If you’re after year round sunshine just a short haul flight away, the Canaries are your best bet. Fuerteventura is a 4 hour flight with numerous flight options from both nearby East Midlands and Birmingham airports, with prices starting from just £35 each way (Jet2 from East Midlands), so it’s a great time to grab an affordable break!

Fuerteventura’s main tourist town is Corralejo at the North of the island, but if you want to step away from the sunshine hunting English groups there’s plenty more to be discovered on the island. Heading down to the very southern tip is Jandia, with glorious golden beaches and fantastic hotels, it’s an area which has traditionally been home to German holidaymakers, but it’s easy to see why the British visitors are growing each year.

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The golden beach at Jandia

Directly on the beach stands the Iberostar Fuerteventura Palace hotel, with some 400 rooms, 3 pools and 3 bars, which provide fantastic value with the hotel’s all inclusive offer. On arrival at the hotel we were asked to take a seat and a glass of champagne whilst our check in was prepared, a welcome that really outranked its current 4 star status, Worried about your flight arriving late and missing dinner? The hotel are quick to offer a cold supper for any late arrivals after the restaurant has closed, as well as snacks available from the bar.

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The hotel offers a number of room options including sea view and pool rooms. Having recently been fully refurbished, the pool rooms are one of the hotel’s star attractions. The bright white and modern interior has patio doors that open directly onto your own poolside terrace. Worried about securing your sun bed each morning? No need, as the rooms have 2 sun beds privately placed with your own steps into the pool as well, giving you time to go off any enjoy other areas without worrying about losing your spot. The individual terraces also have a sunken area with table and chairs for a little more privacy away from the pool.

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The pool rooms with your own terrace next to the pool

If you’re traveling with youngsters there are a number of play areas dotted around the hotel plus a range of family friendly entertainment, with nightly children’s disco and full stage shows such as the Lion King inspired Circle of Life. And what about the adults? The hotel offers a great entertainment programme with everything from poolside wine tasting to Aqua Fit (we managed to squeeze both of those in, not on the same day mind) as well as a full modern gym and squash court. Fancy heading into the ocean? You can also book a sea diving session at the hotel for just €35.

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Enjoy lunch overlooking the sea

Now we all know the star of an all inclusive hotel is so often the food, and the Iberostar Palace didn’t disappoint. The main dining is offered within their buffet restaurant which offered freshly prepared options across breakfast, lunch and dinner. With live cooking station, at breakfast there were omelettes made to order as well as a live pancake and waffle station, alongside full cooked and continental options, and, of course, there’s cava waiting for you at the entrance to the restaurant each morning. Lunchtime offered everything from carved roast beef to fresh tuna steak, paella, salads and more, with dinner repeating the fantastic array of choice. You certainly don’t need to eat the same thing twice. The pool bar also offers dining until 6pm with pizza, paella, hot dogs, cakes and pastries readily available for you to help yourself.

The hotel dining doesn’t offer an a la carte restaurant choice but with the vast number of options still on offer this wasn’t an issue.

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Fresh seafood was available at both lunch and dinner as well as live cooking stations

And the drink? Quite simply, it’s flowing. Buckets of wine (red, white, rose and cava) are placed along each bar for you to help yourself throughout the day, beer is self service from numerous taps placed for you in each area serving local lager, as well as soft drinks and Nespresso coffee machines located throughout. Alongside this there’s also a full bar service with a great cocktail menu bringing you a taste of the sunshine with their Piña Colada, which was to die for.

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A taste of sunshine with the bar’s cocktails

To put it simply, if you go hungry or thirsty you only have yourself to blame.

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No queuing at the bar as you help yourself to wine and beer throughout the day

If you’re looking to make your stay even more special you can upgrade to Iberostar’s Star Prestige package. Hidden just out of sight your key card will give you access to the hotel’s VIP area with Balinese beds overlooking the ocean, a separate pool area, a lounge area with daily international newspapers, snacks and waitress service. We certainly enjoyed escaping to here each morning to read the paper overlooking the ocean, it’s a haven for couples or for adults looking for a quiet spot. The area is adults only, so unfortunately this option isn’t one for if you’re travelling with little ones, but otherwise absolutely worth the premium.

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The Balinese beds overlooking the ocean in the Star Prestige area

Of course Jandia isn’t just about the hotel though. Steps take you directly to the beach with a walking path that leads you to the towns lighthouse and into the main shopping area. Shopping offers everything you’d expect from a tourist resort with designer clothing and plenty of memorabilia to take home, and the town also has a selection of bars, restaurants and ice cream parlours.

The transfer time from the airport to Jandia is around 1 hour, with many visitors choosing to hire their own car, however privately arranged transfers and taxis are also readily available. If you do hire your own car then why not make the most of a day out at the islands’s zoo. Or fancy getting active? You can enjoy a bike ride around the island’s volcano or a number of other excursions that you can book at the hotel or online before traveling.

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A choice of activities

Flights to Fuerteventura are available from Jet2 with departures twice a week from East Midlands Airport. Prices start from just £35 each way and current availability can be viewed on the Jet.com website.

The Iberostar Fuerteventura Palace hotel starts from €100 per person per night for an all inclusive package. Full booking details can be viewed on the Iberostar website.

With many special thanks to Martina at Iberostar Fuerteventura Palace hotel who welcomed us so warmly throughout the stay.

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We traveled as 2 adults staying in a Star Prestige Double room, which is priced at 171 per person per night. All rooms are on an all inclusive basis. We were invited to review the hotel by Iberostar under no obligation to give a positive review. All views are our own.