Playa Grande Puerto del Carmen Share Pool

The routine around the pool was impressively consistent: it was power-washed each night and cleaned in the morning, while the groundsmen were always touching up paint and spraying the plants. From arrival to departure, the staff, cleanliness, safety, pool and location all worked well for us. We had a great stay and will definitely return.

Being on a hillside means ramps and steps all over the complex, so it won't work for wheelchairs or prams. The rooms on the west side are surrounded by bins and smell bad, and being right beside the old town bars means noise all night. The place felt dirty and neglected: cat mess everywhere, cockroaches, water stains on the buildings and footpaths that need a deep clean. Rooms are dated and dirty too, and need a full refurb. These are the worst apartments we've stayed in in Lanzarote. Not a nice place. Avoid.

We were left in the street by the jet2holiday bus instead of being dropped at the accommodation. We had six suitcases and no idea where the place was, with steep uphill and downhill roads, dangerous heat and cars passing by. When we reached reception there was no help carrying anything. The residence itself is on slopes and stairs, with no ramps to make moving luggage easier. A rude, older blond woman showed us to the apartment and then left us to it. We wanted to run as soon as we got inside. It was hot, the air conditioning didn't work, the furniture was old and broken, and there were dead bugs on the beds. Water dripped, the fridge was dirty, old and faulty, the walls were damp, and the curtains and surfaces were very dirty. A locked door inside connected to the apartment next door. The beds were hard and uncomfortable. We went back to complain and said we couldn't stay in a place like that, especially for the price I'd paid. While I listed the dirt, the woman seemed more interested in watching fireworks and gave me no help. After I begged for another option, she said she couldn't do anything and maybe they'd find a solution the next day. She got annoyed, turned her back and shut the door on us. There are cameras. We spent our first vacation night sitting on chairs without sleeping. We called jet2holiday, but they only answered after hours. We said we wanted to go home, and they asked us for even more money for plane tickets after we'd already paid for the vacation. That wasn't right or fair. They found another option the next morning, but it didn't meet our expectations either. As soon as we entered, a giant cockroach came out. The front door was badly broken, especially at the sides, as if it had been forced open by burglars. The furniture was old and broken, there were few amenities, and the walls had mold. The very old air conditioning still didn't work properly, so we suffered in the heat inside and outside. There was a foul sewer smell, the toilet flush was broken, and the place was full of sewer bugs, dirt and cockroaches, especially on the terrace, which was open to the outside. The mattresses were hard and uncomfortable again, and the cleaning service was useless and only did a superficial job. I had to buy cleaning products, sprays, detergent and cockroach traps just to live with some dignity. Apartments should come with certain basics, like others I've stayed in. Children upstairs ran and jumped at all hours, and people passing by talked loudly in the middle of the night and woke us. The pools were very dirty and there were no rules: people didn't wear caps or shower first, and the showers weren't being used. The water and pool edges said it all. It was disgusting. I ran away from the area because it was full of giant flying cockroaches, and I couldn't even go for a walk without finding them all over me. Strangely, they were rare outside. They could at least have done pest control. The place was neglected and quite expensive, and not worth the money. On the last day, they wouldn't let us stay four extra hours in the apartment, even though I would have paid 80 euros because our flight was at 9:00 pm. They made us leave at noon, saying they believed it would be occupied right away. But Apartment 109 was still empty at 6 PM, when we took a taxi to the airport. They left us on the street at noon in scorching heat, despite my quite serious health problems. And finally, they robbed me!

The bad reviews had me worried about seeing our apartment, but I ended up happy with the place and didn't run into any problems. The location and service were good. Desk service was decent, and the cleaning was okay enough to put up with, though I wouldn't call it great. The snack bar staff, both the woman and the man, were especially cheerful and pleasant, and happy to have a laugh. The food there was great too, with plenty of choice. I highly recommend it.