Iberostar Palace Fuerteventura

3 readers found this review helpful

It's probably what you'd expect from a 4* Iberostar hotel. It's clean and comfortable with nice swimming pools and plenty of loungers.
We went self catering in a junior suite with separate bedroom and a nice side view of the sea. Be warned that you cannot really 'self cater' in this hotel even though it has a 'kitchenette' - the kitchenette consists of something the size of a single wardrobe containing a sink and two rings over a fridge.
There is no kettle or toaster available (even if you ask for a kettle you end up with an extra teapot - lol!). Our room was quiet at night but I can't comment on those overlooking the pool area.
The beach is reached via a short walk (5mins?) lovely long stretch of hot white sand spoilt only by row upon row of loungers and umbrellas (which you pay to use).
Unfortunately the sea and currents were too rough here for our daughter to swim. The hotel is just out of Jandia/Morro Jable, up a hill on its own with another Iberostar hotel (suited us away from the hustle and bustle). You could walk into the town but the walk back up would be tiring.
We had a hired car and I really do recommend this as we wanted to see the island rather than lounge around by the hotel pool all day and a hired car is the best way to do it (although you miss the intro on the transfer bus and the rep forgets about you until you call!).
Jandia town is a long stretch of shops and restaurants (your usual seaside stuff and souvenirs). Spar at the bottom of the hill is useful and Netto further into town and up a side street.
Only one British pub in sight(boot and ball) - the tourists here are predominantly German although the restaurants do serve Spanish type food as well as a couple of Chinese places (we found Chino Town at the end of the strip very nice and friendly as was the restaurant next door to it).
Try the pedal bike rides in the evening when it's not so hot- fun! Went into the old town Morro Jable once - nice to look around but the food in the seafront restaurant was a bit hit and miss.
Staff at reception are helpful and friendly but when we were there we were only one of 3 UK families staying (all others German) and I guess this means that the second language of staff at the hotel was German, so English not as good but we got by ok (and it was better than our Spanish so no complaints!).
We did have a very minor ant problem in our room which was not dealt with and the air con was not as cool as we expected but otherwise I can't complain.
We ate there only once on arrival at the poolside restaurant where they rushed us terribly and the waiter spilled water on us with no apology.
It is quite likely that the main restaurant is fine and the food nice but after this experience, we preferred to go into town and try the many restaurants down there every evening.
Rooms as described above. They are spacious, clean and decor is fine. Beds made every day and changed a few times. Towels changed every day and nice sculptures made with them (and any clothes you leave messy on the bed!). Nice spacious balcony with table and chairs but no privacy from next door's balcony and overlooked from balconies above
Mmm tips...Use this hotel if you don't mind quite a distance from airport, being surrounded by Germans and a car journey/long walk from town.
Jandia is far nicer we thought than the overdeveloped and tacky Corralejo but if you want home from home British comforts and food and the water park then head north and stay there.
Roughly mid way between north and south, we stopped at the manmade beach in Caleta de Fuste/Costa caleta and it was really nice for kids (horseshoe beach with shallow sloping water and fish around your feet!).
Must take children to Oasis Park Zoo and camel ride- best day of our hols! Sit at the middle near the walkway for the seal show as he comes out to 'kiss' the audience along there.
Don't do the 'submarine' excursion offered by your tour operator - expensive and very little to see. It can be very hot between 11.30 and 3 in summer especially inland where there's less of a breeze.
We had a lovely holiday and would go back to Fuerteventura again but maybe to a different hotel/location but that's our choice and we could be being over fussy! - try it and make up your own minds :o)

3 readers found this review helpful

I'm quite surprised to have read a very negative review here, and I feel that I have to respond. I found that the hotel was clean and spacious and the quality of the all-inclusive food was excellent (and I'm not easy to please).
All of the staff seem to work very hard and service in the restaurant was very prompt and attentive. The AI option includes a wide variety of non-alcoholic and alcoholic drinks and I never felt that the hotel was trying to restrict access. The majority of the tourists in the hotel are German (I'm from UK), but this is true of the whole of Jandia and I didn't find it to be a problem - you should expect it on this part of Fuerteventura.
There seemed to be a lot of space out by the pool and I had the big swimming pool to myself (mostly because it wasn't heated and it was very cold! There is a smaller heated pool, and this was in January, so I can't complain too much.) I speak some basic Spanish and as in any foreign country a little of the local language can go a long way - but many of the staff switched straight into English when they heard me explaining things to my non-Spanish speaking partner.
I do think that English tourists are still something of a novelty in this hotel, but I quite liked that! The staff on check-in and check-out were fluent in English and were very efficient. The location of this hotel is ideal - you can walk straight out down to the beach, or a couple of km down to Morro Jable.
There's a small, but decent gym for a workout and the StarFriends resident entertainment team have a laugh putting on stage shows like Lion King which is funny. They make a point of doing bits of the show in three different languages - Spanish, German and English - makes it all quite confusing and even funnier especially after another couple of drinks from the bar!

This holiday was a disgrace. The hotel was dirty from top to bottom and the all inclusive food and drink was sickly. The food was often rotten and the free drinks exclude alcohol for 85% of the day. My wife became sick whilst on holiday and I am sure this was thanks to the poor hygiene of the hotel.
The staff are rude and unhelpful (when you can find them). The only other guests were German, which without meaning to sound xenophobic, meant no sun loungers for the duration of my stay. I would advise anyone against this holiday.

Hotel is spotless, the maids work extremely hard as do the waiters and waitresses. Food is excellent & varied although drinks are around the same price as here in England. Rooms are spacious with all mod cons needed, except for tea & coffee making facilities which we missed so we purchased a travel kettle.
This is a predominately German resort with not many English people around, the staff talk Spanish & German with little English which made communication difficult and we felt a little isolated at 1st as this was our honeymoon & our expectations were not met due to coop travel who forgot to mention this, we tried to discuss this to the hotel reception staff but they were unable to help & became hostile. Once settled we put it all behind us & had a thoroughly good time!!!! Beaches excellent & clean, sea rough, fun & warm, lots of walking to be done or just chilling in the sun.