Lanzarote football kicks off a new season

The summer is a long barren time for football fans, but for UD Lanzarote, it seemed an eternity as financial problems threatened the future of the club. Thankfully a rescue package was secured at the last moment and they are raring to go for another season in Segunda B, the third tier of Spanish football.

The rojillos (reds) are based in Arrecife, the capital of the island, a mere 5kms, about 15 minutes drive or bus, from Sands Beach Resort Hotel in Costa Teguise. The ground is just by the bus station and most games are at 11am on a Sunday morning, with entrance just 12 euros. The 2008/2009 home season starts on September 14 against Athletico Madrid B, and ends on May 10 against UD Merida. If you ask at Sands Beach Resort Hotel reception they will tell you when the next game is, or you can look at the official club website, check the left hand column and click on “calendario” for fixtures. For club news in English try the official club merchandise site.

There’s no reason to miss the big British league games while you are on holiday in Lanzarote, the Soleil bar in Sands Beach Resort Hotel will show televised games on a big screen, and all other major sporting events as well.

Golfers fly high in Costa Teguise

Lanzarote has a wonderful championship class golf course, and visitors to Sands Beach Resort Hotel will be pleased to know that it is in Costa Teguise, just a short chip shot from your favourite beachfront family hotel.

The amazing sea views and shady palm trees at Golf Costa Teguise are not just popular with leisure golfers, the more serious players and organisations use it to stage top tournaments. On Saturday July 19, the second round of the prestigious annual Binter competition took place under the stableford rules. Island hoppers will be familiar with the name Binter, as they are the leading airline between the Canary Islands, it’s surprisingly cheap, and very quick, to explore the Canary Islands by air.

The Lanzarote tournament produced a high standard of play and there were happy winners in the three categories, Ian Edgar Rose took one prize, and the others went to Manuel Montelongo Hernandez and Ana Maria Gonzalez Rodriquez. There are 2 more rounds to the binter tournament, in Fuerteventura and Gran Canaria.

Golfers will find Sands Beach Resort Hotel the perfect place to be, to enjoy their sport, and with so much for the rest of the family to do around the pools, and bars, the golfers can go off for their game without feeling guilty.

What´s On In July

There´s a whole host of exciting events taking place on Lanzarote during July.  Providing visitors to Sands Beach with a wide range of things to do.

 

Just up the road from Costa Teguise lies Lanzarote´s historic former capital – Teguise.  Which is currently playing host to a riotous festival of street theatre.  Featuring Riki Lopez – the renowned Spanish comedian and songwriter. All of the action is taking place in the Plaza De La Mareta – from 17.30 onwards daily.

 

Arrieta – a delightful seaside village just fifteen minutes along the coast from Costa Teguise – is playing host to this years Surfing Rock Festival, on July 19^th.  Which features an eclectic mix of board based action and live music from the likes of local favourites such as La Gallina Verde (or Green Chicken to you and me).

 

Whilst just fifteen minutes away in the opposite direction is the islands main resort of Puerto del Carmen.  Where this years Break Park Festival is being staged this weekend on the large beach at Los Pocillos, just outside the resort.

 

Break Park features loads of beach based sporting activity such as volleyball and football during the day.  Whilst come nightfall the focus switches over to live music – with a line up this year that includes Madrid based electronica favourites Wagon Cookin´ and Basque indie rockers Delorean.

 

Back in Costa Teguise itself – shopaholics can head for the resorts twice weekly market, which is held in the Pueblo Marinero every Thursday from 10.00 to 15.00 and every Friday evening from 18.00 to 24.00.  

 

Thursday’s market focuses on local artisan products, such as island wines and cheeses.  Whilst Friday nights market is bigger and brasher – with more souvenir style wares on sale.  The Pueblo Marinero is just five to ten minutes walk from Sands Beach.

 

It´s also worth noting that the summer sales are underway on the island at the moment  – so head into Arrecife for a spot of serious shopping.  The main shopping street in the island capital is Calle Leon Y Castillo and Arrecife is just ten minutes away by bus or taxi.

 

Culturally, there´s also plenty going on in and around Costa Teguise this month. With the new Jan Hendricks exhibition Badlands taking place at the Cesar Manrique Foundation in Tahcihe – running through until September 21^st.  And a festival of Opera shceduled for mid-July in the El Charco area of Arrecife.

 

To find out more about events and what´s on in Lanzarote visit the Lanzarote Guidebook website.

 

 

 

Nightlife is a cabaret at Sands Beach Resort

You’ve had a busy day on your family holiday, it’s not easy, all those choices that Sands Beach Resort Hotel present you with. Do you laze on the sunbed at one of the six pools or do you get some sand between your toes on the beach by the sea water lagoon?  Do you get a pizza for the kids to enjoy on your terrace at your luxury villa or do you eat outdoors at Mai Tai pool bar, or even indoors with La Hacienda’s buffet dinner? 

There’s no doubt that you all deserve a treat, so to avoid another tantalising choice, why not enjoy the best of both nightlife choices. The Soleil bar, with its open sided terrace, is a good place to start, there is always something going on, live sport, maybe a quiz, you could even try a cocktail as you watch a top singer. From 8pm you can pop down to the Cabaret Club to catch the kids showtime and then round things off with a top notch show. It’s all singing and dancing here, on any night you may catch Chicago or Starlight Express, all with a vibrant professional line up, what a way to round of an exciting day.

Irish lead the charge for Lanzarote tourism

The lure of Lanzarote just goes from strength to strength, new figures from the Lanzarote government show that the last 20 years has seen a whopping 43 % increase in tourism to the island of fire. That’s quite a staggering success rate, and few have taken Lanzarote to their hearts with as much passion as the Irish. In 2007 45 % of all Irish visitors, looking for the perfect family holiday in the Canary Islands, chose Lanzarote.

Sands Beach Resort Hotel in Costa Teguise have certainly noticed the increase in Irish visitors, among their wide range of regular holiday makers. The beachfront hotel has everything that is needed to make a family holiday a memorable one, and its convenient location, just over 30 minutes from Arrecife airport, and within easy reach of the main excursion attractions, ensures that visitors have the chance to absorb as much of Lanzarote life as possible.

The new long term government figures, show that there are 3 clear leaders in the places people most want to visit. Cueva de los Verdes, combines natures volcanic handiwork with the creative flair of Cesar Manrique, the architect and sculptor who has helped to shape modern Lanzarote. Jameos del Agua, again highlights that combination, and adds in some solid background knowledge of the islands volcanic legacy. Head and shoulders above them are Montañas del Fuego, the fire mountains where the volcanic flame still burns just below the surface and is demonstrated with a series of close up experiments, before a tour of the visually stunning lava fields. Sands Beach Resort Hotel offer an easy booking service for these and all the other must see sights around Lanzarote.

Irish visitors are well served by Aer Lingus, who fly in from Cork and Dublin, and their love affair with Lanzarote shows no signs of cooling off as their numbers increased by 3.9 % in the first 2 months of 2008. Northern Ireland will soon be joining the party, as from September 30, Aer Lingus will be making 8 flights a week from Belfast to Arrecife, Lanzarote.

Mini Club

 

Our new Mini Club is located directly in the Beachfront of the Resort. All children between the ages of 4 and 12 years can join any of the activities. Opening hours will be from 10:30am - 12:30pm and from 14:30pm - 16:30pm, with the exception of every Thurday when it will be closed due to the Entertainment Team not working during the day, although the Night Entertainment will still be on ( for more information please look under Night Entertainment).

All activities will be guided throughout by two of our entertainers to include things such as Handycraft, from Postcards to Paperflowers, and of course play several games such as bowling, football or sack race. In the late afternoon children will have some form of water activity either in our private Lagune or in our Pool in the Mai Tai Bar. Games such as Waterpolo, Waterbasket and Waterbingo will definitely keep them busy and happy!