is located right next to the beach and you can go out of the back of the hotel straight onto the promonade.

LOCAL AREA

The resort is very quiet and ideal for a weeks relaxation. Outside the hotel are a small number of shops, bars, restaurants and supermarkets. The resort actually runs into Matagorda one way and Puerto del Carmen the other. The hotel is ideally situated with bus stops near by.

OTHER PLACES OF INTEREST

Having been to Lanzarote before (Costa Teguise), we had already done the Northern Trip. All we did this time was to go to Rancho Texas. It has a small zoo, indian encampment and various shows during the day (crocodile, parrot and birds of prey). It is more suited to children but we had a nice afternoon there. From the hotel you can walk there in half an hour.

For lots of shops and restaurants, go to Puerto del Carmen (PC). From the hotel it is only 1.90e on the bus for 2 people one way. It was a bit tacky for us with lots of English bars but we did go to the shopping centre near the harbour and then to the harbour for lunch. There are a line of restaurants that overlook the sea that all look good. The last one along has the awful name of ";Ocean burger"; but do not be put off by that. They do daily fish specials and I had fresh plaice with salad and canary potatoes for 5.95e and it was lovely!

To sum up, we were very pleased with the hotel and the resort and have decided to go back in a couple of years time for another week (I think 2 weeks there you would get a bit bored).

We went to this hotel in January 2005 through Thomas Cook Select and the first plus was that the transfer from airport to hotel room took less than an hour - the fastest ever. The resort is only about five minutes by taxi transfer. Although the hotel is so near the airport, there was never any problem with aircraft noise. Yes, you could see them coming in to land, but they were far enough away not to be a nuisance.

The Jameos Playa is an excellent hotel - beautiful reception and indoor area, huge pool and surrounded by magnificent sub-tropical gardens. There is plenty seating area and therefore no real bunfight for sunbeds. The hotel forbids reserving them before 8 a.m. and obviously the better spots get taken, but nevertheless, there is still ample room elsewhere. The freeform pool has one part that is not heated and one part that is. The room was pleasant, comfortably appointed with plenty of cupboard space.

The food was superb. We went half board and there is buffet service both morning and evening and the choice is huge. Every evening they have a different themed night - French, German, Mexican, Spanish and so on, with food being freshly prepared at the outdoor serving area. We have been to many 4 and 5 star hotels and the food choice here was certainly one of the best. Hotel staff and very friendly and helpful.

There are various sports activities available during the day if you want. In the evening they have different entertainment - some nights was not so good e.g. ballroom dancing - I think this is mainly for the Germans. This hotel is part of a german-owned chain. Therefore, the clientele is mostly German, but there were a fair amount of English, Italians, French and Belgian and many Spanish over the weekend.

Playa de los Pocillos is a comparatively quiet resort which adjoins the rather brasher Puerto del Carmen. There is a very wide sandy beach just across a small service road with sunbeds and umbrellas for 8 Euros per day. There are supermarkets, shops and bars just outside the hotel and a little further along the resort. There is a promenade which goes right into Peurto del Carmen one way - about 2 kms to the centre and to the Airport and beyond the other way (didn't have time to walk further than the airport). Outside the hotel is a bus stop where you can catch the bus to the capital Arrecife one way and further on to Costa Teguise and the other way to Puerto del Carmen. Buses are frequent and cheap.

This was our first visit to Lanzarote and as we only had a week, couldn't do too much sightseeing etc. But we were very impressed and certainly would go back and definitely would go back to Los Jameos Playa.

The Los Jameos Playa is a fine hotel with a super location overlooking the magnificent beach at Los Pocillos. It is a large, almost circular, hotel complex enclosing two full size swimming pools, childrens' pools, pools with fish in them (you don't swim in those), tropical plants and palms and a 17 (yes 17) hole mini golf course - real golfers, don't get too excited, it is strictly for fun.The grounds and pools are safe and immaculately kept. Our room was splendid with views over the sea from two angles, but we could see that not everyone was so well provided view-wise, especially those at ground level.

Our room was bigger than we normally get given, well appointed with a king-size bed, table and chairs and plenty of room. Our balcony was generous and private. Air-con, TV and all the usuals, but the safe was expensive to hire (why do hotels not throw that in with the price) and no fridge only a mini-bar which we never bothered with. The hotel is no-cash after you book in, you sign for everything and settle up at checking out time. We preferred that. Hotel bar prices we found were pretty much the same as the local bars.

Restaurant fine with plenty of quality grub, well organised and classy with no rushing, no queueing and very good and attentive staff.

The hotel has a mainly German clientele, and as far as we could see all the reception staff and a number of the managers were German, too. All those staff spoke english well and were only too happy to help and we liked them a lot. If only other hotels we have been to had such staff.

Shops and bars in the quiet area the hotel stands in are limited. There are a couple of Irish bars and the usual British bars, you know the thing, two huge TVs, both on different channels, both showing football, both on full volume competing with the full volume piped music, pool tables and unruly unattended children. The Irish bar 'The Rose o'Clare' is the best of the bunch, but if you want any night-life go to Puerto del Carmen, only a few euros away in a taxi.

We liked this hotel a lot, and we might have been a bit lucky in the room we were given. Nonetheless we has a delightful holiday there and would recommend it.