Spice Lanzarote: The Scots - October, 2012

We visited Spice for the 4^th. Time for Spanish Heat week, in October 2012, with a couple of days before and after the theme week.

  There is a slow rolling programme of room upgrading in progress, and there are now 3 grades of room with appropriate room rates. We think all are value for money; we have always been in what is now the middle grade and find it perfectly adequate; in fact we really don’t like aircon (now fitted to the most expensive rooms) and in other places usually switch it off. But everyone to their own taste.

  The food is now very good, with everything cooked to order most days.  On Sundays at Lunch time the Chef cooks an enormous Paella outside beside the pool, with a running commentary of what he is doing and why, but inside the restaurant there are other dishes at a hot and cold buffet as well. At present on week days Lunch menus alternate from day to day from one of two tapas menus. Dinner menus usually consist of 3 starters, 3 mains and 2 desserts. For Breakfast, you can have what you like from an extensive normal Breakfast menu, all cooked to order, with cold meats, cheese, fruit, yoghourt etc. available on self-service as well. All meals except Sunday Lunch are waiter/waitress service. If you want to you can have Lunch nude beside the swimming pool at one of the bar tables, but you need to get an umbrella to sit under or you might end up fried yourself. You need to cover up to go into the restaurant  – many just wear a wrap. Outside restaurant hours the main bar has snacks available, and usually at around 11 – 1130 at night hot chips (french fries) appear.

  Drinks are  run-of-the-mill well known branded spirits and mixers, local beer on tap with some bottled available and perfectly acceptable white, rose and red house wines. There is a cocktail list,  the bar staff know how to do these things and if you want something not on the list you can teach them how to make it. There is also a premium wine list available at extra cost but we never felt the need to try any of them.

  The entertainments …. manager?.... co-ordinater? …..  anyway,  James, is still there and keeps everyone that wants to be entertained, entertained. However there is absolutely no pressure to join in if you just want to chill out. Everything from water polo and aqua-aerobics through (very alcoholic) sangria making to bodyshots  at the hot tub bar are in the daytime programme and in the evening things can heat up a bit when the disco starts after Dinner; it depends on the crowd there at the time.

  Nudity is the norm during the day, but in the evening most folk wear casual clothing for Dinner before changing into theme wear for the disco; both men and women are encouraged to dress to the theme but again there is no pressure – anyone can wear as much or as little as they like. 

PDS is allowed everywhere except for in the swimming pool and in the restaurant, and in fact happens everywhere in the resort during the day. The hot tub area can get particularly busy in the late afternoon. The playroom, part of the disco area, has suitable beds and towels and can get busy in the evening although the hot tub area seems preferred after disco time.

 All the staff are first rate. Tipping, by the service or by the day,  to individual staff members is frowned upon – if you want to tip then  leave an envelope at the desk as you check out and the cash will be shared out among ALL the staff. (Why should the waiter that brings your food get a tip when the person that cut the fancy design on the tomato on your plate does not get one?) The owners live on the premises, are around from time to time and are most approachable to answer any questions, iron out any problems (a most unusual event) and just chat to the customers.

  There is a supply of books to exchange if you need to; we usually leave behind  any paperbacks that we have brought with us.

  Most of the customers are European, with a few N. Americans who are working in Europe in the Military or commerce, but once we met a couple who had come from Hong Kong just for a week.

 To get to Lanzarote from Europe is easy, but from N. America a bit more

complicated;  the easiest way is to fly to Madrid and there are several flights per day from there to Arrecife. Look at Skyscanner. A taxi from the Airport to Spice costs 13 – 15 Euros. We flew Aer Lingus (from Belfast) down, which was satisfactory, and Jet2 back to Glasgow, and that was most uncomfortable since Jet2 seats don’t recline, and 4 hours like that was a bit too long.

  The resort web site is as good as any and is pretty accurate with good photos of the place.

  We’ll be back.

  The Scots.