The bad and the ugly: 5 things to avoid in Puerto Calero
Irish bar with poor Guiness
Don’t go to McSorley’s in the evenings. It was overpriced for the quality of food they served and whatever they do to their Guinness, it makes it taste horrible. As we were there in March over St. Patrick’s Day, McSorley’s was our preferred choice for a pint of the black stuff and some fish and chips. The latter had sold out and our alternative choices weren’t convincing. My companion’s beef pie was overcooked, my sea-food salad came without prawns and was rather on the small side. And the worst thing: The Guinness tasted rank.
Cigarette cleaning lady
The cleaning lady who takes over the bath rooms around 7.30am. She’s very thorough and blocks the facilities for a good half-hour. Don’t touch her cleaning trolley or she might have a go at you – not that I understood what she said because she never took her cigarette out of her mouth. She uses the trolley to block the doors and it’s a sign that you either have to wait or come back later. The Solution: There is another toilet/shower block in the south-eastern corner of the marina. The showers there were much better anyway, they were usually empty and while they must be cleaned at some point, we could always use them in the mornings.
Not a place if you prefer your resorts wild and boozy
This one is neither bad nor ugly in my book, but it’s worth stressing again for people who want their holiday destination to be a party hot-spot: Puerto Calero is a rather quiet resort, especially during low season some of the bars are closed by midnight. Look for hotels in Puerto del Carmen instead, which is livelier during high season. In March, however, even the nightlife centre along the Strip was rather quiet. Lanzarote in general isn’t the best choice for party animals.
Quiet and beautiful.
Cockroaches
Cockroaches: Let me stress that cockroaches aren’t a big problem in the marina, but they are around. I saw two of them on my way to the toilets one night and they ran away to hide in the nearest drain. The marina premises are kept very clean – I have seen marinas in the UK which should take a leaf out of this marina’s book – and all things considered, spotting two water bugs in a week isn’t a big deal. Lanzarote is reasonably warm even in winter, so it’s to be expected that there would be cockroaches there.
Beach lovers be aware
No beach: This would have been a problem had I not been out on the water every day. With the Atlantic being warm enough for swimming even in early spring, the lack of a beach is a big minus. Unless you prefer the hotel swimming pool or are in Puerto Calero for sailing, you’re not going to have a many reasons to don your bikini or trunks.