HL Paradise Island Hotel- Playa Blanca, Lanzarote

A hotel recommendation abroad!!

Going abroad is always very difficult as a coeliac, as it means trying to explain to restaurant owners/ waiters about our dietary requirements.

It can be very difficult and I have been to some countries and hotels where I haven't had good experiences.

However!! When booking this holiday we wanted it to be all inclusive but that also catered for Coeliacs, so I could still enjoy all the buffets!! We went through the travel agent, Hays Travel in Aylsham. They were fantastic at listening to what we needed and discussing with the hotels my situation and what they could offer. We came across Paradise Island in Lanzarote, who told us they could provide me with a gluten free menu, in which I could choose what menu items I wanted on there, so that I had something different to eat every breakfast, lunch and tea time!

This sounded amazing but of course I was unsure and worried about being glutened in a different country, especially because my symptoms are so severe and would have me in bed for a few days. Not ideal!!

Hays Travel helped us to speak to the hotel manager who arranged my menu for me according to the meals that I preferred.

On our first evening meal at the hotel, we introduced ourselves to the hotel manager in the restaurant who knew exactly who we were and what my requirements were. He provided me with my menu and proceeded to take me round the entire hotel buffet, showing me that foods were labelled with allergens on display, and what parts of it I could eat etc. He then said I could have whatever gluten free items I wanted off the buffet and he would go and get my precooked meal for me. Every meal time I was served from the kitchen with whatever item I chose off my menu.

They weren't even just offering me salad and chicken!! I had pizza with many different toppings, different types of pasta, burgers, chicken nuggets and chips etc.! Proper meals! I genuinely couldn't believe that a hotel abroad was so aware of my circumstances and could offer me so much!

We stayed in this hotel for 10 days and ate in the restaurant every breakfast, lunch and dinner. I did not get 1 symptom the entire stay! I cant recommend this hotel enough!!

SO........ if your looking for somewhere in the Canary Islands with massive amount of knowledge on coeliac disease, then this is the place to be !

Thank you so much to the hotel staff at Paradise Island for being so amazing, but also to Hays Travel for helping us to find a hotel that catered for me and dealing with the hotel manager when sorting out my menu.

Jess xxx