LANZA BEAUTY

Canary isle destroys its grotty reputation - By Chris Johns

When my husband Steve booked us a holiday to Lanzarote I feared the worst given its cruel nickname.- "Lanza grotty" unfairly reminded me of boozy teens rampaging around the Canary Isle on Club 18-30 bar crawls.

"Never judge a book by its cover," Steve reassured me. And, much as I hate to admit it, he was spot on.

From the first morning when I drew back my curtains and stared out at the blue sea, I was surprised by its beauty. We stayed at the Lago Verde apartments in Puerto del Carmen in the south of the island.

We found a home from home in the resort's pool bar, where Steve took refuge from the "too hot" sun (more like his £2 beer was too cold!).

Staffed by Bernie, Deb and Rob it proved a great place to chill out.

The main beach was surprisingly attractive with golden sand instead of the black sand found on Tenerife.

There were plenty of sunbeds and the parasols were also a welcome relief with temperatures hitting 110 deg F in the shade. This drops to 85 deg F in late season which is plenty hot enough, although the sea breeze is a bonus.

We were spoilt for choice when eating out with Italian, Mexican, Indian and Chinese all available.

Head to the harbour and there's a host of great fish restaurants.

And walk down the back streets and you'll find Spanish restaurants filled with wonderful fresh fish and steak at bargain prices.

Puerto del Carmen is a mix of new shopping centres and old harbour life.

The harbour lies at the bottom of the shopping district and just 5 minutes walk from 2.5 miles of beach road, restaurants, cafes and a casino.

This strip of coastline reflects the high standards of the amenities and establishments on Lanzarote.

The Old Town especially has grown around the harbour just as it would have done if tourists were unknown. Yet it is within easy reach of numerous shops, bars and eateries.