insideKENT Magazine Issue 170 - June 2026 | Page 149

TRAVEL all-inclusive dining can feel repetitive or transactional, but here there is genuine care and investment in the experience. Newly introduced kitchen spaces( including a temperaturecontrolled pasta room, chocolate and patisserie room, and vast food stores to manage the sporadic deliveries to this tiny island where even Amazon Prime’ s fastest delivery can take four weeks …) bring top-notch ingredients, theatre and freshness to the buffet restaurants, particularly around the live cooking stations. Rotisserie chicken turns slowly under golden heat, smashburgers are served sizzling from the grill and pizzas emerge from ovens with dough made fresh in-house each day. Pasta dishes are prepared to order, sauces tossed through steaming pans, while chefs chat easily with guests. The scale remains generous, but the quality and attention to detail elevate it beyond expectation.
Alongside the main buffet offering sits the hotel’ s bookable à la carte restaurant. Arroz y Fuego or‘ Rice and Fire’ for those needing the translation is exactly that. Open-fire cooking sits at the heart of the concept, flames flickering beside enormous pans of deeply fragrant paella with dishes such as wood fire-roasted Canarian goat competing for attention alongside flame-licked octopus and mushroom paella. The smoky depth achieved through fire cooking brought extraordinary richness to the dishes, with beautifully handled seafood tasting intensely fresh. It was atmospheric without trying too hard, but in a space that felt‘ proper restaurant’ rather than resort add-on. Our evening easily stretched into long conversations, another bottle of Canarian red and yet one more showcase sharing dish.
The hotel is also increasingly leaning into experience-led hospitality. A new behindthe-scenes tour of the property offered a fascinating insight into the redesign and daily operation of the resort, from sustainability initiatives to how many people it takes to launder and fold the towels, which offered a far deeper appreciation for the detail often missed during a standard stay.
Equally memorable was the wine-tasting experience, which celebrated the island’ s unique volcanic terrier and viticulture. Guided through a white, rosé and red Canarian wine, we learned how Lanzarote’ s mineralrich volcanic soils and dramatic growing conditions shape the character of each bottle. The tasting was relaxed and informative rather than overly formal, and brilliantly showcased just how distinctive Canarian wines can be.
The spa provides a quieter counterpoint to the energy of the restaurants, experiences and pools. Using Natura Bissé products throughout treatments as well as opening for afternoon sauna and cold plunge sessions, it felt polished and luxurious without losing the resort’ s grounded warmth.
What Seaside Los Jameos achieves so successfully is cohesion. The design, food, activities, atmosphere and service all feel connected to Lanzarote itself rather than imported into it. Much like Manrique’ s work across the island, the hotel respects its surroundings while still creating something contemporary, memorable and cleverly suitable for a myriad of guests from young families to couples in need of an escape.
In a destination often dominated by generic resorts, Seaside Los Jameos was a refreshing find. Artistic without being pretentious, luxurious without excess and family-friendly without compromise, it captured the spirit of Lanzarote beautifully.
los-jameos. com seasidelosjameos
JAMEOS DEL AGUA
Created by legendary Lanzarote artist César Manrique in 1966, Jameos del Agua is one of the island’ s most iconic attractions. Built within a volcanic lava tube formed by the eruption of Monte Corona, the extraordinary cultural space offers visitors the chance to explore subterranean caves, lush volcanic gardens, a striking turquoise pool, a natural lagoon home to blind albino crabs found nowhere else on earth, an auditorium carved into the rock and explore incredible gallery spaces. Open daily 10am- 6pm with adult tickets costing approx. € 17. Discover why Lanzarote should be your next destination and more places like Jameos del Agua to explore at Turismo Lanzarote turismolanzarote. com / en VisitLanzarote.
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