Marina Playa Suite-Hotel

For an utterly relaxing beach holiday in comfortable yet pleasantly informal surroundings, the Marina Playa Suite-Hotel would be hard to beat. Peacefully situated on the edge of the small resort of Playa de Esquinzo, Marina Playa is perched just above the beach, which can be reached via a sloping path of around 150 metres leading directly from the hotel's grounds. This long beach of pale sand, punctuated by a few rocky outcrops, shelves gently into the sea and is perfect for extended walks along the shore, especially at low tide.

Marina Playa is owned and run by the friendly Duffner family from Germany, who aim to create a relaxed holiday atmosphere without any stuffy pretensions. Its 62 apartments are divided between the five-storey main building (with a lift) and a two-storey wing in front. Whilst the interiors may not be the latest in designer-chic, they are spacious, comfortable and very well maintained. Each consists of a sitting room with a sofa-bed for a third person and satellite TV (limited English-language channels), a partially separated bedroom, a shower room with hairdryer and an open-plan kitchenette with a fridge and a two-ring hob. A small local charge applies for the use of the safety deposit boxes and WiFi. Each apartment also has a furnished balcony or terrace; all of these face towards the sea although their views are dependant on their location: Type A apartments are on the ground floor of the main building, so their views are obscured. Type B are either in the front wing or on the middle floors of the main building and have sea views, whilst Type C are on the fourth or fifth floors of the main building and thus have the most extensive views. Maid service and towel changes are provided five days a week; bed linen is changed weekly.

A few steps lead down from the accommodation buildings to the lovely pool area, with indoor and outdoor pools, both with sea water. During the summer, the pools are linked allowing you to swim through from one to the other, but in winter they can be separated so that the indoor pool can be heated to a very comfortable temperature. The surrounding terrace is furnished with wooden sun-loungers and cabana-style structures for shade. A cluster of wooden cabins near the pool area contains a massage room, a sauna and a small exercise room, all with fabulous ocean views (local charges apply for the use of the sauna and massage treatments), and there is also a small range of outdoor exercise equipment and a giant chess set. To supplement your holiday reading, there is a small library in the reception area. The reception is open for a few hours each morning and afternoon, and here you can also borrow beach towels and unbrellas for a small deposit.

Situated just beside the pool area is the restaurant, with a large terrace for eating outside, whether permitting. A wholesome buffet breakfast is automatically included in your holiday at Marina Playa, and for those guests choosing the half-board option, dinner is either served buffet style or at the table from a table d'hôte menu, depending on occupancy levels. An à-la-carte menu is also available at lunchtime and in the evenings, and for those who prefer to dine around, there are a couple of other restaurants within walking distance. Should you occasionally wish to make use of your kitchenette to prepare snacks or light meals yourself, the nearest small supermarket is a short walk away. For a much wider choice of shops and restaurants, you can catch the local bus to the larger resort of Jandia (6 km) and the fishing village of Morro Jable (10 km); the bus stop is a short uphill walk away on the main road.

Like many beaches in this part of Fuerteventura, Esquinzo beach is best described as "clothing optional", with naturism tolerated but by no means compulsory. For those who enjoy spending their holiday free from the burden of swimwear, we can also arrange accommodation at the Monte Marina Apartments, a separate complex situated just across the road from Marina Playa to the rear. Also owned and run by the Duffner family, Monte Marina is a naturist complex with 47 apartments which are similar in size and equipments to those at Marina Playa, but which do not have sea views. Monte Marina has its own swimming pool (not heated) and sauna, and the apartments are offered on a self-catering basis. Guests at Monte Marina may use the reception, restaurant and other facilities at Marina Playa, but are of course requested to dress appropriately to do so. These apartments are priced the same as the Type B Apartments at Marina Playa, availability is on request.