24 April 2024

Take me back to this time last week….. I am back home from a fabulous few days last week visiting coral beach On entering the vast hotel lobby, there were through views of the pool and the sea. I knew straight away I was going to love it. Recently refurbished, the hotel combines traditional décor of Cypriot white washed walls and authentic woodwork, whilst keeping it modern. The hotel is in a superb location overlooking the sandy beaches and the glistening Mediterranean. The colour of the sea was simply beautiful. My room was a Junior Sea View Suite, the views were stunning and I could hear the sound of the waves rising and falling. The main pool is large and inviting, with a smaller pool adjacent for young children. Again with fantastic sea views. Also a pool with a couple of slides, I believe one was pretty speedy so decided to give it a miss! I did make sure I had a couple of cocktails on my lounger, purely for research sake, of course. I can confirm the poolside service and staff were fab- as were the cocktails. If the pool isn’t your thing, there are a couple of sandy beaches to choose from. The hotel also boasts it’s own little harbour and a few water sports in front of the hotel. If you fancy trying something a little different, there’s an arts and crafts centre where you can try activities such as basket making, pottery and mosaics. Sports facilities and include tennis courts and a gym. With a kids' club, and a play area, this is a fantastic place for children, too. For a proper treat, visit the spa. I had full body massage which was superb. I came out so relaxed, a real floaty feeling! The lunch options at the pool bar were delicious, the only problem was worrying how there would be room for dinner! Thoroughly recommend the chicken or pork Kebabs. There are a selection of A La Carte restaurants as well as the buffet. We ate in Romazzino (fine dining). The steak was to die for - cooked to perfection. We also ate in Coral Restaurant where we were treated to a traditional Cypriot Mezze evening including Cypriot dancing. Paphos town and harbour is only 20 minute drive away. There is a bus stop right out side the hotel making it easy to get out and about! A town that is full of history and archaeological sites. Also in the area there are many wineries, we visited The Tsangarides winery in the foothills of the Troodos Mountains I tried 5/6 different wines by 11.30 am. Oh well, as the saying goes, it was 5 pm somewhere!! Should you fancy getting out near by to the hotel, I am told, there is a strip with varying restaurants. This area was closed for renovation during our stay so unfortunately I didn’t get to investigate. All in all, a great stay. Suitable for couples and families alike. My only disappointment is that I didn’t get to stay longer!

07 June 2019

So simple but so lovely. One of our favourite destinations for an easy getaway. I have visited 5 times in the last 7 years – twice last year! We fly from Birmingham as first choice or East Midlands as second choice. Both offer morning flights out and evening flights for the return, perfect for making the most of your break. The flight is around four hours but have always found Fuerteventura airport to be a very quick process on arrival. We tend to base ourselves in Caleta de Fuste, which is a very easy 15-minute drive from the airport. During these holidays we made use of the car visiting Jandia, Costa Calma and in the other direction Correlejo. All reached within a 45 mins to an hour drive on straight forward routes. Our first visit, back in 2012, Joe, my son, was just two and a half. We stayed in Caleta de Fuste, in a two-bedroom apartment, with use of a pool. Having separate bedrooms and a proper kitchen was ideal with a toddler. Following this first visit, we were hooked – this became our go to destination with a young family. The next visit was in 2018. We now had Millie, just 3 months old. This time we opted for a 3-bed villa with a hot tub and a spacious gated garden. The destination was an easy decision, knowing how simple it would be with the little ones. My mum also travelled with us. A villa was ideal, giving us two bathrooms, plenty of room and the ability for the children to be inside in the shade and have sleeps as needed. Travelling with a baby was easy. We took our own buggy system, allowing the use of our own car seat and the pram adaption for sleeping. Having a car made it simple for trips out or stocking up at the supermarket. Baby essentials could be bought at the supermarket; therefore, we just took the basics with is. All in all, perfect for travelling with a young family. In 2016, knowing how easy the trip to Caleta is, we ‘popped there for 2 nights. (Yes, 2 nights - fab flight times - no kids - extra leg room seats so first off the plane - taxi = easy!) By now a fair amount of modernisation had taken place along the front. The Marina is a lovely place to enjoy lunch and watch the world go by. The last time we visited as a family was Eater 2018. Just the four of us, Joe now 8 and Millie now 5. We opted for a Barceló hotel along the front. Priorities had now changed. The kids liked more freedom, the closeness to the beach and evening entertainment. We had fun playing crazy golf, dipping in the pool and exploring. The highlight this time was hiring scooters (mopeds). Millie took a little persuading but once we on and moving she loved it. We each rode with a child – right up along the path to see the chip monks and around Caleta de Fuste. Great fun! Finally, just last October (2018) I travelled to Correlejo with 7 girlfriends for 4 nights. This time we had a private transfer which was seamless. We were at our Lambranda hotel within 45 minutes. We opted for all-inclusive to keep things easy. The main purpose was just to chill and catch up. The hotel was pristine and rooms, restaurant and pool all a stone’s throw from each other. We didn’t venture out much but did find time for a few cocktails on that beautiful beach. Caleta de Fuste is very family friendly – the actual resort area is very flat making pushing a buggy effortless. We tended to walk into the town and eat in one of the many restaurants in the evenings. Taxis were on hand for the trip home. My memory of Jandia is limited, so unable to comment fully. As a passing visitor, not much to see other than hotels and the normal tourist shops. It appeared a more hotel-based resort, mainly all-inclusive of varying standards. We visited Costa Calma on two separate occasions. Beautiful, sweeping beaches but can be windy. Sean was quick to mention that it was living up to its name. However, it is stunning and well worth a visit. Tip - Don’t try and have a picnic on the beach unless sand sandwiches are your thing!! Corralejo was the biggest resort. Home to Fuerteventura Water Park. I haven’t visited but from the outside it looks like a good selection of slides, should you fancy a waterpark day. There is a good mix of hotels and apartments. The beach again is stunning. Perfect to sit back and relax, sangria in hand, whilst the kids play safely on the beach in front of you. We don’t yet have another visit planned but I guarantee, we will be back!