The Local Police in Lanzarote continue to unearth "creative" tourist accommodations in their ongoing campaign to crack down on illegal rentals, and their latest discovery involves a highly illegal rental operation disguised as a yoga centre.
With high demand for accommodation, some people are pushing the limits of what is acceptable as holiday rentals, and this one does just that.
The yoga centre signage is a front for a commercial building operating completely illegally with no licences as a hostel, and was even advertised on platforms like Booking.com.
The inspection, conducted by the Local Police after seeing it online, documented the operation of the yoga centre at Calle Canalejas number 25 in Arrecife as a “makeshift hotel”. The listing on Booking.com shows images of bunk beds, bathroom facilities, services, and guest reviews, but it has no tourist license as required by Canary Islands legislation.
The police report describes the facility's curtained windows, so no one can see inside, and external signage for “Nirvana Yoga,” which masked its true function. Additional smaller signs inside the entrance suggested it was a “Cultural Centre for Yoga, Meditation, and Wellness” further concealing its true purpose.
During the inspection, officers identified an on-site "worker and manager", who doesn’t have an employment contract and is not registered with Social Security. However, further investigation traced the business owners back to a company based in the south of Tenerife.
The Mayor of Arrecife, Yonathan de León, stated, “The City Council is closely monitoring establishments to ensure they comply with legal requirements. Those engaged in tourism activities must have the necessary authorisation from Tourism authorities.”
He added, “We want Lanzarote to be a destination where visitors can be assured that their chosen accommodations are legitimate and adhere to regulations.”
The city has forwarded the police inspection report to the Directorate General for Planning, Training, and Tourism Promotion of the Government of the Canary Islands for further action. According to the yoga centre's Google profile, it is 'temporarily closed'.
