Sun, Sea, Paella, Sangria
This will be the first post of a few post to do with our hoilday last October.
Everyone longs for that perfect holiday whether it’s lounging around in the sunshine by the pool or sightseeing it’s the time we take to just relax and leave home at home.
Being a wheelchair user you have different things to take into consideration like accessable bathroom, if there’s lifts, accessable transfers plus of course as wheelchair friendly area as you can get you don’t want to be stuck somewhere you can’t get around.
We decided to go back to a hotel that we’ve been to before back in 2015 for our hoilmoon, but back then it was under a different name ‘Be Live hotels Lanzarote Resort’
It’s new name Occasional Lanzarote Playa so it was kinda like going to a new hotel and having a whole new experience.
It was our first time booking and traveling with Tui, I think it’s important to book with someone you feel comfortable with it makes everything feel less stressful on the run up to going away so you can just enjoy the excitement feeling of going away,
The staff interaction from Tui from start to finish with me was amazing they all made to feel like a person not just a disabled person in a wheelchair.
All-inclusive isn’t for everyone I totally get that sometimes you just want that little bit more freedom. On when, where and what you want to eat, for us though it’s perfect hubby gets a break from cooking which he loves, plus he gets a full English breakfast everyday (he’s a man of simple needs!)
The Occidental Lanzarote Playa is a 4* hotel it’s set just outside the main town of Costa teguise, about 15 minutes from the airport – Arrecife Airport.
The hotel itself is beautifully set with palm tree, cactuses and of course lots of Aloe Vera plants everywhere with black volcanic rock covering the ground around the plants truly is beautiful to see, I will say it lives up to its name for being windy you can definitely feel that windy breeze when your standing or in my case sitting out the front of the hotel. Not that, that’s a bad thing as it can get very hot at certain times of the day, so that bit of windy shade is great.
The hotel lobby/Reception is huge definitely enough space for me to play zig zags and wheelie’s, of course I’m far to grown up to do anything of the sort wink wink!!
It’s bright and airy very welcoming which is just how I think a lobby should be, a few sofa’s dotted around and a cucumber water trolly (unfortunately I did forget to take a picture) It’s a great idea there’s nothing you need more than a nice cold drink after traveling for so long. There’s also a cute little gift shop that also sells snacks, kids pool toys ect. (Across the road from the hotel you have a mini market, plus a few souvenir shops that you’ll find a little cheaper).
Check in can be a little long as everyone gets in at the same time and has questions upon questions as their checking in, your greeted with a friendly smile asked how your journey was the conversation flows as your checking in which is nice you don’t often get that it makes you feel as if your the only guest staying, your given your all-inclusive wrist band and told what times breakfast, lunch and dinner is and when the pool bar and snacks opens plus the main bar in the hotel, told where to go to find your room given a little map just incase you get lost!! the plus was we was told that they were going to open the restaurant at 11.30pm so we could grab a bite to eat which I loved as we was so hungry. It’s only a few bits like meats, cheese’s, bread, different salad bits, pasta, fruit and a few desserts but it was lovely and filled the hole.
Our room was on the same floor as the lobby/Reception area, number 32 same room we had before so like we was coming home! the room in size isn’t bad has just enough space for me to get around as long as I’m paying attention to what I’m doing, in other words house speed as my husband likes to call it. Two single bed pushed together with lots of pillows even two very mahoosive square ones (so soft and comfy) for that extra comfort you even get a mattress topper which hubby loved me in the other hand I had to take it off as I struggle to move as it is in bed, I would have looked and felt like a tortoise on its back trying to get right side up!!
The bathroom again big enough to move around can’t get my wheelchair under the sink my arms on my wheelchair are to high, using the toilet was fine it’s no patch on my all singing all dancing toilet but hey we have to slum it at some point; right!!
Shower area is non-slip floor with a large glass door that opens up, only downside which I did talk to the manger about was the door didn’t open fully as there’s a towel rail in the way stopping it from opening up wide enough to make showering and wheelchair transfer that little easier, fingers crossed they took that on board for future reference, the shower heads WOW you have two one very large square one that feel like your under a waterfall.
Food hall – there’s not really much I can say about food other than it’s yummy!
Breakfast menu – you can expect everything from a fruit, cereal, full English to Continental, there’s a good selection for everyone even for the fussy eaters.
Lunch menu – Again you have a great selection from fresh pasta dishes, pizza, salads.
Dinner menu – They like to theme the evening so you have Spanish, Italian, English, German ect but again there is something for everyone including the fussy eaters.
But there is a touch screen board outside the food hall which shows you everything they have on offer each day.
Pool bar/snacks bar
This is open pretty much all day long which is great as snack bar it’s the best I’ve come across you can pick burgers, hot dogs, chicken, salad, paella. Ice cream, bread rolls it’s all cooked there an then so it’s not sitting around in the heat, the salad bar is covered and chilled as well. if your all inclusive then you have the house brand to pick from at the bar but you can get the named brand as well which if just charged to your room (and pay at check-out).
pool area
There are 3 pools, one kiddies which is by the main pool area that has a large toadstool water fall, the main pool itself is a fresh water pool, lots of sun loungers and parasols but there are quite a few shady spots by the giant trees dotted around the pool area.
The second pool is sounded by grass has a play ground as well and very much smaller but still lovely great sun trap for the sun lovers!
Added extras
Beachfront access they have there own little private beach unfortunately I wasn’t able to get down but looked lovely from the top!
Lots of entertainment day and night would highly recommend, it was definitely far better this time round with magic, music and acrobat with poles, there’s something for everyone.
À la cart restaurant we didnt get to try this out as it get booked up pretty quickly (maybe next time) you will need Smart wear as they have a dress code.
Wheelchair access
Is good around the hotel you have lifts, ramps around even around the swimming pool areas, only place I couldn’t get to was the tennis courts and the private beach which isn’t bad.
Areas outside the hotel where amazing lots of drop curbs or ramps around, there’s a lovely walk along the promenade from the hotel into Costa Teguise town even came across a Wheelchair part to the beach.
Costa Teguise Town itself shops are great aswel as the restaurants and bars, Wheelchair taxi’s are available but few you can order them it may take around 10 minutes rather than 2 minutes to show up!
To end my experience this time round was definitely far better entertainment and food Wise, but it was the interaction from the Tui rep that blew me away.
Kerry x
Kerry Thompson - My Life, Kerry's Way. 
Very good information. Lucky me I recently found your website by chance (stumbleupon).
I have saved as a favorite for later!
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