Hospitality

My wife and I have been married now for eight years and our next anniversary is a bit special. I know to most people the eight year anniversary is a bit meaningless, but we had got married exactly two years after we first started seeing each other, so our eight year anniversary was also our ten year anniversary of us being together. If you had asked me ten years ago, I would have told you that no oone would be able to put up with me for just one year, yet here I was happily married with a wife who still loved me very much. I really wanted to show her just how important she was to me after all these years so I decided to plan a vacation for her to coincide with our anniversary.

I started off by looking on the internet to find a decent hotel on one of the islands that wouldn’t absolutely wipe my bank balance out! After a while I found a very nice four star resort with nice views of the sea and a decent pool. Nothing too fancy, but certainly good neough for anyone staying for a week. After that I started to try to find a cheap flight or two and it was quite hard at first, but in the end I found some flights to Caribbean which were affordable to me at last.

With everything all set I sat my wife down and told her that I had a bit of a surprise. I said that for our anniversary we would be staying in the Caribbean for a week, and I think she nearly had a heart attack!

The popular holiday island of Lanzarote is an ideal destination for a villa break – whatever the time of year.  As the sun shines on this small Canary Island for twelve months of the year – thanks to its semi tropical climate and location off the coast of Morocco.

Lanzarote is one of seven Canary Islands – the best known of which is Tenerife.  All of which are owned by Spain – despite the fact that they are situated much closer to Africa than Europe.  This also explains why the islands enjoy great weather all year round – making them ideal for both summer and winter sun seekers.

Lanzarote is located at the eastern end of the chain and is much more arid and unspoiled than the bigger islands.  Yet still manages to welcome around 1.4 million visitors every year.  The majority of whom fly in from countries such as the UK and Germany in Northern Europe.

Once on the island many visitors rent a vehicle as car hire in Lanzarote is very cheap.  Before heading off to explore the islands many attractions – which include breathtaking natural wonders such as the Fire Mountains of Timanfaya – scene of a series of huge eruptions during the 18^th century.  And the many creations of a local artist, Cesar Manrique, who is also famous for having helped to thwart over development on the island of his birth.

Many visitors to the island now book their own accommodation online – thanks to the growth of the internet.  Which has created demand for Lanzarote villas and apartments – especially in the main resorts of Puerto del Carmen, Costa Teguise and Playa Blanca. Whilst rural tourism also enjoys a growing popularity.

Holiday villas in Playa Blanca are the cheapest self catering option for those seeking a villa break on the island.  As there is a large supply of good value rental accommodation in this fast-growing resort, located at the southern end of the island.  Holiday apartments also offer great value for money – and there are hundreds of complexes located in the largest resort on the island, Puerto del Carmen. With prices starting from around €180 per week.

Whilst Lanzarote enjoys good weather al year round it still has distinct seasons – with spring often bringing a burst of colourful flowers to  the side of the islands volcanoes.  Whilst autumn offers calmer and mellower weather after the heat of the summer months.

Whether you’re staying in a 5-star hotel including more exclusive like  hotels  sheffield or a backpacker hostel, there are many things you can do to help keep yourself and your belongings safe. These tips are particularly helpful if you’re traveling solo as you won’t have someone to watch out for you.

1. Never leave the “Please Clean” sign on your door. This signals that your room is empty and is telltale sign for someone who might be waiting for the perfect moment to burglar your room. Instead, call the front desk and let them know your room is ready for a cleaning.

2. Ask for a room close to the elevator. While this may be noisier than one at the end of the hall, if you do find yourself in trouble, it’s more likely someone will hear you if you need help.

3. Women… NEVER let a man in your room. Even if you’ve called room service and you’re fairly certain that he’s trustworthy. Keep the door open and conduct your business near the hallway. If a service person must get in the room, in the case of having to fix the air conditioning or television, keep the door open at all times. If you haven’t called someone, yet someone’s knocking, check with the front desk to confirm it’s someone from the hotel.

4. Carry a rubber doorstop. In many developing countries, there is no deadbolt or chain lock to provide added  protection from a potential intruder. Because most doors open inward, simply slip the doorstop underneath the door so that no one can get in while you’re sleeping or in the shower.

5. Ensure your privacy. Most hotel staff are trained not to say your room number out loud. If they do say it while you’re checking in and there are others in the lobby, ask for another room. You never know who might be listening and taking note that you are traveling on your own.

6. Keep your key safe. In less modern hotels, the room key is often on a keychain that may include your hotel name and room number. Simply slip the key off and carry it in a safe place so that, in the event that you lose it or someone picks it up, they don’t know where to find you. Always make use of car hire Bilbao Airport or any other location to ease your transportation.

The three items on nearly every backpacker’s list: fleece, poncho, Bandanna. Which just happen to be three things that would cause you to destroy every photo from your trip. So throw out the old packing list and learn what rules to break and what items you absolutely do need to take with this more fashion-friendly guide.