Barcelo Fuerteventura Royal Level

"We recently stayed at the Barceló Fuerteventura Royal Level Family Club — me, my mum, and my 14-year-old daughter. The hotel is huge (it’s actually three hotels in one), so it takes a bit of time to find your way around. It’s also worth noting that there is no lift in the Royal Level Family area, which could be difficult for anyone with mobility issues or heavy luggage, although we were offered help with our luggage. Our family suite was spacious and modern, though definitely more suited to younger children. I’m not sure how comfortable the small bunk beds would be if you had two older children with you. The pool area was nice, there were no issues with getting sunbeds and the snack bar was great. The lady serving there (whose name I didn't get) went above and beyond every day; she was cheerful and chatty and helped me learn a little but more Spanish! Unfortunately the pool itself needs a bit of repair work, as there are several missing tiles on the pool floor. Our 14-year-old was too old for the family area, but too young to access the adults-only Royal Level — it feels like there’s a gap in the market here. H10 hotels generally allow children to use all/most of the Privilege services, and that setup suits us better. The food was average and often cold, even when we arrived at opening time. You don’t expect a buffet to be 5-star cuisine, but there’s definitely room for improvement here. My daughter has a peanut allergy, which staff were good at remembering, but the food labelling wasn’t very clear. There were several dishes (desserts mainly) that she possibly could have had if someone had been able to explain or if the labelling was better. On a positive note, the gluten-free section was excellent, with individually wrapped muffins, breads, and cakes, which would be reassuring for anyone who is GF. The all-inclusive system was complicated. We assumed “Royal Level All Inclusive” meant everything was included, but that wasn’t the case. For example, you could have drinks and ice cream from La Goletta, but not food. You could visit one à la carte restaurant per five nights, but this was restricted to a tasting menu with only one drink included. We chose to use our voucher at the Italian restaurant, but unfortunately, the service was slow and the food wasn't great. These restaurants are also open to the public, and it felt like those with a voucher were treated differently to those paying full price. The mini golf was great fun and included as part of AI. However, when a waitress came round to take drink orders on the course, she failed to tell us that those drinks weren’t included, even though they came from the nearby pool bar, which was part of the all-inclusive plan. We felt a bit cheated having to pay 7.20E for 3 glasses of water, when we could have had 3 bottles at no extra cost direct from the pool bar. It's a bit awkward having to check each time you order if something is included or not. Overall it's a family-friendly hotel and, if you have young children, it's probably fine. However, the inconsistent food quality and confusing all-inclusive rules meant the experience didn’t quite live up to the “Royal Level” label, and we wouldn't return. In my opinion, H10 hotels offer better quality and value for money."

"I stayed in the Royal Level Adults Only, in a suite on the first floor with a balcony. Most are ground floor with a terrace but I was very happy to be on the first floor despite this meaning I was also near the road - it meant I could see the sea in two directions from the balcony, and felt more sheltered from people walking around. The suite was very comfortable and clean, and housekeeping was excellent. No sign of the ants that get mentioned in some reviews of places around here, nor for that matter any biting insects (to which I'm very attractive and for which I came well-prepared). I was half-board and always ate in Terra Sana, whose buffets were amazing. It's the kind of place where you can eat twenty different plants in one meal without trying (but you needn't, if that isn't your thing ;-). On all but one occasion I easily got a table outside which was my preference, and the staff were very welcoming; I didn't feel awkward being on my own at all. There was a decent selection of wines by the glass and the bar made good cocktails though on one occasion the relationship between what was on the menu and what was in the glass was a bit tenuous! The RLAO pool is pleasant but I preferred to swim mostly in the sea - watershoes are worth having as the sand is a bit gritty there. Snorkelling, I saw many kinds of fish and a lovely sea cucumber, and the temperature was delightful (September/October). I went to the spa a couple of times, but found it more bothersome than I had expected that you have to wear a swimhat - ymmv but I found it impossible to relax properly with a tight thing on my head. If that doesn't bother you it's worth knowing that the spa has its own outdoor pool with sunbeds, and always had some free when I was there. One can also use the resorts' other pools - the Family one looks nice and also had a wider variety of seats/beds that weren't all reserved than the RLAO, where most beds near the pool were reserved well before 9am. While you're here don't miss the salt museum, a pleasant walk down the coast (or there's a bus). Overall it was a wonderful holiday; I may well go back exactly here, and will certainly also look with interest at other Barcelo places in future."

"Stayed here for 5 nights, and travelled with another couple. Super close to the airport so short transfer. We used the main buffet and the a la carte restaurants and found them all to be very good. Service was also good and the rooms large and spacious. also a nice setting on a sandy bay."