Discover how a Jet2 winter sun holiday to Lanzarote changed my views on all-inclusive breaks in the Canary Islands.
Winter sun – many of us crave it as the longer nights draw in and the Oodies come out. I’m definitely one of those, especially since we hardly had a summer at all this year!
As a sufferer of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), the lack of sunshine affects me a lot, which was why I jumped at the chance of some winter sun in Lanzarote, courtesy of Jet2.
This was my first trip to the Canary Islands, and only my second ever all-inclusive experience.
I’ll admit, I was a bit of a sceptic, as I’d always thought of the Canaries as a go-to for standard beach holidays, lacking the cultural charm I usually look for. But I was in for quite a surprise. Lanzarote offered much more than I’d expected, from dramatic volcanic landscapes and vineyards through to beautiful villages and interesting museums.
The Jet2 experience
One of the perks of traveling with Jet2 was having everything taken care of. When we usually travel, we do all the planning and booking of flights, transfers and hotels ourselves, so it felt like such treat having someone else sort the logistics for us.
This was my first time using Jet2, and I found their services not just convenient, but also really thoughtful, especially at the Bristol Airport check-in. The team was friendly and accommodating, with staff going out of their way to make things easy, even checking if I needed assistance when they noticed my sunflower lanyard (a prompt that I have an invisible illness).
Before and throughout the journey, Jet2 kept me updated with text messages, which was especially handy as it served as a reminder of check-in times as well as pre-warning us that there might be congestion at Lanzarote Airport on arrival. The Jet2 app was also really useful, giving you digital boarding passes, as well as providing lots of info about all different aspects of our holiday. These little touches made the travel experience smoother and more relaxing, which was exactly what I needed.
In-flight comfort and convenience
Flying with Jet2 was reassuringly comfortable. The seats, while basic, were nice and comfy, and thanks to the chair backs being hard plastic, there was no random poking from the person behind me squishing stuff into their seat pocket.
The crew made regular rounds with food and drinks, and even offered discounted sandwiches towards the end of the flight. They were attentive, friendly and kept everyone well taken care of, so that before I knew it, we’d touched down in Lanzarote, ready to get our well-needed fix of winter sun.
Jet2 offered flights from Bristol Airport, my closest airport, and the convenience of a quick, direct flight means you’re on your way to sunny Lanzarote before you know it.
Staying at Elba Lanzarote Royal Village Resort
Our Jet2 holiday included a coach transfer to the hotel, but as we’d decided to hire a car, when we arrived in Lanzarote we waved off our fellow travellers and headed to off to pick it up.
We then headed to our chosen hotel, the Elba Lanzarote Royal Village Resort. Jet2 offered a wide variety of hotels in Lanzarote, but in the end we chose this one because of its location in Playa Blanca, a less ‘resort-y’ town on the south coast of the island. This is a bit quieter than the main tourist areas of Puerto del Carmen and family-favourite Costa Teguise, and also known for its lovely beaches and great snorkelling opportunities, so was right up our street.
Nestled among lush gardens, the Elba Lanzarote Royal Village Resort had a tranquil feel, thanks to Lanzarote’s low-rise building laws lobbied for by local artist César Manrique. His influence can be seen all over the island, with many of Lanzarote’s attractions linked to him in some way.
With its modern, bright and airy feel the hotel was open and inviting, and our comfort suite (all rooms at the resort are suites) was spacious. We’d originally been booked into the most basic suite, a junior, but were upgraded to the comfort when we checked in.
This had a nice living area with sofa (bed) and separate bedroom featuring a comfortable king-sized bed, blackout curtains and flat-screen tv. The bathroom was also large, with a double sink, toilet and bidet, powerful shower (but no shower caps, so remember to pack your own!) and bath.
There was plenty of room for all my holiday essentials, and room had all the usual things you’d expect, like air conditioning, WiFi and a tea and coffee making facilities, but I did find it odd that you had to rent the in-room safe for €4 a day. I also liked that each suite had its own patio area with two chairs, a small table and two loungers, the only downside was that you didn’t have a lot of privacy due to the layout of the resort.
The Elba, as I’ll call it for short, also excelled in terms of amenities. It had a range of pools – the majority of which centred around the solarium, which was filled with Balinese daybeds for the sun-worshippers. Loungers also circle the pools, so even when they’re really busy there’s always somewhere to lie and sunbathe. However, shade was a bit scarce, so if you’re pale skinned like me, it’s something to plan around.
It’s also worth noting that within the property there are actually two hotels, the Elba Lanzarote Royal Village Resort and the Elba Premium Suites. When we’d chosen this hotel this caught us out, as one of the reasons we picked it was because we thought it had an adults-only pool. The reality was that this belonged to the Premium Suites, which is a separate gated area within the site (that also has a separate bar and restaurant area above the main restaurant), but there was an option to pay for pool entry, which was approx. €20 a day.
That did disappoint us a little, but there were many other activities to enjoy across the resort, from yoga, archery and petanque through to water polo, quizzes and shows. In the central building was a list of the activities taking place across the next seven days, which included performances by the entertainment team, shooting competitions, cover bands and games.
The hotel was also very family friendly, with lots to keep kids entertained during the day and even into the evenings.
Dining at Elba Lanzarote Royal Village Resort
As this was my second all-inclusive experience, I was keen to see how the Elba Lanzarote compared to my first, and I have to say, I was really impressed. Our main reason for choosing this option over half-board was bottomless drinks – it’s important to keep hydrated in when you’re out in the sun you see!
As we’re often on a budget when we travel this usually means I probably hold back from drinking as much as I should during the day to save money. Here I could relax and drink as much diet coke or fruit punches as I liked, and I was also more willing to try some of the cocktails in the evening, as I wasn’t forking out a tenner on something I might not be a huge fan of.
On the food front, with a large buffet selection for each meal, there was something for everyone in the main Yaiza restauranr, whether you’re a fan of salads, pastas or the ever-available chips and pizza. Each day had a different theme—one evening, we had a delicious selection of Asian dishes, including sushi, gyoza and yakitori for example. The daily specials kept things interesting, and I loved being able to sample a bit of everything without worrying about the cost.
For me, breakfast was a real highlight, with a spread of fresh pastries, pancakes, doughnuts, fruit and cereals, as well as everything you’d want to create a hearty full English. The variety and freshness made each meal enjoyable, although I’d recommend heading down early to avoid the end-of-service slowdown in the evenings, as they do stop restocking some items during the last hour of service.
As we stayed at the Elba for seven days, we also had the opportunity to have an evening meal in one of its two a-la-carte restaurants. The steakhouse was open on weekends, but we chose a weekday evening at La Nonna, the resort’s Italian restaurant. The focaccia and tuna carpaccio starters were delightful, and the main course pizzas were freshly baked to perfection, so it was a nice way to spend our last night in Lanzarote before heading home.
Exploring Lanzarote
Although I’ve focused on the resort and my Jet2 experience in this post, I’d be remiss not to mention some of Lanzarote’s beautiful sights. From the surreal landscapes of Timanfaya National Park to the charming Teguise Sunday Market, there’s so much to see and do. We chose to spend every other day out exploring the island while the others were reserved solely for rest and relaxation by the pool. I’ll be doing a full post on what to see and do on the island soon, so stay tuned for more details on that.
For those planning a trip, renting a car is also a great idea (more on that in an upcoming post). With smooth, scenic roads and some shockingly low car hire rates, it gives you the freedom to explore Lanzarote at your own pace and discover hidden gems like El Golfo’s black sand beach and fish restaurants and the famous Cueva de los Verdes caves (a must see).
Final thoughts: stress-free winter sun with Jet2
This Jet2 winter sun holiday to Lanzarote surprised me in all the right ways. I loved the convenience of having all the details taken care of, the comfort of an all-inclusive stay and the chance to explore what felt like such an alien landscape. Lanzarote is far from the cultureless beach destination I’d once imagined; it’s full of character, stunning backdrops and interesting things to do.
Booking with Jet2 also took a lot of the stress out of the holiday planning process, allowing me to truly unwind and enjoy my time in the Canaries. The flight, hotel and all-inclusive package all worked seamlessly, and the on-site Jet2 rep was a fountain of local knowledge and helpful hints.
So, if you’re in need of a winter sun fix and want a hassle-free holiday, I can wholeheartedly recommend a trip with Jet2. With direct flights to Lanzarote, it’s a fantastic option for a hassle-free winter getaway, but if this isn’t your destination of choice, there are plenty of different options for cheap winter sun holidays with Jet2holidays.
