I have just returned from the Iberostar Papagayo and I have to say that it is a little gem of a hotel.
When you first arrive, it does not look anything special but once you step into the reception you get a small taste of the views and the location on offer.
The reception staff are first class and multilingual - they cannot do enough for you and are always polite and smiling. Our room (573) was on the 5th floor and had a nice view of the pool area and the sea. We noticed that the lock on our patio door wasn't working, so reported it to reception, and 30 minutes later when we went back to the room it was fixed!!

I have to say that Lanzarote was one of the cleanest places I have ever been, and the Papagayo itself was spotless. There was always someone around the pool area cleaning the pool and the glass around the complex in the mornings and evenings and the maids come round every day and change the towels if needs be.

We were on Half Board, and for €6 per person, you could have your lunch at the hotel as well. For this, you could help yourself to as much food as you want from the buffet, 1 free drink and as much ice cream as you want - which to be honest is fantastic value if you have an appetite.
The food at the hotel was plentiful and with a good variety. Some hotel breakfasts abroad seem to be tailormade to our European friends, but here there was something for everyone. Pancakes, fresh bread for toasts, scrambled eggs, sausages, bacon, beans omlettes, cold meats, cereals....pretty much everything you could want. You can also help yourself to fruit juices and as much tea/ coffee as you want.
The evening was just as good, and there was usually a roasted joint on the go every evening, beef, pork, chicken....with plenty of veg etc...there was lots of fresh fish, paella's, an abundance of starters, as well as your usual pizzas, chips etc...for those less venturous! I can imagine that it might become a bit samey if you are there for 2 weeks, but if you are there for a week there is enough variety to keep you happy! The desserts table is always a winner as well.
The only thing not included on Half Board are the drinks in the evening, and with the Euro rate being poor at the minute, this can make things seem expensive. Water with your dinner is €1.90 for a generous sized bottle (same price for still or sparkling). If you are thirsty though, you can pay €4 per person to have as much drink as you like with your dinner, which includes local wines and beer - so horses for courses.
Bar drinks vary as well....its about €3 for a beer (£2.50) and €4.60 (£4ish) for a vodka and mixer. I would say that if you are looking at spending most of your time at the hotel, go all inclusive for a bit extra as you will get your moneys worth!!!

The rooms are fairly basic but clean and spacious, with plenty of storage space! The bathrooms are immaculate and you get your tray of goodies as well, which is normally unheard of in spanish hotels. I believe that all of the rooms also either have a sea or pool view and some have both!! There are only 2 English channels on the TV (Sky News and Eurosport), but you don't go on holiday to watch TV, so don't see this as a negative as such.

The entertainment team were the most friendly and enthusiastic I have ever met - even if you did not partake in the activities. The evening entertainment was so bad at times that it was good if that makes sense, but they do have external entertainers come in and they are fantastic - especially the Beijing Acrobats - they are amazing!!!! Do not miss this - some of the things they do begs belief and gravity itself!!!

There is a sun terrace which has some amazing views, but to get the best beds you need to get down there fairly early! There are no issues with the 'Towels on the beds brigade' Germans at all, and there is never a problem getting a bed, but the ones with the best views naturally go early.
The hotel is located between the Papagayo beaches (best on the island) and the Rubicon Marina. The beach is about 20 minutes walk (can be a bit hilly for those less mobile), but the beaches are fantastic. There is not a lot of shelter though from the winds and the sun, so this is a warning. But the water is crystal clear and the sand like flour and worth a visit, One word of warning though, half of the main beach is nudist....!

The Marina is a definite for a visit. There are some nice shops to look around and some lovely retaurants - it can be quite expensive down there though, but it is beautiful and worth a visit one evening for a quiet, picturesque drink or two.

If you walk through the marina and continue away from the hotel, you eventually come to the old town of Playa Blanca, which has a bit more life, although to be honest its a bit more commercialised and typical of the English resorts that you find elsewhere. Again, it is horses for course but I personally found it a bit run down and out dated.

My only real moan had nothing to do with the hotel or the resort at all, it was the airport coming home. Some of the travel companies have started only allowing 15KG baggage allowances, which just isn't enough! We were 8KG over between 2 of us on the way out and no-one battered an eyelid and we had no issues at all....we were slightly lighter coming home after using up our toiletries but were told when we checked in that it was zero tollerance and we would have to pay €78 or take some weight out of our bags. There we lots of people in the same boat as us, some having to pay over €100 - and as far as I can see this is nothing more than a money making ploy by the Spaniards at Arricife Airport! It could not be the airline, as we had no issues coming out - so was a matter of principle. This just acts as a warning though - you will more than likely be charged if you are over your weight allowance! It did put a dampener on a lovely holiday, but this has nothing to do with the place which is lovely.

All in all, I would recommend this hotel to anyone looking for a relaxing and chilled out holiday with good location and great views - families and couples alike should enjoy it.