Meet Michelle Braddock – co-founder of Finca de Arrieta – and her eldest son Joshua, who oversees the running of this luxury selection of self-contained couples, friends and family accommodation in the small fishing village of Arrieta, Lanzarote.
What first inspired you to create Finca de Arrieta as a retreat?
Originally Finca de Arrieta was our family home. We love the location being so close to Arrieta Beach and the village with some amazing local fish restaurants. After a few years we decided to renovate a second ruin on the land. Therefore our first home was available and we decided to holiday let this. We were not sure if people would be interested in staying in an alternative location to the tourist resorts on the island and we were one of the first people to offer rural tourism, but from the start, the guests that came and stayed loved the location and what we had to offer. We still have many families coming back year after year to stay in their home from home .
Have you always been in hospitality? If not, what else did / do you do?
We had businesses previously, ranging from a handbag stall at the local market to property development.
What’s the best thing about being the owner of Finca de Arrieta?
For us, the location is key and we spent many years bringing up our four children living at the Eco Village Finca de Arrieta. It was a children’s haven and they all have very precious memories from living there. We now enjoy as a family visiting the Eco Village and seeing people who are still able to enjoy the facilities we offer, such as the swimming pool, collecting eggs from the hen house, and being able to take yoga classes in our Zen yurt.
What’s your favourite feature of the retreat?
My favourite feature is the original water tank that we used to water the farm, which we’ve converted to a beautiful swimming pool!
What do you love about the local area?
I love the beach which is just in front. This is perfect for swimming. It’s a large bay. Also if you snorkel along the volcanic stone edge to the left side you’ll see lots of local fish. The restaurants in the village are very well priced offering good fresh foods. The location is ideal as it’s only 20 minutes to a tourist resort or the capital of Arrecife. It’s a good base to visit many stunning areas of the island, such as the volcanic National Park, a number of caves and gold sandy beaches.
What’s next for Finca de Arrieta?
We have now taken a back seat and our oldest son Joshua is overseeing the running of the Eco Village Finca de Arrieta. It’s nice that the next generation can take our dream forward.
If you couldn’t stay at your place, where would your ideal holiday be?
I enjoy any location where I can see the sea and have access to swimming at the beach.
Sum up Finca de Arrieta in three words
Unique, off grid, and Utopia.
If you were visiting, how would you spend a day at Finca de Arrieta?
I would wake up to a beautiful sunrise from the ocean. Enjoy a poolside breakfast, take a yoga class, and wander to the beach for a swim and some tapas at the beachfront restaurant. Then for some afternoon sunbathing by the pool, before a walk into the village to a seafront restaurant to enjoy local Canarian potatoes, salad, grilled goats cheese and a dry white wine.
Find out more about Finca de Arrieta via their Host Unusual listings below!
