When visiting Lanzarote in the Canary Islands we usually stop in a hotel on the coast but on this occasion, I was looking for something different away from the centres of mass tourism.
My choice was the rural hotel La Casona de Yaiza close to the village of Yaiza but far enough out to ensure a quiet night's sleep.
The hotel is very small with only 8 rooms set round an inner courtyard and each one varies in size and decoration which is in the old style which befits a property which is 200 years old.Paintings adorned the walls and cherubs watched over us from the bed headboard.
We were amazed at the thickness of the walls in the room which were a metre thick.We realised that this was to keep the heat out and we were glad of this as during our stay on the island, the temperature reached 38C due to a wave of hot air from the Sahara which can sometimes appear over the Canaries.
Breakfast was included in the price which was self service- not served until 8.30 am which might be a little late for some people but in general the hotel attracts those who wish to chill out away from it all and not those who wish to rush off in the early morning.
You can have dinner in the hotel restaurant which we did on one evening but went into the village of Yaiza and neigbouring Uga to try out the local fare on the other two evenings during our three day stay.The hotel restaurant is closed on Wednesdays.
Dinner at La Casona is served in a small intimate restaurant where paintings abound by local artists some of which are for sale should one of them take your fancy.
The menu was varied and catered for vegetarians like myself.The wine list was extensive with a good selection of Lanzarote wines but these were a bit expensive and might fit into the special treat category.
The hotel has an interesting shaped swimming pool and a jacuzzi for the use of the guests.The pool felt a little chilly but this may have been because we were so hot due to the high temperatures.
Yaiza is on the edge of the Timanfaya National Park which is easily accesible from Yaiza – just follow the signs in the village.This is well worth a visit .The park has at its centre the Mountains of Fire which are part of a wide area affected by the volcanic eruptions of 1824.Because these eruptions were so recent, the ground is still hot and an attraction here is the barbecue which uses heat from the ground to cook the food.
I felt that I achieved my objective of looking for somewhere different to stay and next time we will choose one of the other rural hotels which are scattered about Lanzarote.
For this type of holiday you will need a hire car which can easily be obtained at the airport when you first arrive in Lanzarote.
Not suitable for guests with mobility problems as you have to go down a flight of stone steps to reach reception in the courtyard.
