Fuerteventura Princess, Fuerteventura > Reviews > A lovely pool-side holiday hotel.

Author's product rating:   

Value for Money	Excellent
Quality of Rooms	Good
Standard of Service	Excellent
Quality of Food & Drink	Good
Cleanliness	Excellent

Advantages:	Full facilities provided, good food, gorgeous pools, lovely rooms .
Disadvantages:	Same meals each day, quite isolated, noisy activities in main areas .

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

My dad loves poolside holidays where he can relax and soak up the sun in a worry-free environment. When it comes to taking us on holiday, nothing can beat the Fuerteventura Princess. Instead of the normal straightforward 'what's what' review, I thought I'd take a moment to drag the reader through all the possibilities of a day in this idyllic hotel...

A DAY IN THE LIFE...

Everyone knows that the most important thing on a poolside holiday is - no matter how controversially - to get your towel down in a good spot. At eight o'clock you can yawn, stretch and paddle out of your room onto the outdoor wooden walkway, down to the white paths which wind around the hotel, past the chittering flocks of little birds and luscious trees, to the pool. Pick your spot - the shallower family-friendly pool? The smaller one with the waterfall? The large main pool? Or will you perhaps decide that the grassy terrace, with its views over the sea, will be your sun-worshipping location of choice today. Stretch a towel over your sunbed and head up to the main hotel for breakfast.

While the smart waiter fetches coffee for your table, peruse the enormous buffet which will set you up for the day. Choose from mountains of fruit and different breads, toast, cheese and cold meats, pastries and cakes, cereals, fried breakfast, speciality teas and hot chocolate.

After breakfast, take a leisurely wander back to your room. You might like to stop along the way at the general store, selling everything from magazines to sun cream, biscuits to souvenirs, for a drink and something to browse through on your sun lounger. Throw on a bikini and a pair of sunglasses and get sun bathing! If you're feeling active, you could join in the water aerobics in the family pool, head to the gym, play a game of pool or go for a walk along the beach.

If you're starting to feel peckish after all that swimming and lazing in the sun, you might like to take a look at the poolside lunch bar. From scrummy crisp margherita pizzas to refreshing salads, the open cafe has everything you need for a light snack, plus it is open for a few hours either side of lunch so you can always pop in for a cool drink in the shade or an ice cream to take back to your sunlounger. You can pay upfront, or alternatively just pop it on your room tab (which is also used for evening drinks) and take care of it at the end of your stay.

As the afternoon draws on, it's time to head back to your room to relax before dinner. You might take a cool shower in the spacious bathroom, sit out on the balcony looking over the pools, or wander up to the shops to look for ethnic souvenirs or something new to wear on the beach.

Now dress up for dinner and head up to the dining room. Order your drinks and head off to the huge buffet, loading up your plate with anything that takes your fancy - meat and fish, croquettes and chips, potatoes, rice, salad, vegetables and bread. As if that wasn't enough, you can go back for seconds AND for dessert, whether you're after chocolate treats, cake, ice cream or fruit.

Back to your room, perhaps taking a detour to walk along the wide paths, through the flowers and past the whitewashed apartments to look at the rolling sea below the hotel. Get changed into your party best and head out again for a few hours. Each evening brings something new in night entertainment. Early in the evening the live band plays in the large hall and the children can dance to their heart's content on the mini dancefloor. Come a little later and you can grab a cocktail or a post-dinner coffee liqueur from the bar, relax into a comfortable armchair around one of the many little tables and wait for the show to begin. Whether it is a vibrant flamenco spectacular, a night of stunts and impossibly flexible feats or a Motown tribute, you can guarantee that there will something to appeal to everyone and take you happily through to bedtime.

Of course, there is no need to stay in the hotel complex all day if you prefer to get out and see your surroundings. The little town of Jandia isn't far away, and the Jandia Princess - this hotel's 'twin', with facilities for both sets of guests - is only a minute up the road. There are cafes (and chipmunks!) further along the beach, and of course, there are numerous trips run by the tour companies, such as night cruises and galleon trips. I'd recommend the Magic catamaran trip - a day of relaxation aboard a catamaran, sunbathing and feeling the wind in your hair. Drinks are provided, as well as a simple, hearty lunch, and the captain will drop anchor in the afternoon to allow time for swimming, jetskiing (great fun!) and banana boating (at your own peril!) before returning to Jandia.

So there you are - a day in the relaxing life of the Fuerteventura Princess. May your holiday prove as deliciously peaceful and bring the same happy memories as mine have...