Sorry for the long email. I am DESPERATE for anyone with knowledge to help me! It is my wife and I 10th wedding anniversary in April and I am planning a suprise trip to the canaries - been to Puerto Rico in Gran Canaria and like it, but we are coming WITHOUT CHILDREN as the grandparents are taking them off and I want to know where to book.

Scenario: We like a good ole drink when we can! We like to eat out 'most nights' or if not eat in the hotel and then head out till late (2/3ish).
We have been all inclusive before in Dominica and hated it, been all inclusive in the Maldives and Malaysia and loved it. Usually do S/C in Greece - THIS WILL BE OUR FIRST TIME WITHOUT THE KIDS. (THEY WILL GET THEIRS IN THE SUMMER)

I have 3 scenarios at present: 1)FLY TO A 3* RESORT SOMEHWERE FOR £950 FOR THE 2 OF US FOR A WEEK (AND HAVE SOME SPENDING)

2) GO 'ALL INCLUSIVE' AT THE RUBICON FOR APPROX £1400 FOR A WEEK

3) GO 'ALL INCLUSIVE' AT RIU PARAISSO FOR APPROX £1350 FOR A WEEK.

GENERALLY, I THINK WE WILL SAVE THE MONEY ON DRINKS - MY WIFE AND I DRINK GIN AND TONICS (ANY BRAND) WINE, BEER ETC. WE ALWAYS EAT BREAKFAST! SHE LIKES 'NICE' HOTELS WITH NICE BARS WHERE YOU CAN SIT ON STALLS/SEATS AND CHAT - NICE VIEWS ETC.

SHE LOVES SUN BATHING AND SWIMMING - I GET A BIT BORED, AND LOOKING ON HERE THE POOLS ALL SOUND FREEZING! BUT WE ALSO LIKE TO HAVE A 'WANDER AROUND' AND DONT REALLY LIKE HAVING TO TRAVEL MILES IN TAXIS. WE NEVER HIRE A CAR - ALWAYS 'WALK USUALLY TO THE NEAREST 'TOWN'.

CAN ANYONE HELP? WILL I BE BORED OUT O MY MIND IN ANY OF THESE PLACES? ARE YOU WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE TO 'SOMEWHERE LIVELY' WHEN IT GETS A BIT BORING AT NIGHT - I IMAGINE US HEADING OFF MOST NIGHTS TO 'FIND SOMEWHERE' - WE'VE NOT BEEN TOGETHER ALONE FOR 10 YEARS SO WANT NICE WALKS, MEALS, DRINKS IN DIFFERENT PLACES ETC - BUT NOT CLUB 18-30....JUST NICE ATMOSPHERE!
MY BROTHER SUGGESTS FLY OUT AS CHEAPLY AS POSSIBLE AND BRING AS MUCH SPENDING MONEY AS YOU CAN, BUT I KNOW MY WIFE WOULD LIKE TO BE 'WOWED' WITH A BEAUTIFUL HOTEL WHERE SHE CAN SUNBATHE AMD I CAN GRAB A BEER WHEN I WANT ONE.
ARE THE PRICES I HAVE BEEN QUOTED EXPENSIVE - I KNOW IT IS EASTER HALF TERM? (FIRSTCHOICE, SUNSEARCHER, BEAT THE BROCHURE)
IS IT REALLY WINDY IN COMPARISON TO PUERTO RICO - THEY TOLD US THAT THERE, BUT IT WAS 30 EVERYDAY IN JAN!
IS IT EXPENSIVE TO GO ACROSS TO FUERTAVENTURA - I'D LIKE THAT!

I HAVE A TOTAL BUDGET FOR EVERYTHING (HOTEL, FLIGHTS, SPENDING OF £1800). IF I GO WITH THE ALL INC OPTIONS I WILL HAVE ABOUT £400 TO BRING WITH ME.
ANY RECOMMENDATIONS - HAVE I PICKED THE RIGHT ISLAND? FLYING FROM EAST MIDLANDS!

Hi
Can't personally comment on either hotel, but would advise you to look on http://www.tripadvisor.com and you'll see many write-ups on both hotels. That should give you a better idea. I know many posters on this forum are dead against AI, but if you have a limited budget it can save you a fortune on water, coffee, tea, ice-creams and booze etc. Doesn't have to mean that you never go out elsewhere for a change. We've gone AI many times in Lanza, and the money we've saved has been used to go out for a nice meal or just a drink away from the hotel. We've been to Iberostar Costa Calero about four times and never had a bad experience. Mind you, you might get bored there, as it is really a relaxing place to stay. However, there is the marina to walk down to that has a few shops, bars and restaurants plus a whale and dolphin museum that is very interesting. You can catch a courtesy bus from the hotel to Puerto Del Carmen just down the road. The new part is very commercialised and some of it tacky, but the old town has some lovely restaurants.
If you've never been to Lanza before, the scenery might at first seem a bit stark in comparison to Greece for example, but it has it's own beauty if you give it a chance. I would recommend hiring a car, and driving around the island if you get itchy feet after being around the pool for too long. There are many places to go and see, depending on what floats your boat!
Wherever you go, hope you have a lovely holiday!

The Princesa Yaiza hotel is the best hotel IMHO, but not sure if it does AI.
You can probably get a good B&B deal and the food outside in the resort is reasonable price. This would allow you to sample local food and put more money into the "wider" parts of Lanzarote.

http://www.skyscanner.net for flights and http://www.alpharooms.com for hotels should throw up some good results.

I contacted the Princesa Yaiza direct and for my girlfriends birthday they upgraded us to a suite, got 2 free bottles of Cava, upgrade from B&B to Half board, strawberries dipped in chocolate in the room along with a personalised birthday card from the staff. It´s worth a try.

http://www.princesayaiza.com

Good luck in your search, you can´t go wrong with Lanzarote. Use this site to see some of the fantastic places to visit.

go independent and u can save loads ,,
18th april-25th april 2010
if u fly from manchester (east mids is available too)
http://www1.flythomascook.com/flytc/packageCost.vm
flights are often cheaper when sites have sales
then stay at rubicon
http://www.travelrepublic.co.uk/Accomod ... J5Pg%3d%3d

approx cost = £1100 saving u £300

with a budget of £1800 ,u could easily get a flight and villa with private pool and still have a £1000 for spending ,
http://www.ownersdirect.co.uk/Canary-Is ... e-2bed.htm
u cant beat a private pool if its a romantic break ,some villas even have hottubs

enjoy your stay

Hi

Sorry hope this is not too late for you...........
Just back from our first visit from Lanza, and stayed in Playa Blanca. We had a lovely time, fab weather and really enjoyed ourselves and will be returning. We stayed self catering near harbour, but had a good look around, I can't comment on other hotels mentioned but would say re. rubicon two things - firstly is that Rubicon (H10 Rubicon Palace) is a GOOD walk from centre of Playa Blanca (and even further if thinking of Marina which IS worth a look) - and that have friends that LOVED the Rubicon and that the local bus service is excellent.

Also would completely agree that Princess Yaiza is definatley the BEST in the area, you can tell from outside that it stands out from the rest and is ideally placed. We went in for drinks one evening and it was llllluuuurrrrvvvvvvveeeeellllyyyyy but wayyyyyyyyyy expensive not sure if they do ai, but we had a look at thompson and think would be around £4000+ for BB for our family of 4 in june next yr
also visited the Gran Melia Volcan at the Rubicon Marina which is really beautiful, not in main part of resort but the Marina is really lovely and main town a short walk.

Good luck on deciding and have fab time

Hi

Sorry hope this is not too late for you...........
Just back from our first visit from Lanza, and stayed in Playa Blanca. We had a lovely time, fab weather and really enjoyed ourselves and will be returning. We stayed self catering near harbour, but had a good look around, I can't comment on other hotels mentioned but would say re. rubicon two things - firstly is that Rubicon (H10 Rubicon Palace) is a GOOD walk from centre of Playa Blanca (and even further if thinking of Marina which IS worth a look) - and that have friends that LOVED the Rubicon and that the local bus service is excellent.

Also would completely agree that Princess Yaiza is definatley the BEST in the area, you can tell from outside that it stands out from the rest and is ideally placed. We went in for drinks one evening and it was llllluuuurrrrvvvvvvveeeeellllyyyyy but wayyyyyyyyyy expensive not sure if they do ai, but we had a look at thompson and think would be around £4000+ for BB for our family of 4 in june next yr
also visited the Gran Melia Volcan at the Rubicon Marina which is really beautiful, not in main part of resort but the Marina is really lovely and main town a short walk.

Good luck on deciding and have fab time