DAVID TOMCHAK for  London  Evening  Standard

When I asked a fellow guest from Germany how they'd discovered Finca Malvasia she told me she had entered the search term ‘mystical holiday destination’ into Google and Finca was top of the list.

Where is it?

The Spanish island of Lanzarote is one of the Canary Islands sprinkled in the Atlantic Ocean a few hundred kilometres off the coast of Morocco. Finca Malvasia is near the centre of the island and sits in a lovely rural valley known as La Geria wine region, surrounded by blackened volcanic hills. It’s about a ten-mile drive to the nearest beaches and a simple 15-20 minute drive from the airport in Arrecife, so getting around is easy.

Style

The family-owned property is a collection of small self-catering apartments that sit around a shared pool and gardens and a larger main house that has three bedrooms and a private pool. The elegant complex has been built in the style of local artist César Manrique, bringing inside and outside environments together to create a wonderful sense of space.

Manrique’s art made its mark nationally and internationally at the end of the 20th century and Lanzarote was lucky to have such an aesthetically minded son. During a period when other parts of Spain were throwing up huge high-rise tourist monstrosities the local artist lobbied hard for sympathetic development on his home island. The property is in keeping with that sense of style and sits within a working vineyard in a beautiful, remote and rugged valley.

Facilities

My wife and I were travelling with my parents. Although he can walk, my father is not very mobile so it was important for us to be in a property that was simple for him to navigate and where all the facilities were easy to access. The four of us stayed in the main house called ‘La Finca’ and we had plenty of space. Although the property wasn’t setup for wheelchair access its open-plan living quarters and lovely gardens made things straightforward for Dad.

The house’s outdoor space, with its fantastic porch and limitless views, reminded me of ranches I had visited in California over the years. The island has year-round sunshine so even in winter we were able to sit outside during the day and enjoy the natural expanse around us. In the evening we cooked outdoors and when it became chilly we could warm ourselves indoors with the wood-burner.

If you are looking for pubs and neon, this is not the place for you. If, on the other hand, it is solitude you are looking for, you’re in luck. The silence added to a wonderfully relaxing environment. The only drawback is that you’ll definitely need a car as the villa is somewhat off the beaten track.

Food & Drink

The accommodation is self-catering and the facilities are simple and easy to use. The kitchen in the main house was what could be described as ‘shabby chic’ and may not be to everyone’s taste. But we liked it. The BBQ was in a great spot near the pool and outdoor dining area. And the local shops (stocking everything you may need from firewood to fresh fish) are a few minutes drive away.

Which room?

The open plan living space in the main house has a wonderful charm and is very private.

Extra Curricular

The island has an incredible natural habitat that is defined by its volcanic history. Visitors can take guided tours or simply explore the unique environment. Artist César Manrique’s home has been converted into a museum and is well worth a visit.

Lanzarote is also renowned for being an outdoor sports enthusiast’s playground. I surfed Famara beach on a daily basis and the local surfers were very friendly. The surf-shops accommodate all levels. Next time I’ll try the golf course. There are also bikes, hang-gliders, runners and kite surfers all across the island. Worth noting that the Club La Santa Ironman Lanzarote is known as one of the toughest Ironman races in the world, so there is a very ‘active’ vibe if you want to find it.

Best for:

Relaxing, reading and sitting by the pool.

When to go?

Any time of the year. We went in winter and the sunshine was lovely (between 22 and 26 degrees Celsius). I’m told it gets hotter (but not too much hotter) during the summer months, but I’d love to go back and try it out then too.