Seen from the outside, the Beatriz Costa & Spa looks more like a business hotel than a family-friendly all-inclusive in Lanzarote. Its boxy shape, huge green-stained windows, and flag-flanked entrance give it a slight convention center feel that continues in the striking atrium-style lobby, which features exterior elevators and big carpeted staircases. The corporate feel, though, finds some balance in the lush indoor gardens covering the entire lower level of the building. Towering palm trees, creepers, and tropical plants decorate hallways and bars, and a man-made stream with a waterfall blurs the line between the indoors and the outdoors.

Unlike the lobby, the outdoor areas have a casual beachy style that caters more to vacationing guests than to business travelers. Palm trees line the pool deck, and white stone paths run through dark-sand gardens dotted with tropical flowers and volcanic stones. The main deck offers serene mountain views, along with a big snack bar, two pools, and an outdoor whirlpool. An activity program is offered daily around the pools and in the gardens, but the atmosphere is generally mellow, especially in the winter months, when the hotel draws mostly older couples from the U.K. and Spain. 

Opened in 1995, the hotel is far from sparkling new, but during our visit the carpets in restaurants and stairs were being replaced as part of an ongoing refurbishment program that is slowly updating the least fashionable elements in common areas. Hotel Beatriz Costa & Spa has average rates for an older mid-range all-inclusive located outside of the city center, but it is also worth considering the Barcelo Lanzarote Resort and the Vitalclass Lanzarote Sport & Wellness Resort, both of which have similar rates and are also a little away from the action in Costa Teguise. Travelers looking to stay closer to the ocean may want to compare rates at Hotel Grand Teguise Playa, which offers direct access to lovely Las Cucharas Beach.

Hotel Beatriz Costa & Spa is located across the street from a huge empty plot of land on the edge of Costa Teguise, a popular beachside community a little north of Lanzarote’s capital city Arrecife. There are a couple of casual cafes a 10-minute stroll away, but little else can be found within easy walking distance. The nearest beach is Los Charcos, located just over 15 minutes away on foot, but the hotel also offers free shuttle service several times a day to sandier Las Cucharas. The city center and its wide array of dining, drinking and shopping options is about a 20-minute walk away. Pueblo Marinero, a small square lined with restaurants and bars, and adjacent to two of Costa Teguise’s main drags, is about a 25-minute walk from the hotel. Arrecife, home to a handful of historic and cultural attractions -- including San Gabriel and San Jose castles, La Recova Market, and the 18th-century San Gines Church -- is a 15-minute drive away. The hotel is 35 minutes from Parque Nacional de Timanfaya, home to several stunning volcanos and a must-see on any trip to Lanzarote. The airport is just about 15 minutes away by car.

The hotel’s 346 rooms are spacious and light, with large windows opening onto furnished balconies, many offering panoramic mountain views. But they're in need of a facelift. Green wall-to-wall carpet, pastel pink textured walls, blue-and-yellow striped curtains, and beige bedspreads with flower designs make rooms feel old-fashioned and bland. Burl wood-style headboards with fluted details don’t help either. Still, many guests seem to like the rooms’ homey style and the extra soundproofing the carpets provide. Rooms are also a little more sparsely equipped than some similarly priced hotels in the area, with only flat-screen TVs and air-conditioning as standard amenities. Mini-fridges, safes, and Wi-Fi all come with an extra charge, and electric kettles are not provided.

Bathrooms are clean and simple, with generic white-and-gray tiles on walls and floors, and marble-like finishes on counters. They all feature shower/tub combos with glass screens (which is a welcome departure from the older plastic curtains in many other hotels in the area), wall-mounted hairdryers, and a few toiletries. All bathrooms also come with extras such as shoeshine sponges, combs, and plastic shower caps.

Some units may get noise from the evening entertainment, especially the ones right above Niagara Bar.

The main restaurant serves a wide buffet spread for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It can sit a couple hundred guests at once, but its open layout, with two separate areas for cold items -- one on either side of the dining room; a central section for hot food; and several show cooking stations allow for a less crowded feel. There are always meat, fish, pasta, and vegetable dishes, but some guests complain that the spread doesn't vary much. 

In addition to the typical buffet fare, there are themed buffet-style dinners served each night, focusing on a different world cuisine, including Central European, Thai, Italian, Japanese, and Indian. This is included for both all-inclusive and half-board guests. Guests are asked to refrain from using shorts and swimwear in the main restaurant, but those looking to have a quick bite in a more casual atmosphere can also have lunch at the poolside snack bar, which offers sandwiches, salads, and a small buffet. Drinks are available at the snack bar, Manila Piano Bar, and Niagara Bar. 

The all-inclusive package covers all food and local drinks during the day and the evening, but it is not 24/7. Half-board rates include breakfast and dinner, though half-board guests should note that drinks around the pool are not included, and neither are coffee or tea at dinner; it might be a better value to upgrade to the all-inclusive plan. Room service is available until late at night for a fee.

One of the hotel’s top highlights are its two outdoor pools. They’re both large and clean, and one is heated year-round. The deck around them is pleasant and relaxing, with mountain views, several dozen loungers and straw umbrellas, and a small whirlpool. There is also a small plunge pool for toddlers. The hotel has a strict no-reservation policy for loungers that is enforced every morning by the lifeguard. 

Housed in a cute glass-enclosed space with a tent-style roof, the kids’ club offers plenty of daily activities for children 4 to 12 years old. There is also some entertainment for kids before the adults’ show, a cute wooden playground with sand, swings and slides, and a small game room with arcade machines.

Located inside the spa, the fitness center offers a handful of cardio and strength-training machines for a basic workout. It is a little worn and dated, with bright orange linoleum floors and colorful walls, but renovations are expected to begin in 2017. Additionally, the hotel features two tennis courts, a crazy golf course (aka mini-golf), and rental bikes for a fee. Daily activities such as archery, ping-pong, darts, and some fitness classes are available outdoors when the weather is nice, and indoors when it rains.

Hotel Beatriz Costa & Spa hosts numerous events every year, ranging from first communions and weddings, to corporate meetings of different sizes. Its two large halls can be divided into several smaller meeting rooms, all with their own audiovisual equipment. There is also a private restaurant for events, and coffee break catering services for meetings. 

Soft music and incense welcome guests at the hotel's two-floor spa. Roman-style reliefs and murals decorate the walls in the reception area, while big windows offer views of the large saltwater thalassotherapy area, complete with whirlpools, hot and cold showers, an ice fountain, a Turkish bath, and a sauna. The wellness center also features several pleasant treatment rooms, some with natural light and some lit by candles for added relaxation. All treatments are performed using natural oils. Couples can rent a special room for private treatments with extras such as flowers and cava, and romantic decor. 

Access to the spa is free for all-inclusive guests, and all other guests are offered huge discounts on the price paid by non-guests.