The new European resorts where luxury comes with a side order of culture
THE buzzword for your holidays this year? Going local.
Imagine having the very best of your destination come to you.
Food, drink, entertainment, culture – straight from the community into your hotel.
Plus, local guides meeting you in the lobby to introduce you to the surrounding area.
That’s what’s on offer with Paradisus by Meliá hotels.
They’re renowned for taking everything you’d want from a luxury hotel, and then immersing it in the local culture and natural beauty of the destination.
So if you want to really connect with the place you’re staying in, these are the resorts for you.
We’re talking about immersive cultural sessions, craft workshops and masterclasses about the local way of life.
About tours with local guides who really get you off the beaten track, leading you into national parks, on trekking expeditions and getting you up close to nature.
And about dinners out in the local community – even on an all-inclusive package.
Even better, all Paradisus by Meliá hotels are sustainably built, with steps taken to reduce their carbon footprint.
And you can see the local surroundings reflected in the design, from the lobby to the rooms to the all-important pool.
If you already know Meliá Hotels & Resorts, you’ll be aware that they’re one of the best brands for modern luxury – but Paradisus by Meliá properties take things a step further, by bringing your destination to you.
Until now, you’ve only been able to find Paradisus by Meliá hotels in the Caribbean, but for 2023, they’re opening resorts in two of our favourite European destinations: Gran Canaria and Lanzarote.
Both properties are working with holiday experts Travel Republic to create the trip of your dreams – a luxurious five-star nature retreat, thoroughly embedded in the local culture.
Travel Republic is highly rated on Trustpilot, plus they’re members of Abta (the UK’s leading association of travel agents) and Atol, meaning you’re completely protected when you book your holiday with them.
Here’s what to expect in these new Canary Islands retreats.
Paradisus Gran Canaria
Pick a sea-view room and you’ll be able to hear the waves from your bed at this five-star nature retreat, opening in March on the southern coast of Gran Canaria, right on San Agustin beach.
And it’s not just the waves you’re here for – if you head inland, 43% of the island is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, with trails leading straight into the wilderness.
Here, being in touch with nature doesn’t mean giving up on luxury. From the minute you step inside the boho-luxe lobby, you’re surrounded by soothing wood and marble, with trees and lush foliage everywhere, inside and out.
If you’re up for Instagramming, you’re in luck: bedrooms bring the outside in with plenty of wood, rattan and natural fabrics, while the resort’s seven restaurants are super-stylish.
Italian trattoria MasCalzone has timber-clad walls and a wood-fired pizza oven, while the retro Culinary Market blends five world cuisines, from Spanish to Mexican, with ceiling-height palms and chic mid-century-style seating.
It’s a Destination Inclusive resort, meaning that as well as all your meals, activities that immerse you in the local area are included in the price of your room.
Travelling as a family? Pick an upgraded Nikté room and you’ll enjoy priority reservations for restaurants and activities, a concierge and turndown service, access to the spa’s water circuit, plus a guided experience outside the resort – as well as extra touches in the rooms and suites, including even a private sundeck.
If you’re after some adults-only luxury, choose The Reserve. Rooms and suites at this top level get you into private, child-free areas of the hotel – including an exclusive pool and beach club for guests of The Reserve. You’ll check in and out in a private lounge, where snacks, coffee and premium-brand drinks are on tap (from 11am to 10pm), and breakfast is served in perfect tranquillity – it’s just you and the ocean.
Afraid of missing out? Don’t worry – The Reserve rooms come with a VIP concierge to ensure you’re making the most of your stay.
Whichever room you pick, we’ve got good news for your carbon footprint – the hotel has won an award for its sustainable refurbishment.
Its energy rating has rocketed by two levels due to the introduction of geothermal energy, cutting back on water use, and minimising emissions from everything from lighting to air-con.
This saves around 490 tonnes of CO2 emissions each year – so all you have to do is lie back and connect with nature.
Paradisus Salinas Lanzarote
With its volcano cones, lakes and black sand beaches, Lanzarote has long been an ecotourism paradise.
This is an island where you can have a typical beach holiday, but also go hiking through nature reserves and national parks, dodging spouting geysers or trekking across a volcano peak.
The May opening of the five-star, adults-only Paradisus Salinas Lanzarote will make it even easier to combine a dream luxury holiday with full immersion in nature.
And it’ll plunge you right into the spirit of Lanzarote from the moment you walk through the door – the hotel itself was designed by Fernando Higueras and César Manrique, 20th-century architects who turned the island of Lanzarote into a design paradise, where modernist buildings melt into the landscape.
Manriquecketed by two levels due to the introduction of geothermal energy, cutting back on water use, and minimising emissions from everything from lighting to air-con.
This saves around 490 tonnes of CO2 emissions each year – so all you have to do is lie back and connect with nature.
In Costa Teguise, right between two sandy beaches – including Playa de las Cucharas, famous for its windsurfing – the hotel is Lanzarote through and through, from its gleaming white interiors to the lush plants spilling down the walls of the Malva Food Bazaar, one of four restaurants.
All rooms have private terraces, either overlooking the gardens or the sparkling ocean, and across the rooms and indulgent spa you’ll find top-tier organic products to amp up the luxury.
Want to keep active? The hotel is home to Corest Fitness, a top notch gym with training programmes for guests.
As a Destination Inclusive resort, your stay isn’t just all-inclusive when it comes to meals.
Book three nights or more, and your trip will include two visits to the island’s top tourist sights, while if you’re staying at The Reserve level, you’ll also get an extra guided outdoor experience, including transfers.
You’ll get the same access to private areas of the hotel as you do on Gran Canaria – including The Reserve’s exclusive lounge, where everything from the food to the art on the walls reflects the local traditions.
There’s also a private pool, garden, terrace and reading area all for guests of The Reserve – plus craft workshops and exhibitions to help you connect with the island’s culture.
The Reserve guests also get private check-in and check-out, a dedicated space for breakfast, and a concierge to help you get up close and personal with Lanzarote.
A five-star hotel doubling as a luxurious nature retreat? We can’t wait.
Now’s your chance
Ready to book your nature retreat and get to know the Canaries like never before?
A week’s all-inclusive holiday at Paradisus Gran Canaria starts from £1,178pp, with seven nights all-inclusive accommodation, and flights from Gatwick with easyJet.
If you’d rather go local on César Manrique’s high-design island, a week at the Paradisus Salinas Lanzarote starts from £964pp, including seven nights all-inclusive accommodation, and flights from Gatwick with easyJet.
Both packages are based on two adults sharing, departing November 28, 2023.
Prices are correct at the time of publication but subject to change
Book now with travelrepublic.co.uk