Review: César Lanzarote

Why book?

We have long celebrated the classic hotels on Lanzarote, like the Princesa Yaiza Suite Hotel Resort, Secrets Lanzarote Resort & Spa by AMR Collection, the modern and elegant Fariones, and the epic Paradisus Salinas Lanzarote by Meliá, a jewel of contemporary architecture signed by Fernando Higueras and César Manrique, and now it’s time to talk about this great new addition. The little hotel is full of exciting surprises that provide a different perspective on the island. Why book? Because if you haven’t been to Lanzarote yet, it’s time for your first visit. And if you have been already, it is time to rediscover it through the lens of this new property.

Set the scene

On the slopes of Los Volcanoes Natural Park and La Geria, an area known for its volcanic landscapes, the hotel also sits alongside the coast near Puerto Calero. Debora Díaz, the charming reception manager, tells us as soon as we arrive: “We want our guests to feel that they are at home, truly at home. Our focus is on attending to our guests, but also giving them space. We are at their disposal as much as they want us to be.”

The large, organically shaped swimming pool, which resembles a small lake more than a hotel pool, invites guests to enjoy the tranquil setting. The hammocks, arranged in semicircles that echo the stone walls used to protect the vineyards from the Atlantic winds, also offer a respite. The spaciousness of the estate allows for walks among the olive trees and through its orchards while 13 of the 20 rooms have private terraces and its interior courtyards are full of plants that enhance the prevailing green.

Virginia Nieto was entrusted with the interior design, as she has been with the rest of the Numa Signature hotels. When we meet her while she is checking on some final details a few days before opening date, she confirms what is apparent: for César she wanted “the colours and the wild nature of Lanzarote to fill every corner.” That shaped the palette of green and white and the use of an abundance of natural finishes – stone, wood, linen – with a clear organic vision for this interior garden.

In the central courtyard that forms the spine of the hotel, a wealth of plants dominate, but there are also colossal lamps designed by Nieto. She has designed everything, in fact, from the circular rugs to the soft velvet sofas, but she admits that lamps are her passion. The hotel’s snow-white façade is only interrupted by volcanic lava walls and trim and the iconic green of the doors and windows. It’s a typical colour found all over the island as owners used paint leftover after fishermen had painted their boats. Alexis Betancor was in charge of the building’s engineering and other operational details.

The backstory

The house operated as a school for many years, but it was also the home of Gumersindo Manrique, César’s father, and pays homage to him in one of its rooms – specifically, the one we stayed in during our visit. The estate’s old vineyards, planted with Malvasia grapes, have been restored and the hotel is already on its way to producing its own wine with an initial production of 1,200 bottles; the eventual goal is to produce more than 40,000 bottles annually. The bodega also gathers grapes from different terroirs on the island, which await their moment to be incorporated into wines aging in earthenware jars or French oak barrels. The olive trees have only recently been planted, but the hotel hopes to offer its own oil by the end of next year.

The rooms

The 20 rooms are all different, though all have views of the ocean or the volcanoes (or both); 13 of them have private terraces. Although they all share some common themes that Nieto used to unite the different strands of her tapestry, each also has its own distinct personality. Some floors are made with cement tiles, either plain or painted with patterns, and others are made of bamboo. All have many plants, the bathrooms are always made of delicate polished cement in natural tones, and the sheets are 400-thread-count cotton. The Portuguese towels are made of soft 100 per cent cotton with the hotel’s logo embroidered in green. All 20 rooms have minibars, coffee makers, hairdryers, heating and air conditioning, and bottled water.

Food and drink

Juanjo López, owner of the celebrated La Tasquita de Enfrente restaurant in Madrid and a culinary ambassador for Spanish cuisine, oversees the gastronomic offerings at all the Numa Signature Hotels. We expect what he has created for César will soon be recognised and celebrated. The resort’s executive chef, Alejandro Martín, highlights the value of local produce following López’s refined preparations, which are even more powerful given their remarkable simplicity. A meal may start with a selection of excellent fish and shellfish – anchovies, mussels, clams, and scallops – along with caviar from Barcelona-based Real Caviar, which works with small producers from different countries. They provide limited batches of caviar while paying special attention to sturgeons’ diets and the different nuances in flavor depending on their origin.

Not all the dishes come from the sea. We had to try the black Canarian suckling pig; the rabbit with salmorejo, a traditional Andalusian soup (we are ready to return to the hotel just to order this dish again); the tortilla de ropa vieja (an omelette with stewed beef), and the pigeon Wellington. Or, as López puts it, “the smallest Wellington in the world.” But the sea reigns supreme on the menu, of course, with scorpion fish served with kneaded gofio, fried moray chips, and the carabinero or deepwater prawn, prepared en papillote or with eggs and potatoes, a favourite from the menus at sister hotels Amagatay and Morvedra Nou.

Local wines and other options are well represented in the cellar, with nods to small producers and natural wines. But with López in charge you know that Champagne will be flowing – here it comes from Bruno Paillard.

The service

The general manager, Sébastien Jover, is an enthusiastic and passionate hotelier who, after working in Egypt, Mallorca, and other properties on Lanzarote, has come here to manage a team of 30 people, most of them young and many of them local. Debora Díaz is head of reception and also in charge of details such as transferring guests to and from the airport via Land Rover. She also gave us a crash course in the operation of the various controls in our room. In the kitchen, Martín and his team follow the standards set by López, adventurous and demanding as few others chefs are.

Eco effort

Álvaro Sasiambarrena, cofounder of Numa Signature Hotels, proudly shows us the solar panels that generate the energy needed for the hotel as well as the desalination plant that helps to alleviate the demand for water on Lanzarote. The heated swimming pool is treated with non-chemical products. The property also grows its own crops that supply the hotel kitchen. Finca Machinda, an agricultural company that produces fruit and vegetables for local consumption and does not use herbicides or chemicals, and instead only organic fertilizers, is in charge of the surplus, as well as supplying other produce. The company does not use genetically modified seeds or seedlings and they are also working to recover seeds from local varieties of produce, such as dryland pumpkins, Lanzarote onions, and a number of grains.

Accessibility

The building, although it is only two floors, has a lift. One of the rooms is equipped for disabled people and the swimming pool, which is borderless and has an increasing depth emulating the seashore, is easily accessible.

Wellness

The open-air gym, which was about to be completed during our visit, should make exercise appealing even if you often find working out a chore. Massages are available by appointment, and beginning in December there will be sunrise yoga classes by the pool. Guests can use electric bicycles free of charge for excursions around the island, and golf enthusiasts have an 18-hole golf course nearby. Not to mention the myriad of water sports on offer on the island – just ask and they’ll help you with whatever you need. As a curious aside, Sasiambarrena reminds me that the Ironman Lanzarote is very famous, an annual triathlon event that has been held at the end of May every year since 1992. Athletes come from all over the world, in part because the event is considered ideal preparation for the Ironman Hawaii World Championship later in the year.

Anything else to mention?

We have already said that there is more to little César than meets the eye – much more. It can accommodate events – corporate events, weddings, and other celebrations for up to 300 people. In addition, at the time of writing, they were finalizing the details for a communal table that will sit in front of a large grill and allow guests to enjoy an al fresco meal with ocean views. There are also a few other surprises that we are not allowed to share quite yet. Instead, you’ll have to go and see and experience the hotel in person, and then you will understand its welcoming embrace in the shadow of a volcano.