With summer just round the corner, luxurious resorts across Europe are clamouring for the attention of holidaymakers seeking nothing short of sheer indulgence. Step forward Paradisus Melia Fuerteventura, upgraded last August into a solely all-inclusive five-star resort. It doesn’t take a scholar of the classics to deduce that the Latin noun “paradisus” translates to “paradise” in the English lexicon. So Spanish hotel chain Melia’s new range comes with a rather lofty implicit promise.
Keen to see if the hotel lives up to said promise, my family and I put down our chocolate eggs and made the journey to Fuerteventura on the day of resurrection, Easter Sunday, hoping that it would be our moribund vitamin D levels brought back to life (spoiler: they weren’t).
The road to Paradisus
If you’re based in the Shetland Islands and have an aversion to flying, getting to Fuerteventura is going to pose a problem. If you live within striking distance of a major UK airport and don’t mind being propelled in an airborne metal tube, then the chances are you can readily hop on a plane which flies direct to the fourth largest of the Canary Islands. Our airport of choice was Gatwick, where I was slightly disturbed to see the existence of a hologram assistant at security, doing very little to help and causing my son to wonder why an emaciated lady was trapped behind some glass.
Gimmicks aside, we were soon on the plane and approximately four and a half hours later, touching down at Fuerteventura airport. On a cautionary note, do ensure your airport transfer plans are set in stone, as there was a mix-up with ours and the native airport staff were about as helpful as the Gatwick hologram. We eventually managed to get a hefty €100 taxi to the hotel, which is around an hour away on the sandy Jandia Peninsula to the south of the island (for the uninitiated, Fuerteventura roughly divides into the three: the aforementioned south, the mountainous middle around Betancuria, and the more diverse north near Corralejo). Thankfully, our driver didn’t get “Paradisus lost” en route, though by the time we arrived, the hotel was cloaked in darkness, leaving us with only a tenebrous impression of our surroundings. The nocturnal arrival – while suboptimal with young children, given one was deliriously tired and the other deeply asleep – did serve to heighten the pleasure of the following morning's daylight unveiling.
Paradisus is situated on a beach to rival any in the world, with miles and miles of golden sand stretching out beyond the horizon. Behind the hotel the mountainous, monochromatic vista lends an otherworldly feel to the setting, more awe-inspiring than pretty, but beauty is of course in the eye of the beholder. Happily, with our eyrie-like, ocean-facing eighth-floor room, our view from the balcony took all this in – though I must say I was frequently too preoccupied quelling what can only be described as mild vertigo fully to appreciate the setting, which I inexpertly captured in the video below.
A room with much room
If the view from the room’s balcony was spine-tingling, the room itself was almost as pleasing to the senses. So much so, we all agreed it was the best we have ever stayed in at an all-inclusive. At a corner of the hotel, the room naturally divides into two parts, separated by a door, meaning my wife and I were able to read at night without worrying about waking up the children (Airbnb even based an entire advertising campaign on the joys of multiple rooms on vacation). My wife also spent the night in unparalleled comfort, which was a relief as she is somewhat particular when it comes to these things and has been frequently known to bring her own pillow on holiday.
The room certainly didn’t do things by halves, and while standalone baths in bedrooms may not be overly practical in domestic settings, there is no doubting their merits in hotels. To the delight of the children, our quarters contained a specimen so whopping that Melia would be well within its rights to market it as a swimming pool. I appreciated the bath too, just not the difficulty of getting said delighted children out of the thing without precipitating a tidal wave.
While a big room is a nice bonus, it certainly isn’t imperative; this must-have status instead goes to good quality food. It’s a very fine line between heaven and hell, and if day after day the grub foisted upon you is the sort of fare that wouldn’t look out of place in the opening scenes of Oliver, then your sojourn in paradise will swiftly head south. Happily, Paradisus Melia Fuerteventura deals exclusively in ambrosia and nectar, and asking for more isn't just encouraged, it's built into the model.
There is always a danger of recency bias affecting one’s perspective, but I can’t think of a hotel where the gastrohall offering has been so prodigious and proficient. Laid out in one long line, spanning the length of the room, you need to be fairly fit just to get to the pastries. My daughter took this video to show you exactly what I mean!
The only issue with having so much on offer was the paradox of choice, which certainly afflicted my wife. She disappeared into the hall for long enough to cause some impatience on my part, but typically returned looking stressed and disappointed with a mere bowl of porridge. I was less afflicted by the paradox, dividing my breakfast into starter, main and dessert, the latter of which religiously came in the form of a trio of doughnuts, waffles or churros.
If you are looking to start your day with a bucketload of fibre instead of deep-fried dough (not that the two are mutually exclusive), then Melia’s breakfast buffet won’t leave you disappointed either. Everyday, the array of smoothies and juices on offer reassured me that I wouldn’t encounter the sort of digestive issues that are concomitant with an endless supply of food. I typically feasted upon anything made from pineapples as I quickly discovered the Paradisus pineapples are as good as it gets when it comes to the spiky citrus fruit. Oh, and for those of you whose holidays require imbibement of alcohol 24/7, then you will appreciate the gastrohall’s sparkling wine island (forget the floor is lava, for those with young kids, around the island the floor was cava...).
Pool intentions
With breakfast out of the way, it was time for that all-important all-inclusive decision: pool or beach. Typically we started with the former. Now here I should point out that if you are seeking one of those hotel-cum-waterpark establishments, that is very much not the vibe here. However, there are two perfectly serviceable kids’ pools replete with slides that kept my daughter occupied for hours on end (see the video below).
For those looking to stay without children, there is an adult-only section with an Olympic-style swimming pool for churning out the lengths, but undoubtedly the star of the show is the main pool, which is both big and heated, a boon as unfortunately our time in Fuerteventura appeared to coincide with one of the most anomalous periods of weather the region has ever experienced. On one day we even had a yellow weather warning for high winds. Not to be deterred, hotel patrons stubbornly constellated around the pool, swimwear on and books in hand, a motif of the classic sun-seeking holiday bar the swirl of flying towels and sun loungers suddenly shooting off of their own accord. In the afternoon, assuming we weren't battening down the hatches, then the Jandia Peninsula beach on which the hotel is situated is hard to beat, and absolutely perfect for paddling with small children yet to earn their swimming badges.
A pinch of Ginger spice
There’s no point pretending this was ideal, but Melia Fuerterventura is one of those places that can weather the storm as it doesn’t just rely on its outside spaces to entertain and enthral. Of its trove of delights, my favourite was Ginger, a 24-hour cocktail bar and restaurant. Situated on the fourth floor (thanks to the site’s topology also where the hotel reception is based), it is a place of sheer indulgence, play and relaxation. A row of large bed-style alcoves provide the perfect places for guests to recline, read, fall out with their family playing draughts, and indulge in the vast range of outstanding drinks on offer. My favourite was a cocktail called Penicillin. If you had told me I would be taking penicillin on a daily basis while away, I would have been somewhat panicked – but in this form, it is both medicinal and delicious.
The quality of the cocktails stirred (pun intended) an interest which I indulged on the last day of our stay in the weekly mixology class. First, we had to identify the range of flavours in front of us (tangerine was a cruel fruit to include) before being given a crash course in the appurtenances of the craft (I now know my jiggers from my smashers) and combining our ingredients to create the delightful Paradisus martini.
Local connections
The range of daily activities put on by the hotel was actually really impressive, especially the way they connected it to the region’s craft folk and artisans. During our stay, my wife participated in both the leather-making and basket-weaving courses, both of which she thoroughly enjoyed, though only one activity resulted in a product worthy of a wider audience. While I have previously admitted to discomfiture at the way all-inclusives effectively inure you from your wider surrounds – regardless of how historical and cultural these surrounds may be – it is somewhat mitigated when hotels make a concerted effort not to be luxurious enclaves.
Entertainment to a T
Melia Fuerterventura also made a concerted effort to put on an above-average range of entertainment for children, who were extremely well catered for with two sites for the kids club and plenty of evening entertainment. On one night, there was a T-shirt painting competition, which resulted in this masterpiece from my daughter.
If you are seeking something a little more high-octane than painting or basket weaving, then you are also in the right place. In its recent overhaul, Paradisus was appointed with a slick new gym which I had every intention of visiting before my daily trio of breakfast doughnuts gave me other ideas. You are also in what can best be described as a Mecca for watersports. Here I must make another confession of idleness as I was supposed to have a windsurfing lesson. Unfortunately, when the time came, I had witnessed too many learners treat their board like a particularly large piece of banana peel to fancy the constant drenching that would inevitably follow. Too embarrassed to admit to my cravenness, I told hotel staff a finger injury I had experienced prior to travelling out would sadly prevent me from venturing into the Fuerteventuran waves.
Under a rainbow
To salvage some athletic pride, I did go out for a couple of morning runs along the beach towards the end of the stay, and I’m glad I did as they were utterly life-affirming. On the last morning, I battled Wizard of Oz-style winds and torrential rain, all on the same run as being dazzled by the sun. And talking of the Wizard of Oz, this motion picture rainbow also made an appearance.
As most runners will tell you, beyond the immediate post-run high, the best thing about getting out early is that for the rest of the day your appetite is sent into "gimme loads of food" mode. I’ve already lionised the breakfast, but at Paradisus Melia, things get gastronomically better and better as the day progresses. My favourite meal of the day was actually lunch in the gastrohall, where my gut microbiome must have been rejoicing at the sheer variety of goodness it was being fed – albeit perhaps cancelled out by the freshly carved veal (crikey it was tasty, sorry veggies) and obligatory cake(s) to finish. Having only experienced Greek all-inclusive hotels previously – where often it’s baklava or bust – the all-round dessert offering here was on an altogether higher plane.
The gastrohall is the centre of the hotel's food world but there are plenty of other places for epicures to find joy in too. On the first night, we dined at Lemon Fish, a Japanese-Peruvian hybrid, and there is even an adult-only fine dining establishment, Mahos. Circumstantially, it was difficult for both me and my wife to attend at the same time, so I played the "I'm writing this review" card, and was glad I did – with the highlight being a miraculous melange of hors d’oeuvres: aubergine cream, avocado butter, stuffed olive with pistachio and local goat’s cheese.
On other nights, with the family as one again, we dined at the poolside Kanna, an ode to Mediterranean cuisine and further proof that this hotel knows exactly what it is doing with a piece of meat. Indeed, I command you to try the beef sirloin should you be sensible enough to book a holiday here. And I highly recommend you do as it undoubtedly lives up to its utopian promise. Come here for Ambrosian food, pristine facilities and an oasis-esque setting, and leave a few inches wider in circumference but miles more relaxed than when you arrived. As for the capricious weather, well let’s just put that down to bad luck.
Click here to book your 2026 holiday at Paradisus Melia Fuerteventura
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