Paradisus By Melia Fuerteventura

The hotel is aesthetically pleasing, but that???s about the only 5-star quality you???ll notice. Staff often seem overwhelmed, and long queues at reception, restaurants, and bars are constant. There is no poolside service, and the upselling for ???The Circle??? timeshare is intrusive ??? you???re left an invitation in your room, then hassled by staff like Lewis, who I found a bit creepy, to make an appointment. Bruno was the only staff member who genuinely seemed to care. The tiered ???Reserve??? system is frustrating ??? better pools, sunbeds, and lounges come at an extra cost, leaving standard guests feeling like second-class citizens. Sunbeds outside the Reserve are uncomfortable, and the beach, while beautiful, has no sunbeds or bar, which I found bizarre. Evening entertainment takes place in the reception area, which is crowded with not enough seating and usually features live singers, making the experience cramped and uncomfortable. There???s also no entertainment elsewhere, spa, shop, or shuttle to town. Dining is chaotic: Shack Pool Bar: Small portions, raw burgers, and food rarely arrives together. Kanna & Italian: Tiny portions, cold, rushed, and not very tasty. Ginger: Chaotic service ??? waited over an hour for hummus; staff often ignore orders. Gastrohall: Long queues, cold plates, and mediocre food. Mahos: Average and overhyped. Breakfast: Rushed and average; one person handling eggs and pancakes. Cocktails: Actually good, but service makes you feel like an inconvenience. Rooms are clean and spacious but lack a dressing table and enough hangers. Overall: Paradisus Meli?? Fuerteventura looks beautiful but fails to deliver true 5-star standards. Poor service, chaotic dining, missing facilities, intrusive timeshare upselling, the Reserve paywall, uncomfortable sunbeds, a lack of beach amenities, and cramped evening entertainment all contribute to a stay where you can feel like a second-class guest, despite paying a premium price.

We stayed for five nights in October (Room 858) and found the hotel beautiful and full of potential, though with room for improvement. Check-in was delayed ??? despite confirming a 1 p.m. arrival, our room wasn???t ready until 3:30 p.m., and we had to chase for updates which isn???t the service we would expect. The location is excellent and convenient for exploring, though parking can be tricky and having a car is essential. The d??cor is stylish, and the main pool is large and well maintained, though the loungers aren???t very comfortable. We particularly appreciated the reserve sun-beds, which were exceptionally comfy, and the fact that the rules about reserving and leaving towels were properly upheld by all the staff. In the Reserve area, service was inconsistent ??? some staff brought our drinks directly to the loungers, while others did not. Given how quiet it was during our visit, a more consistent level of service would have been appreciated. Staff were warm, polite, and eager to please, and cocktails were great, though language barriers occasionally caused confusion. Our room had poor bathroom ventilation, leading to a damp smell and slow-drying towels (only changed once). There was also a small shower leak, and turndown service only happened on our final night. Dining was hit-and-miss: the carbonara was overly eggy, pizza undercooked, and the breakfast buffet disappointing, though we enjoyed meals at the Reserve and found most of the food elsewhere excellent. Lemon Fish is a lovely restaurant, though we wish it were open as a bar in the evenings. On our last day, the atmosphere of the hotel changed due to the opening event, which brought in many additional guests and made the Reserve area feel crowded and less relaxing. There was also quite a bit of drilling and setup work that we hadn???t been warned about, which was disappointing. Overall, it???s a beautifully designed hotel with great pools, a prime location, and friendly staff. With improvements in food quality, consistency of service, and room maintenance, it could easily live up to its potential.

Completely renovated hotel, modern furnishings, everything clean (rooms, pools, shared toilets). Friendly staff, always attentive to guests' needs. Dario, waiter in the buffet restaurant, deserves special praise for being particularly hard-working, quick and very attentive. The main pool is beautifully designed, nice and big, and the water temperature is ideal. There were always plenty of fresh towels at the pool and sun loungers were always available. The gardens are well maintained and feature a variety of plants, including huge palm trees and cacti, a legacy of the original hotel. We weren't impressed by the food at the specialty restaurants, but that's a matter of taste. The huge, varied dinner buffet, on the other hand, is hard to beat; the food is of high quality. The lunch restaurant surprises with a large menu/selection and several courses, all very tasty. Breakfast in the Reserve area is also a real treat: an extensive ?? la carte selection complemented by a rich buffet. The only thing we missed was grapes to go with the cheese. The evening entertainment is pleasantly unobtrusive. We liked the DJ's electronic beats. Comments: There is not enough storage space in the room (3 drawers per person). Unfortunately the Reserve pool is in the shade in the late afternoon, so we rarely used it. We can???t recommend the ???Tiny Cheese Burger??? at the pool restaurant: It is anything but ???tiny,??? the patty is much too thick and the cheese is bland.