Lanzarote, the most northern of the Canary Islands has year-round sunshine, gorgeous beaches and an out of this world volcanic landscape. It also has some rather unusual accommodation choices. I was there is mid-March, a last-minute booking in an effort to escape the endless rain and although I'm not one to camp, when offered the opportunity to stay a few nights in a luxurious yurt, I couldn't say no.

Owned by Tila and Michelle Braddock, Lanzarote Retreats incorporates a collection of hand-picked, stylish properties. The founding ethos is simple: Guests don’t have to forsake modern facilities, rich comforts and concepts of luxury to have a responsible and sustainable holiday experience. Their flagship is Finca de Arrieta eco-village in the northeast of the island with seventeen yurts, villas and cottages. Set on the edge of a tranquil village close to the pretty beach of La Garita, Finca de Arrieta has spectacular sea and mountain views, a solar-powered pool and chill-out areas, veg patch, chickens for fresh eggs and even resident donkeys.

The land at Finca de Arrieta was part of working farmland for many years. Tila and Michelle (originally from the UK but Lanzarote residents since the 1990s) acquired the site in 2005, with a vision to purchase the land and create a utopia where their family could live off-grid and in the most sustainable way possible. The restoration project began with what is now the Eco-Luxury Villa, which was completed in 2006. One of the guests enquiring about the Villa requested a third bedroom and Tila had the idea of installing a yurt. From this, the yurt kitchen and shower room were added along with a fenced garden. Creating the first yurt holiday home.

All seventeen-holiday yurts, villas and cottages at Finca de Arrieta are off-grid and the Finca is powered by the largest green energy system on the islands. In 2018 a desalination plant was added so that Finca De Arrieta could draw its own drinking water from the well and finally become fully sustainable. Other sustainable measures include providing a refill water station to help reduce the number of plastic bottles needing recycling and encouraging guests to wash with environmentally friendly products so that wastewater can be re-used for the plants. Any food waste goes to the Finca animal residents too, with guests encouraged to collect the chicken’s eggs for free by way of exchange. Holiday extras such as Toyota Hybrid cars can be arranged on request. And it's not just Finca de Arrieta: Lanzarote Retreats has other accommodation dotted around the island and the business wholeheartedly embraces the mantra of supporting local tradesmen and organisations.

My home, Eco Yurt Royal proudly holds the title of the largest yurt on the finca, too big for one person but often booked by couples who like a lot of private space. It was meticulously crafted to an exceptional standard, very boho chic with Moroccan and Indonesian furnishings and featuring a private walled terrace, garden and raised gazebo. The latter an ideal setting for alfresco dining. There was no shortage of organised activities: from on-site yoga, Pilates and massages, to paella nights and day trips to nearby attractions.

However, it's always going to be the swimming pool that I'm most interested in (I often choose accommodation purely based on the pool) and it was the finca's white washed lagoon style pool inspired by local legend Cesar Manrique that got the biggest thumbs up. Admittedly not very big but the aesthetics made it stand out from the crowd and reminded me of the pools at The Cesar Manrique foundation (Manrique's former home) and Jameos del Agua. You can't visit Lanzarote without seeing the art installations of the island's most famous son. Lanzarote's landscape is unique, so much so that UNESCO has given the whole island World Biosphere Reserve status, in order to protect it. Be sure to see the Fire Mountains in Timanfaya National Park, it really is like something from another planet, children will love it and think they are stepping on the moon. For adults, a wine tour with Wine Tours Lanzarote is highly recommended. Against a backdrop of black ash soil with grapes grown in thousands of pits shielded by semi-circular stone walls, built around a single vine, these are like no other vineyards I've ever seen. This cultivation technique protects the vines from the wind and keeps the humidity consistent. At Bodega Los Bermejos I tasted some fine wines from malvasía, muscatel and listán grapes. After a morning tour an afternoon snooze on a sunbed was definitely called for and at my next hotel, Seaside Los Jameos I had the perfect poolside view to sleep of the excess.

Seaside Los Jameos is another luxurious family favourite and made for a nice contrast with Finca de Arrieta. Located on a small, beach-lined promontory at the edge of the Playa de los Pocillos resort. It’s a quiet spot, within easy reach of Puerto Del Carmen’s lively old town (about a 45-minute walk away), shopping area, restaurants, and nightlife and just a five-minute drive from the airport. Launched in the 1990s with 530 rooms designed in the signature style of the island by pupils of Cesar Manrique and recently refreshed by London-based Muza Lab. It's very family-friendly with a kid's club, kiddies pool, spa and wellness centre and home to the Peter Burwash International tennis school. Nothing beats a welcome than a refreshing glass of bubbly cava and a light, airy room, all high ceilings and clean blue and white colours with a balcony looking over a sparkling lagoon style, palm fringed pool. The signature yellow striped umbrellas adding a touch of Californian style and the subtropical plants and ruby bougainvillea a splash of colour. Although minutes away, the hotel is a world away from some of the more cheap and cheerful resorts on the Puerta del Carmen strip, the latter is after all one of the most popular resorts in Lanzarote. I've stayed at dozens of all-inclusives but Los Jameos stood out for the quality, quantity and variety of the food served. At both lunch and dinner there was a very impressive buffet, with chefs grilling fresh local seafood, steaks, a salad bar that seemed to stretch to several tables and then when I thought I'd had my fill, I'd discover another section offering some kind of themed cuisine, Mexican and Italian during my stay. The hotel is enormously popular with many repeat guests, and although tables were sometimes difficult to find, there was a never a queue at the buffet.

Once I'd had more than my fill, it was time for my lengths in one of the two lagoon pools and I was thankful that one of them was heated, a big plus during the cooler months. Seaside Los Jameos is a certified sustainable hotel, an independent organisation has officially certified the hotel as sustainable for meeting the criteria set by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC). Just a few of the practices the hotel has to follow to be certified as sustainable include reducing energy, water and waste, sourcing products locally, supporting local communities and using reusable, returnable and recycled products. The hotel is also a Travelife Sustainable Tourism Gold Award holder #MakeTravelMatter

Finca de Arrieta is a great example of rural Eco-Tourism on Lanzarote. A Bohemian retreat where you can feel comfortable but still connected to nature. It's in the less explored north but if you’re looking for a top-notch all-inclusive oozing style and character, then I can highly recommend Seaside Los Jameos. It’s already a firm favourite with families who return year after year, combine with a couple of nights at Finca de Arrieta and you have a perfect combination.

Lanzarote is an ideal October half term or Winter Sun destination, if you need assistance in planning a trip, make an enquiry today.

(This blog has been written by Petra Shepherd, Travel Matters’ Communication Officer. She visited Lanzarote in March 2024. Photo Credits by Petra Shepherd, Finca de Arrieta - Eco Retreat, Jameos del Agua, Seaside Los Jameos and Turismo Lanzarote.)

Family Favourites in Lanzarote