HL Paradise Island

The gardens and surrounding areas were stunning, and the facilities were fantastic. The kids loved the arcade and waterpark, and the food was fresh every day. We'd recommend it for families with younger and teenage children. Our room was behind the hotel laundry or service area, and it was extremely loud from early morning. If you want to wake at 6:30-7:00 every day of your holiday, room 204 is for you. There was no water, tea or coffee in the room on arrival, and some mattresses and pillows could use an upgrade. Rooms 1-50 and 150-205 have stunning ocean views. Service lost a star for me because some areas seemed short staffed. When it was busy, guests ordering cocktails outside the all-inclusive list had to wait until all-inclusive drinks were served, even though they were paying for the cocktail. That seemed unusual. Shops and restaurants are about a 20-minute walk away, so I'd rent a car or use the hotel's daily bus service. The location rating was four stars for me.

The waterpark was the best part for our young kids, keeping them happy every day and suiting younger children especially well. We stayed a week at Hotel Paradise Island in Playa Blanca, all-inclusive with our young family, and the holiday was easy, relaxed and family friendly. Food, facilities and atmosphere were solid for the price, and staff were friendly throughout. The beds were extremely firm and uncomfortable. Aside from that, we had a fantastic time and would recommend it to families wanting a fun, good-value all-inclusive break.

We’d just got back from a week here with our three-year-old boy, and the bad reviews had made me very doubtful beforehand. I can't understand them. Lots of families we met said the same, and some of us had even considered calling TUI to change hotels. We had a fantastic holiday. The food was delicious, with good variety each night, among the best all-inclusive meals I've had. Staff went out of their way to help, and people were constantly cleaning and doing maintenance. The room was lovely, spacious and clean, with a huge patio, and ours was right by the waterpark and pool. My little boy loved the kids' club, and the staff were amazing with him and made a big effort with the children. The pools were cold, but that was expected in February. This isn't five-star luxury, just a perfect family-friendly hotel.

This is a tricky one to review. I stayed on in Lanzarote after a family holiday and booked the cheapest hotel that didn't sound itchy, so I shouldn't be too harsh. I booked a room and arrived two hours later, then found out it was all inclusive. The food went from dire on the first night, with some sort of grim oriental theme, to excellent when Spanish food was served. The drinks were awful. I went to the bar once in the evening and ordered a neat rum to see what they had. It was a strange syrup, about 12% alcohol. The accommodation was dated, though the beds were comfortable. There were lots of Asian tiger mosquitoes in the room and grounds. This tends to be caused by poor upkeep of the grounds within 100 metres of the hotel, so it’s their fault for not controlling standing water. The hotel is so cheap it attracts the sort of people who want to drink as much as possible. Most guests seemed to be Irish and French, drawn by the low price. If you know what you're booking and get it cheap, go for it. If you're one of the few families I saw arriving in nice walking gear with fresh-faced children, avoid it, as the kids' vocabulary will be a lot broader when they leave.