Riu Palace Tres Islas

I returned to the Tres Islas after its refit with some trepidation and a lot of curiousity. I had seen the work being done during the summer and I was curious to know what the new structures were. I was also nervous about whether there had been major adverse changes made. The new structures turned out to be a wellness/fitness centre overlooking the sea and a really WOW! entrance to the beach. The public areas have been cleaned up and the general feel if more open and less cluttered than before. The new pool bar is a major improvement. Access to the pools has been improved for the elderly/infirm, presumably to cater for the nature of the clientele. The new Krystal speciality restaurant is excellent and well worth a visit (or two) during your stay. A limited menu but what I had really good and other diners were singing the praises of their own choices. The dining room appears unchanged and the food is as good as ever. You can take breakfast on the terrace, but you need to be there early to be sure of a table outside without queuing. As far as the rooms are concerned, mine had obviously had a coat of paint, new curtains and new bathroom fittings. I reported a couple of problems and these were fixed promptly. Generally improvements all round with little or no downside. The service is as impeccable as before, with many of the same staff. The only negative point is the disappearance of the "left books" library which was a very useful resource if you are a voracious reader.

Stayed at the tres lslas from the 11-20 October Could not fault it really. We were upgraded on arrival to a sea view room even though we had not paid for one - the view was fabulous. We went half board and were not disappointed with the food - exellent buffet at breakfast and dinner ( one minor fault was that the breakfast cereals were not up to scratch). Half board guests could also opt to dine at the a la carte restaurant which was also excellent. Spotlessly clean throughout and the staff were very helpful - we were travelling with our 4.5 month old baby and at all times staff bent over backwards to assist us in any way they could. One of the nicest beaches i have ever seen as well! will definitely be going back

The Riu Palace Tres Islas is a wonderful place to stay if you want a luxurious, sunny, quiet break on the beach for you and a partner - or maybe just on your own! Old fashioned (in a good way!) service, fantastic food, great facilities and a hotel right in the middle of the most fantastic stretch of white beach. My partner and I stayed just after a major refurbishment of the hotel had been completed by Riu - and our large room (especially the fantastic sea view - well worth paying a little extra for when booking), luxurious bathroom and the hotel's wonderful indoor and outdoor spaces made our stay one of our best ever holidays. I regularly stay in 4 and 5 star hotels in UK and Europe, and this is well matched with its star rating. The whole experience is slick without being stuffy, relaxed without being sloppy. All staff were tremendously helpful - nothing too much trouble. The hotel was quiet - the other Riu (Oliva beach) next door caters for the all inclusive family market and there were very few children in the Riu Palace perhaps as a result which we loved. Although we did not try it out, you can pay for pampering treatments in the attached Wellbeing centre, which has fantastic ocean views. The food is very varied and very good - everything from grills, salads, pastas to much more adventurous spanish and canarian dishes. In a fortnight stay there was very little repetition. And don't miss the great local cheeses at dessert time! There is absolutely nothing to do nearby except the beach itself and various beach and watersport activities; no nightclubs, bars, tourist attractions - a major plus from our point of view but not the place to stay if you want that kind of thing. Corralejo, a small but quite lively place, is a 2euro return bus ride away if you want to venture out to the shops. There is very low key entertainment in the piano bar every evening if you want that. All in all, now high on our return list! Treat yourself!

Having spent many hours on the net trying to find the perfect location for a winter getaway - we liked the reviews of the Riu Palace Tres Islas. We booked flights and the hotel ourselves and got a taxi from the airport to the hotel. The cost will be between 30 - 40 Euros for the journey each way. We could have got a bus as the bus stop was nearby. The taxi ride to the hotel can best be described as 'white knuckle' - I guess the driver was keen to get us there quickly, and I'm sure we passed through the sound barrier at one point. With our eyes closed for most of the journey - the hotel itself was a welcome sight. Our first thought on arrival was that we needed a drink - which promptly arrived free of charge on a silver tray within minutes. I can only guess that the porter recognised the driver and understood our needs! This was a very nice touch. We sat and relaxed in the foyer whilst our bags were carried to our room and the check in process was swift and painless. So, the hotel then. You couldn't get a hotel closer to the beach for a start. The hotel rises up out of the sand dunes, what more can I say - no busy main roads, just sea breeze, sun and the sound of the sea. I have to say this is the perfect place for relaxation, good food, drink and just taking it easy. There were no yobs, noisy and out of control children, just well dressed and well mannered people. In fact this is definitely not the sort of hotel for children as there are no facilities. The sister Hotel, Riu Oliva just a 5 minute walk further up the beach caters much more for families and children (we had a look around and this was also a great hotel - just caters for a different market). The majority of people we met were German, and how lovely they were too. The hotel staff were always warm and friendly, and I enjoyed my daily Spanish lesson at the pool bar (which was simply a very helpful waitress teaching me how to order things in Spanish!). The food was buffet style for breakfast and evening meal. I have to say the choice was always good, with a wide range to cater for all tastes. Be warned, it takes a lot of self control not to keep going up for more! Lots of fresh fruit and vegetables too. Waiters clear your plates away promptly and attentively. One thing I noticed during the stay was how happy the staff were - the room maids were singing in the mornings and so were the waiters and waitresses! I can understand why - the hotel is beautiful and creates a happy and relaxed atmosphere. For lunch there is choice of toasted sandwiches at the pool bar - or a barbecue restaurant overlooking the pool. The BBQ'd king prawns are to die for - as were the grilled steaks, pork, you name it. Always served with fresh salad and tasty chips! The beach consisted of beautiful fine golden sand (not rocky) with a stretch of walkable beach for about 2 miles. This was never crowded (although we were off season) and there is a nudist section further along. In Feb the temperature was a sunny 25 degrees - with just one day of cloud in the duration of our stay. I would recommend this place for couples wanting some quiet time together. This is not the place for children or noisy groups of holiday makers wanting to 'large it up'. Evening entertainment was laid on too. This was very low key and optional. Ranging from Elvis, The Drifters and Chinese Acrobats! There is also a piano bar with a live pianist every night. I can recommend the 'Pink Panther' cocktail.. If you like a punch bowl with a straw in it.

My husband and I visited the Tres Islas this April for the 5th time (and have already plans to go again next Spring). It never disappoints! The situtation is fabulous; just through the garden gates onto a lovely golden sandy beach - a small area of rock pools which are fun to go fishing in and a long stretch of sand with clean 'exciting' sea! The food is good (could be better and was up until a year or two ago) but it is not bad and plenty of variety - just a little lacking in taste!... The rooms do need an update but all of this is more than made up for by the friendliness of the staff and the excellent service and the whole ambience. Another + is that the hotel is just half an hour from the Airport (which is always quick to pass through) and it is very quiet - just of the two Rui hotels in this Conservation Area. Thoroughly recommended!.....you really do know what to expect and it continually delivers.

My husband and I have just returned from the Tres Islas after a 2 week stay. This was for our honeymoon after we had to cancel our plans to go to Thassos, due to a 'cock up' by Thomsons. Anyway, we had seen the hotel before having been on holiday to Correlejo 2 years ago, on a self catering weeks break. The hotels location for us was fantastic, as it sits right on the beach, and rises up out of the sand dunes. We were met immediately at the door after our private taxi transfer, and shown in to be met with a chilled glass of cava. The staff were all very friendly and helpful throughout the 2 weeks, and all spoke excellent english amongst the other languages they were all fluent in. I have to say that all the staff responded with a smile when any attempt was made to speak spanish, and seemed as though they appreciated the effort. The room had amazing views out over the beach and towards Los Lobos. Very much the picture postcard. The carpet was of a certain age, and looked very tired, as other reviewers have commented, but the room was spacious, clean and suited our needs. We did note that new carpets were being fitted whilst we were there, although we were not aware of any disruption. The chilled cava and fruit basket that were waiting for us added to the special touches, which appeared to be common for everyone not just us as honeymooners. We were very suprised by the amount of times the maids attended the room, which in the first week resulted in fresh bed linen and towels everyday! The only downer for us was that despite 20 odd TV channels, there were only 2 english language channels. Not that we stopped in to watch TV, but Sky News or BBC News 24 got a bit much after a while!! The hotel restuarant is large and caters for just under 700 people. At no time in our stay was the restuarant full, although busy, and the 2 sittings for dinner seemed to absorb everyone. When you go for your first dinner, you are allocated a table for the duration of your stay, and then you have to decide which sitting you wish to attend, again for the duration of your stay. We were put on the spot somewhat on our first evening, as we'd only been in the hotel for half an hour when we had to go for dinner, then make the decisions regarding our evening meals for the rest of the fortnight. We opted for the 2030hrs sitting. as it meant we had longer days and was a more reasonable time for us to eat than the 1830hrs sitting. The food was very good, with plenty of choice.... Unless you are strict vegetarian! It was all buffet style, with show cooking areas. We found that you can go a bit mad in the first few days, perhaps piling your plate a bit more than you would normally! The choice available makes it harder to say no... Our only disappointment was perhaps with the breakfast, which despite the large selection of hot and cold foods, cereals, fruit,yoghurts etc, tended to be a bit on the greasy side if you opted for the traditional cooked breakfast. After a few days we stopped having the hot options altogether. Location wise, beach, dunes, wonderful sea with variable wave action. To the right of the hotel is the blue flag beach which gets very busy, and sits in the middle of the 2 RIU hotels. To the left, the quieter Flag Beach. Quieter until you get halfway down and is where the watersports and kite surfing area is. This beach is also where you'll see the Naturists heading off to. Nudity is very common and will be seen on both beaches, although most head off onto the beach (to the left) where small lava cairns are found and protect ones modesty.. to a point. Our European cousins are not at all shy in marching up and down the beaches displaying all that nature gave them, and whilst this is of no concern to my husband and I, we did notice some families with younger children 'squirming' somewhat, and I suppose waiting for the inevitable questions. The wind is also a big factor, obviously what Fuerte is noted for, but on a couple of days being on the beach was akin to being sandblasted. Great for the kitesurfers amongst us, but not for their wives trying to read a book and people watch! We recommend getting some sort of shelter, which will also help with the sun. Correlejo had developed since we were last there, but having gone in June, the low season, we were pleasantly surprised at how quite it was. The only downside to this was that many of the better restaurants and bars had taken the opportunity to close for their own holidays. Back to the hotel, the vast majority of the guests were German, and so we found that much of the evening entertainment was focussed on them. Only once or twice did we notice a certain level of rudeness from our fellow guests, and we felt that the high hotel standards were no doubt influenced by the demands of its german clientele. We felt that we would return to the hotel, as it suited us well for the 2 weeks we were there. We definately recommend venturing out from the hotel, to stop yourself going stir crazy, especially if you go for 2 weeks. There are some lovely restuarants in Correlejo, and it is nice to be waited on rather than the mad scramble that the evening meal can sometimes feel like. There are some quiet bars in the town too, which are cheaper than the hotel, although you do have a 5/6 euro taxi bill each way to add into the equation. Overall, a great 2 weeks for us, lovely hotel, good food and fab location. And the good news is they aren't demolishing the 2 RIUs for another 30 years, as was being campaigned for due to their prime/unique position within the national park. Thanks to the Mayor of La Oliva.

My husband, 2yo son and I stayed here Oct 2005. Thomas Cook who we booked with rated this as a 5T hotel so we expected the best, however the hotel itself only considers itself a 4* - be warned. First impressions were not good. The exterior looks like it has been clad in a giant duvet/quilt - that badly needs washing. Some of the reception furniture was threadbare, the carpet in our room had bald patches and the furniture on the balcony consisted of 2 plastic chairs - and no exterior light. And we had a junior suite; not quite the standard we thought we had paid for. The childrens pool was a nice depth & size, though cold. And the main pool was freezing. Lunch options were extremely limited, and being right in the middle of the sand-dunes, going for a walk was out of the question (nowhere nearby to walk to anyway). So we ended up going to bed about 9 every night, when we'd put the baby to sleep (minimal evening entertainment I guess as outside of season, and balcony not comfortable enough or light enough to sit out on and read a book or enjoy a bottle of wine). and no, dont bother going into the town, it is the pits (the water park is also not worth going to, its falling apart despite being open for only a year when we went!) On a plus side, the staff were exceptionally helpful and the food in the buffet restaurant was excellent. No faults there. The waiters even found and warmed up cows milk for the baby's bottle each day. And the sea was fabulously warm, even in October. As it was right on the doorstep, we went onto the beach every time we wanted a swim rather than go in the pool - and I hate sand! A relaxing holiday but I wouldn't recommend it to anyone with children. This hotel needs a big make-over before it would be worthy of 4/5 stars.

Being a single traveller and having paid the dreaded single supplement, I arrived at the Tres Islas knowing my room would have no balcony and I was prepared for the usual trip back down to reception after viewing my allocated room to plead for a more acceptable one. Having arrived mid-afternoon in cloudy rainy weather I was pleasantly surprised by the truly amazing view from my 3rd floor room window with unobstructed views along the seashore, over to Corralejo, the Tres Islas and Lanzorote, really really beautiful. The Hotel is in a perfect location for an away from it all holiday. The strolls along the beach were heavenly with the surf and the miles and miles of sand dunes, it was very peaceful and very relaxing even though the weather was a little mixed in my opinion the changable weather added to the natural beauty of the place. The Hotel, staff and food where all excellent, sparkling wine for breakfast should be compulsary just what's needed to start the day. All in all a very good holiday but with the hotel not being full, I think they should have allocated me a room with a balcony!

My husband and I spent a week at the Tres Islas at New Year. The rooms were adequately comfortable and clean, my only gripe is the carpet was a bit threadbare on route to the balcony, and the mattresses and towels for the sun loungers need replacing, but this was overshadowed by the fantastic food (sea food / fish fantsatic as was deserts) and warm and friendly staff, nothing was too much trouble for them. We both have quite high standards when it comes to food and are used to eating out in many expensive restaurants in the UK, and I have to say the food at the hotel was comparable to any of those. The variety on offer at all buffet mealtimes was amazing and catered for everyone's taste - vegetarian or not. The nightly entertainment was of a high standard compairing it to others we have had across Europe, which tends to be aimed at children and very cheesy and repetitive. The Chinese acrobats were excellent and the Beeg Gees tribute band great fun, not forgetting the resident Band, who played a slot each night and got everyone on the dance floor. The long beach was beautiful, but very windy. Corraleja itself in my opinion is the pits (aka Blackpool) dirty and not 'authentically Spanish' at all - as was the rest of the Island. We hired a car for 3 days in search of a little village with maybe a small church or market to walk around, but it would appear the Fuerteventura was 'born' in the 70's as it does not appear to be much older than that. That side of it was very disappointing and for that reason we will not be returning to the Island, even though it is advertised as the most unspoilt of the Canaries. We have both travelled extensively, and if you could pick this hotel up and put it somewhere else, we would go there again and again. If you just like to have a completely restful chilled out holiday, reading books and sunbathing and eating lots and lots of good food - this is for you, but not if you are into sightseeing villages and monuments or eating out in small intimate restaurants.

Hotel in good location right on large sandy beach and short distance from Correlajo (5 euros each way by taxi). Views from sea view bedrooms very good. Bedrooms were kept clean by staff but were showing signs of wear and tear and bathroom was on the small side and in need of updating. Food was of average standard. Hotel evening entertainment was very good - personally liked the Chinese Acrobats and Lord of the Dance shows. Hotel was quiet with mainly middle aged couples staying there and very few children. Corellajo has a good harbour area with plenty of shops and restaurants. The Slow Boat II Chinese restaurant is very good and extremely good value. The airport is excellent - with good seating areas, large variety of shops and duty free. Fuerteventura is a very quiet island and relaxing and I enjoyed my stay there.