Hotel Riu Paraiso Lanzarote: Reviews, Location & Verdict

Anyone weighing up a Canary Islands winter escape has probably seen Hotel Riu Paraiso Lanzarote in a package-holiday search or two. It sits on Playa de los Pocillos with a 24-hour all-inclusive plan and a guest rating around 4.2 out of 5 on TripAdvisor.

Guest Rating: 4.2 / 5 (TripAdvisor) · Pools: 4 outdoor + 2 children’s (RIU official listing) · Restaurants: 3 (buffet + themed options) (TripAdvisor listing) · Beach distance: ~100 m on booking pages; official listing: ~30 m (RIU official) · All-Inclusive: Yes, 24-hour (RIU official) · Location: Puerto del Carmen, Lanzarote

Nine rows, one pattern: the official description consistently sells the same product — a beachfront, 24-hour all-inclusive with enough facilities to keep most guests on-site. The figures below come from RIU’s official property page and the hotel’s TripAdvisor listing.

What are people saying about the Hotel Riu Paraiso Lanzarote?

Guest feedback on Riu Paraiso clusters around a few repeat themes: a beachfront position, an all-inclusive package that delivers, and a property that some travellers find a little dated in places.

Positive guest feedback

• Cleanliness and staff friendliness are the two most consistent positives in recent reviews (guest reviews on TripAdvisor)
• Value for money is another recurring theme — reviewers typically feel they got more than the room rate promised (TripAdvisor listing)

That combination matters more here than it would at a boutique hotel. The typical Riu Paraiso guest is buying a straightforward deal — beach, board and no surprises — and the review pattern says most of them get exactly that.

Common complaints

• Some guests mention dated decor in parts of the property (TripAdvisor listing)
• At 598 rooms, the resort is a large, busy operation rather than an intimate one (TripAdvisor listing)

Neither complaint is a dealbreaker for most reviewers, but both matter if the shortlist also includes a smaller adults-only property. The key is to read the newest reviews first, since they reflect the current state of the rooms.

Overall sentiment from TripAdvisor and booking sites

• TripAdvisor’s listing shows a 4-star property, open year-round, with a guest rating around 4.2 / 5 (TripAdvisor listing)
• The official hotel page advertises free Wi-Fi, a spa, a gym, live shows and a nightclub (official RIU listing)

The overall read is “solid value” rather than “wow”. Guests rarely describe the hotel as the most glamorous on the island; they describe it as the one that makes a family holiday easy.

What part of Lanzarote is Riu Paraíso?

Riu Paraiso sits in Los Pocillos, the broad sandy stretch at the southern end of Puerto del Carmen, on Lanzarote’s southeast coast. The official RIU listing gives the address as Calle Suiza 4 in Puerto del Carmen, Tías (RIU’s official property listing).

Los Pocillos area

• Positioned behind a broad beachfront promenade at Playa de los Pocillos (United Vacations’ hotel description)
• Official listing puts the hotel approximately 30 metres from the sand (RIU official)

Los Pocillos is the relaxed, family-friendly end of Puerto del Carmen: the beach opens out, the promenade runs wide, and the front-line hotels sit directly behind the sand. It is a quieter mood than the Old Town harbour further north.

Proximity to Puerto del Carmen

• Puerto del Carmen’s main strip is about 2 km from the hotel (TripAdvisor listing)
• Los Pocillos gives you beach and strip in the same stay, without staying on top of the nightlife

In practice, that means the evening bars and restaurants are close enough to reach without committing to a room above the noise. The location is the hotel’s quietest selling point.

Transport links and surroundings

• The TripAdvisor listing puts Lanzarote Airport (ACE) about 8 km away and describes Timanfaya Nature Reserve as nearby (TripAdvisor listing)
• The official listing also advertises a spa, gym and RIU Fit activities for guests who want more than the beach (RIU official)

An 8 km transfer is short enough that the holiday starts before the first drink order; Timanfaya’s volcanic landscape is close enough for a day trip without moving hotels.

Twelve specs, one pattern: this is a self-contained resort built for week-long stays. The figures come from the official RIU listing and the hotel’s TripAdvisor listing.

What is the best all-inclusive hotel in Lanzarote?

There is no single best all-inclusive hotel in Lanzarote, but the choice narrows fast once the travellers are named. The table below maps Riu Paraiso against the island’s two other main resort bases.

Five factors, one pattern: Riu Paraiso wins on beach-and-strip balance, Playa Blanca wins on calm and polish, and Costa Teguise suits travellers who trade sun for quieter evenings. Area descriptions come from Lanzarote’s official tourism site; Riu Paraiso figures come from RIU’s official listing.

For travellers at the upscale end of that spectrum, Playa Blanca is the sharper choice — the island’s most polished resort area, including couples-focused properties like Secrets Lanzarote (Lanzarote’s official tourism site). Riu Paraiso answers a different brief: maximum holiday for a sensible price, with beach and nightlife both within reach.

In short: if a calm, couples-only retreat is the goal, the downsides outweigh the upsides. If the goal is a beachfront all-inclusive that keeps children entertained and the airport close, the upsides win by a wide margin.

The catch: the best all-inclusive title is a traveller-profile question. Riu Paraiso’s strongest profile is a family or value-focused couple who plan to spend most of the day at the pool or on the beach.

The best all-inclusive title depends on the traveller profile. Riu Paraiso suits families and value-seeking couples; Playa Blanca suits those wanting calm.

What is the nicest part of Lanzarote to stay in?

Most first-time visitors choose between Playa Blanca, Puerto del Carmen and Costa Teguise, and each one answers a different travel brief.

Playa Blanca: the upscale pick

• Lanzarote’s official tourism site describes Playa Blanca as the island’s upscale southern resort, with calmer beaches and a more laid-back evening scene (Lanzarote’s official tourism site)

It is the closest thing Lanzarote has to the “posh part” that travel forums keep asking about. The trade-off is that Playa Blanca is quieter by design; travellers who want a lively strip should not expect one here.

Puerto del Carmen: the lively, central option

• The island’s main resort hub, with the longest strip of bars and restaurants (Lanzarote’s official tourism site)
• Riu Paraiso sits at its southern end, in Los Pocillos (RIU’s official listing)

Puerto del Carmen works best for travellers who want beach plus nightlife in the same stay, and Los Pocillos gives that balance without putting the room above a bar.

Where to be careful

• Northern resorts such as Orzola are cooler and windier, so they suit winter-sun holidays less well (Wikipedia’s Lanzarote article)
• The UK Foreign Office publishes Spain travel advice that covers Lanzarote; wording changes, so it is the reference to check before booking (UK Foreign Office travel advice)

The practical cautions are less about safety than about matching an area’s mood to expectations: wind, evening noise and resort polish are the real variables.

What this means: the “nicest part” answer depends on tolerance for evening noise and appetite for upscale rooms — the same three bases answer both questions.

Which side of Lanzarote is warmer?

Lanzarote’s weather varies more by coast than by island. The south and west run consistently warmer and more sheltered, while the exposed north and east catch more of the trade winds (Wikipedia’s Lanzarote article).

Southern resorts (Playa Blanca, Puerto del Carmen)

• South-facing resorts get more direct winter sun (Wikipedia’s Lanzarote article)
• Riu Paraiso’s Los Pocillos position sits in the southeast’s sheltered stretch (RIU official)
• Playa Blanca, as the southernmost base, tends to be the warmest (Lanzarote’s official tourism site)

For a winter-sun trip, that makes the south the default choice — which is also where most of the island’s large all-inclusives are concentrated.

Eastern vs western coast

• Trade winds hit the north and east coasts more directly (Wikipedia’s Lanzarote article)
• Western and southern-facing coasts feel noticeably less windy (Wikipedia’s Lanzarote article)

Resorts on the east coast are still sunny; the difference is a persistent breeze rather than cold air. It matters most on a beach day in January.

Microclimates and wind patterns

• Volcanic terrain creates local weather pockets, so conditions can differ between resorts a few kilometres apart (Wikipedia’s Lanzarote article)
• Southern hotels see higher winter temperatures and lighter winds, which is why they dominate the winter-sun market (Lanzarote’s official tourism site)

When one Lanzarote review mentions wind and another mentions calm, this is why: orientation matters more than the calendar.

The implication: if winter sun is the point, choose south. Riu Paraiso’s Los Pocillos address already puts you inside the favourable zone.

What’s confirmed and what’s still unclear

The official claims about Riu Paraiso are well documented; the gaps show up in the details travellers actually care about.

The pattern: what Riu Paraiso promises is documented well; what it does not promise is where the unknowns live. Ask the hotel directly about menu rotations, refurbishment status and premium inclusions before paying.

Guest and official voices

“24-hour all-inclusive service” and a position “approximately 30 metres” from Playa de los Pocillos are the two headline promises of the official listing.

RIU Hotels & Resorts — official property description

“Cleanliness is frequently praised” in recent guest reviews, and staff friendliness comes up again and again, even when the decor is described as dated.

TripAdvisor guest reviews — Hotel Riu Paraiso Lanzarote

The hotel is “positioned behind a broad beachfront promenade at Playa de los Pocillos”, which is why the beach access reads better than the raw metre count.

United Vacations — hotel description

The consistent thread across all three: nothing about this hotel is hidden. The product is a beachfront, all-inclusive resort, and the conversation is about polish rather than misrepresentation.

How to choose: Riu Paraiso or another Lanzarote resort

Riu Paraiso Lanzarote is a straightforward product: a beachfront, 24-hour all-inclusive with four pools, a strong family offer and an airport transfer measured in minutes (RIU official · TripAdvisor listing). Travellers who want quiet, upscale evenings will find more satisfaction in Playa Blanca (Lanzarote’s official tourism site). For a family or value-focused couple flying into ACE, the choice is clear: book Riu Paraiso for the beach-and-strip balance, or pick Playa Blanca if a calm, polished room is worth more than a fourth pool.

Frequently asked questions

If a specific date or room type matters, the safest move is to email the hotel directly before booking.