"I have been visiting this hotel for over 18 years, dating back to before its renovation. Back then, the standard of service was significantly better. Since the renovation, I have stayed here twice, including this summer for 15 nights, paying over €6,000 (around €600 per night) for two adults and one child.
The location remains absolutely stunning. The lagoon beach is one of the most beautiful places on Fuerteventura, and being close to the René Egli surf centre is the main reason I kept returning. Unfortunately, the hotel itself no longer lives up to its five-star rating.
The biggest issue is that the management seems to have completely lost control of the operation. Simple requests—such as preparing the sofa bed or replacing a pillow after it became stained with chocolate—had to be repeated four or five times before anything happened. Throughout our stay, almost every request required constant follow-up.
The most disappointing experience happened on my son’s 8th birthday. I had reserved two Bali beds and purchased the hotel’s birthday package, spending more than €200 to make the day special. I had carefully selected and prepaid a mango and passion fruit cake because my son has a severe strawberry allergy. Even the smallest amount of strawberry would require immediate hospital treatment. This allergy was communicated multiple times, including during restaurant reservations, yet we were repeatedly served desserts decorated with strawberries despite staff confirming the allergy when we entered the restaurants.
This is simply unacceptable for any hotel, let alone a five-star luxury resort.
On the morning of his birthday, instead of the cake I had ordered and paid for, the hotel delivered a chocolate strawberry cake, making it impossible for my son to eat his own birthday cake. There was no replacement provided that day, despite the mistake being entirely the hotel’s responsibility.
Things became even worse when we arrived at the pool. The two Bali beds I had reserved and paid for were occupied by other guests, who were drinking our prepaid champagne. The hotel should have ensured that reserved beds were clearly managed and protected. Instead, we were offered only one Bali bed as compensation. Even more surprisingly, at check-out the hotel attempted to charge us for this compensation because apparently nobody remembered the agreement.
Although the birthday package itself was eventually refunded, no replacement cake was provided on my son’s birthday. His special day was completely ruined, despite all the extra money I had spent to create a memorable experience.
Communication throughout the hotel was another major issue. While some Guest Experience staff were friendly, others were quite dismissive. English communication was often difficult, and even ordering drinks at the paid Bali beds became frustrating because staff frequently did not understand basic requests. On one occasion, a children’s cocktail was even served containing alcohol, which is an extremely serious mistake.
Overall, we spent 15 nights during the summer high season, and instead of relaxing, I left feeling exhausted and disappointed. My previous stay in March, when the hotel was quieter, was noticeably better. During the busy season, however, the service simply collapsed.
For the prices this hotel charges, these mistakes are unacceptable. A luxury five-star resort should deliver excellent service consistently, especially when guests are paying premium rates. Instead, I found myself repeatedly chasing staff for basic requests and dealing with preventable mistakes that significantly affected our holiday.
The location is wonderful, but unfortunately the service no longer matches it. I have also spoken with several other guests who shared similar frustrations about the poor service compared with the very high prices.
Another disappointing experience happened right at check-in. Despite having booked and paid for a specific room category, I was initially assigned a completely different and inferior room. Only after several discussions with the reception staff was I finally given the room category I had originally booked. This should never happen in a five-star resort. Guests should be able to trust that they will receive exactly what they have paid for without having to argue at reception. My advice: always double-check your room category at check-in to ensure you receive what you actually booked.
Sadly, despite loving this location for nearly two decades, I will not return. There are many other luxury hotels where your money will be far better spent.
My advice: choose another hotel."
