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Not right?
by MichaelJM
Nottingham, England
December 4, 2004
Reception was extremely small, giving an initial impression of a somewhat seedy bed and breakfast establishment -- television on with a feeling that we, as guests, were a little in the way. Having been given our key and pointed in the right direction, we negotiated a few steps down into the main complex. This was a complete contrast to the reception area.
The complex was superbly set amidst mature palm trees and boasted a supreme view of Pico de las Nieves, the highest point of the island, and more than a glimpse of the sea. The terraces of white apartments fringed with dark green balconies and eaves providing an interesting skyline, especially at night as the sun set. Our apartment was a little away from the pool and in an extremely quiet section of the complex, with a small patio to the front. Very pleasant, if we didn’t fancy making the extra few yards to the pool. Indeed, some days we just dragged the two easy chairs and coffee table and used it as an extension of the lounge. I’m not sure that the staff liked us doing it, but hey, we were paying to stay there.
San Marcial wouldn’t be suitable if you were unsteady on your feet, because everywhere you went involved a flight of stairs. The ones down to the swimming pool and well-equipped shop were particularly difficult to maneuvre. The pool area was adequate, mainly because residents tended to go down to the beach, but it was a strange one to swim in. There was a clear demarcation between the shallow end, effectively creating two separate pools. I’m no great swimmer, so I got by, but if you wanted to swim, you’d have to leave the complex (perhaps that’s why so many people didn’t stay by the pool).
Our accommodation was perfectly acceptable, with a larger-than-average lounge, settee, chairs, table, and sideboard (stuffed with information leaflets about the island), well-stacked kitchen area with good cooking facilities, and sufficient utensils for four. A short corridor off the lounge led to a large bedroom, which was comfortable enough.
At the bottom of the site, there was an exit leading to the sea and the shops. We tended to use this route, because it was a far more interesting route, and we avoided the less-than-friendly reception staff. Following our preferred route, you could be at the sea front in less than 10 minutes, and within a quarter of an hour at the shopping centre, with numerous restaurants. We preferred to walk for another 20 minutes, where there was a greater choice of restaurants, all with a great sea view.
From journal Lanzarote - a place in the sun