Riu Calypso

We normally stay at the Riu Palace in Jandia, but as a late booking we stayed at the Calypso instead this time. Certainly pros and cons when trying to compare the hotels, but fair to say that the main attributes were once again cleanliness, food quality and overall comfort of the rooms. Not that keen on the pool area, but not a problem as you are literally 10 metres from the beautiful sands of Jandia beach. A lovely weeks holiday.

Positives

• Beautiful setting and an amazing location with direct beach access – it’s hard to beat. The hotel also has a real “wow” factor thanks to its impressive size. People walking along the beachfront promenade often stop to admire it.

• I loved the room. It was spacious, modern, quiet, very comfortable, and spotlessly clean. Even the sofa was surprisingly comfortable.

• The bathroom amenities were adequate for a 4-star hotel. Bathrobes were provided, but there were no slippers or small toiletries such as cotton pads or cotton buds.

• Housekeeping deserves special praise. I once saw a maid spend around 20 minutes cleaning just the balcony. Every day they also surprised guests with a different towel arrangement or a thoughtful way of organising personal belongings on the shelf.

• The entire resort is exceptionally quiet, which I really appreciated and is one of the main reasons I would return. There is no loud entertainment or music around the pool, making it a perfect place to read and truly relax. I’m very sensitive to noise, yet I didn’t hear a single sound from neighbouring rooms or from the street outside, despite staying in a standard room facing the road.

Negatives

• Unfortunately, RIU Class membership offers very little recognition here. I felt I was treated exactly the same as package holiday guests. There was no acknowledgement of my loyalty, no welcome gesture, and no room upgrade. The only real benefit was being able to redeem my points against the final bill.

• The front desk staff were polite and professional, but the service felt transactional rather than personalised. They provide service but not experience. They answered my questions, but didn’t really try to find solutions or offer alternative suggestions.

• The air conditioning in my room didn’t work for the first two days, and the temperature reached 27°C. Unfortunately, there was no apology or follow-up. Thankfully, the ceiling fan made the room bearable.

• The gym was unusable throughout my stay because the air conditioning was completely out of order, making the entire space feel like a greenhouse.

• There seemed to be very little supervision around the pool and garden. When the strong wind blew parasols over, guests ended up helping each other rather than staff stepping in. I also witnessed a guest removing another guest’s belongings from a sunbed while they had only gone for a quick swim, and again, no staff intervened. Drinking water or refill stations were not available (unlike at some other resorts, such as Iberostar), so guests either had to buy bottled water at the bar (€3.50) or walk a few minutes to the nearby Eurospar.

• The food was decent, although not particularly memorable. Some days the selection was excellent, while on others it felt rather limited. The biggest disappointment was the breakfast coffee, which was instant coffee. At this price point, I expected freshly brewed bean-to-cup coffee or at least a coffee machine.

Overall

Overall, this is a beautiful resort in an outstanding location. If your priority is peace, tranquillity and direct access to one of Fuerteventura’s best beaches, it is an excellent choice. Despite the issues I experienced, I would definitely return because of the exceptional location, the quiet atmosphere, and the spotless, comfortable rooms. Just keep your expectations realistic when it comes to service. Considering the relatively high room rates, I expected a better guest experience.