Life

Travel: Finding out what all the fuss is about at Lanzarote's Aqua Suites

It's not a given that a 'family friendly' hotel is, well, family friendly. That's why Irishwoman Geraldine McFadden opened Aqua Suites in Lanzarote, catering not just to kids but to all comers. Maggie Carragher discovered what's making it such a hit

Aqua Suites boss Geraldine McFadden is a mum and businessmen with years of experience in the travel industry
Aqua Suites boss Geraldine McFadden is a mum and businessmen with years of experience in the travel industry Aqua Suites boss Geraldine McFadden is a mum and businessmen with years of experience in the travel industry

AS THE world’s biggest and most influential travel platform, featuring more than 760 million reviews of 8.3 million hotels, restaurants, holiday rentals, tours, airlines, cruises, tourist attractions and more, it’s fair to say that Trip Advisor carries some clout.

So when, in less than three years, a little boutique hotel on the outskirts of Lanzarote’s Puerto del Carmen soars almost to pole position on TripAdvisor ratings, not just of hotels in Lanzarote but of all hotels in the Canary Islands (and there are more than 1,300 of them) one can safely assume it’s worth a visit.

And so to Lanzarote, the good man and I, to see what all the fuss is about.

Enter Geraldine McFadden, a Dublin-born dynamo whose passion for travel, first sparked by her role in the start-up teams of Ryanair and Virgin City Jet, and fanned by many years travel repping across Europe, eventually led her to Lanzarote where she managed several touristic enterprises before opening Aqua Suites in July 2016.

So what prompted such a move? Like many entrepreneurs, Geraldine was inspired by what she saw as a gap in the market – in her case, the holiday market for quality, family friendly accommodation.

“The Aqua Suites concept was based on what I was looking for when going on holidays with the kids,” she explains. “And I could never find anything that ticked all the boxes. All that seemed to be available were mediocre hotels with huge buffets and inferior food. Even when we went five-star the only accommodation option was a room with extra beds for the kids. No privacy for either parents or children. As a mum of two and a stepmum of four, I felt almost penalised.”

And so Geraldine came up with the notion of a boutique, family-friendly hotel with a range of luxury accommodation to suit all comers.

Aqua Suites, Puerto del Carmen
Aqua Suites, Puerto del Carmen Aqua Suites, Puerto del Carmen

“When I first ran the idea past tour operators I was told that I had it all wrong,” she says. “They insisted that boutique hotels were only for adults. Thankfully, my guests would beg to differ!”

As would we. With our afternoon flight from Dublin getting us here in plenty of time to get a feel for the place before dinner, we are met at reception with two flutes of chilled sparkling wine. And as a diehard exponent of the transformative effect of anything chilled, sparkling and alcoholic (especially when it’s served up free and with a smile) I cannot speak highly enough of hostelries with the savvy, largesse and sheer joie de vivre to adopt such a policy; its goodwill benefits must surely outweigh any costs incurred.

Thus refreshed and exhilarated (not just by the fizz but also by the shelves tucked away in a corner of the foyer and stacked with all manner of fascinating books just waiting to be devoured), it’s off to check out our room.

And while Aqua Suites’ website might well describe and illustrate the various accommodations available, it cannot quite convey the understated luxury manifest in every last detail: the bed – big enough to get lost in, with wonderfully soft, squishy pillows and giant turquoise cushions; the sleek bathroom with humongous walk-in shower; the spacious spare room, ideal for kids, but put to excellent use by ourselves as an overspill for clothes, luggage etc.

Then there’s the floor-to-ceiling glazed doors leading to a huge balcony complete with sun loungers and outdoor dining furniture which overlooks the swimming pool and Jacuzzi complex. And this, mind, is just your average suite; there are also three-room family suites which can comfortably accommodate up to six. Nice one.

Suites have a spare room
Suites have a spare room Suites have a spare room

Off then to dinner where again a family-friendly policy applies, with two restaurants operating during school holidays, one specifically catering to families with young kids, and the option of lunch instead of dinner. However, this being term time, we are directed to the main Aqua restaurant, which, like the entire development, is tricked out in a wonderfully restful blend of muted neutrals and cool blues with the occasional splash of burnt orange.

Given the consistently glowing reviews it’s not surprising the food, like the service, is excellent, with staff greeting guests by name and going out of their way to make them feel welcome. Then it’s off to the bar for a ‘We Will Rock You’ musical extravaganza featuring Robbie Williams and Queen tribute acts. So far, so very, very good.

Next morning, through a chink in the curtains, a shaft of shimmering sunshine heralds a spell of cloudless skies and textbook temperatures. And thus begins my week of blissful indolence, ambling on a loop from bedroom to balcony to dining room to sun lounger to pool to Jacuzzi to bar stool, with regular forays to the abandoned books shelf in the foyer.

Here, as well as the usual chick lit and airport thrillers, I find titles like Catch-22, The Satanic Verses, Don Quixote, Cider with Rosie, The Kite Runner, Little Women, Animal Farm... the sort of books that, given the time and space, so many of us would love to get lost in.

And all are well thumbed, water-stained and smeared with sun cream – a testament to the easy, chilled-out vibe that permeates every inch of this amazingly tranquil and welcoming place.

Meanwhile, gripped by his usual holiday FOMO, the good man embarks on a veritable whirl of excursions. Each morning after an early breakfast he heads off, guide book in hand, to tick the next tranche of must-see/must-do items off his never-ending bucket list.

Almost hourly my phone pings with images: the cobbled streets and colonial mansions of Lanzarote’s original capital, Teguise; the Museo Atlantico, Europe’s first underwater sculpture museum, whose exhibits are slowly being colonised by marine life; the lush hilltop village of Haria, a temple to arts and crafts once home to the island’s most celebrated artist, Cesar Manrique. And who knew Omar Sharif once owned a restaurant here?

“You don’t know what you’re missing,” go the texts, and he’s quite right. I don’t. But he doesn’t know what he’s missing either.

FACT FILE

:: Prices from approx €180 per room per night for two people sharing. Free kids places available. Aqua Suites guests may choose to have one evening meal in Emma’s Cantina, an affiliated Mexican restaurant in Puerto del Carmen old town. Aqua Suites are due to open a new bar/bistro Sassi’s this month and will be offering large discounts to Aqua Suite guests if they wish to dine there. Contact Aqua Suites for special offers throughout the year – aquasuiteslanzarote.com

:: Aer Lingus flies to Lanzarote from Dublin and Cork, operating flights up to seven days a week. Summer fares starting from €80.99 one way including taxes and charges. Winter fares start from €66.99. Visit aerlingus.com