Hotel Lancelot

Hotel Lancelot opened in 1969, one of the first hotels built for holidaymakers in Arrecife, the island's capital, and it is still a privately owned three-star. It stands on Avenida Mancomunidad at the eastern end of Playa del Reducto, the town's beach, with the sand about a minute from the door. Arrecife is a working port town rather than a resort, which is the point: the lagoon of the Charco de San Ginés, the Castillo de San Gabriel and the bars of the old fishing quarter are 13 to 16 minutes' walk along the seafront, and the airport is seven minutes away by car.

There are about 110 rooms, renovated in a plain, modern style, with large beds, air conditioning, free wifi and a balcony or terrace. The split that matters is the view. The Double Standard is not sold with a sea view; the Double Room Sea View looks out over the beach and the bay. Single travellers get rooms of their own, sold as single-use doubles. At the top of the building are two suites, each with two separate bedrooms, a living room with a kitchen and a sea-facing terrace of about 60 m².

The money buys a beach and a roof. Up on the roof is a small pool on a sunny deck, sheltered by a high white wall with porthole windows, plus a solarium and a chill-out terrace and bar under sail canopies looking out over the town. Breakfast is a buffet, and half board is sold for those who want dinner in. On a Tuesday in June a double for two starts at about €100 a night, a sea-view double at about €120, and the price includes the beach, a sheltered rooftop pool and a town with dozens of restaurants within a kilometre. The island is small enough that a hire car puts Timanfaya, the Jameos del Agua and the Fundación César Manrique all within 40 minutes.

The trade is the one a city hotel asks for. The bars keep short hours, so evenings start in town, not at the hotel; there is no car park of its own; and some lower rooms pick up the street. Book it for a short break, a first look at the island or a week of driving out and coming back to the beach and the old town in the evening. For a self-contained resort with pools, a spa and entertainment it is the wrong hotel.