Meliá Gorriones Hotel, Sotavento Beach, Fuerteventura

GPS coordinates: Latitude 28° 8'12.44"N Longitude 14°14'43.32"W

Situated at the start of the Jandía peninsula on the south-eastern coast of Fuerteventura, the Meliá Gorriones boasts a prime location on Sotavento beach – the only hotel in this stunning natural area.

Adventurous sports-lovers can take advantage of the nearby René Egli centre for windsurfing and kiteboarding, offering classes and equipment to have you gliding through the waters in no time.

The charming Costa Calma is situated 4 km from the hotel and features a lush ‘green belt’ of trees planted along the length of the town, providing shade and a habitat for local wildlife. Browse through the shopping centres and colourful Sunday market, or enjoy a meal at the local restaurants and bars. Many surfing and scuba diving schools are also located in Costa Calma.

Families can enjoy a day out at the Oasis Park in La Lajita, featuring animals from all over the world, entertaining shows and a botanical garden with over 6800 species of plants.

Fuerteventura is less than 100 km west of Morocco and for tens of thousands of years, sand from the Sahara has been deposited on the island’s shores. This has resulted in magnificent stretches of white beaches and rippling dunes along the eastern coast, from Costa Calma to Morro del Jable at the southernmost tip of the island. In 2009, Fuerteventura was designated a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve.