After returning from a short visit to caleta after a long 2 years not visiting due to covid just thought I would share a few thoughts.
Pleasantly surprised the majority of the bars and restaurants I have visited on previous visits have managed to survive. Some have shorter opening hours and only open on certain days though which is fair enough. Most seemed to be fairly busy.
Caleta seems to have a nice buzz around the centres again, lots of people shopping and eating out, the beach seemed really quiet though.
Had a walk around the barcelo and broncemar hotels, really impressed with the renovations that have been carried out on both. I stopped at fuertesol, my room had been done up to a fair standard, the poolside bar and little shop are currently closed which wasn't a problem.
Prices in the local hiperdinos seem to have really increased for the basics but found the spa in the Atlantico still very reasonable and plenty of choice.
Flights to and from fuerteventura were no problem, very few queues at the airports and well organised.
Overall, well worth the visit and can't wait to return😎
Thanks for your report, Red.
I'm surprised at how many businesses have re-opened. Like you say, they aren't open for as many hours as I suppose they are open for one shift which cuts labour costs.
Hopefully, when all hotels are open they will fill up and Caleta will be back to normal.
Good to hear your report Red. We also found a lot more non British voices in Caleta than pre Covid especially in the restaurants in the evening. We even saw queuing to get into Fado which was a strangely heart lifting sight 🙂
Long road back to where it was pre Covid but I get the sense that Caleta has hit the ground running! My one and only concern is that our flights were less than 2 thirds full. How was your flights Red?
Jet2 have been pulling flights out of Birmingham to several of the most popular Summer destinations, so I'm a little worried there will not be the expected appetite by UK tourists to return overseas this year as was hoped. With the abolition of the UK Passenger Location Form this Friday, fingers crossed there will be a late surge in interest.
Good to hear your report Red. We also found a lot more non British voices in Caleta than pre Covid especially in the restaurants in the evening. We even saw queuing to get into Fado which was a strangely heart lifting sight 🙂
Long road back to where it was pre Covid but I get the sense that Caleta has hit the ground running! My one and only concern is that our flights were less than 2 thirds full. How was your flights Red?
Jet2 have been pulling flights out of Birmingham to several of the most popular Summer destinations, so I'm a little worried there will not be the expected appetite by UK tourists to return overseas this year as was hoped. With the abolition of the UK Passenger Location Form this Friday, fingers crossed there will be a late surge in interest.
my flights (jet2 east midlands)were 95% full which I was presently surprised with. On the costs side the flights were more expensive than I've previously paid
Ryan air did cancel a few flights from ema back in January but I think that was more to do with the restrictions that were in force at the time.
As you say now the location forms are no longer required hopefully numbers will increase.
Great report Red, glad you had a nice visit and nice meeting up for a pint with you, who knows we might meet up again some stage in the future. Happy Days 😎😎😎
C t M
Great report Red, glad you had a nice visit and nice meeting up for a pint with you, who knows we might meet up again some stage in the future. Happy Days 😎😎😎
Thanks can, hopefully our paths will cross again in caleta😎😎, already looking at flights for my next visit
I must owe you a pint, can't remember buying one🤪🍻
I've just returned after 3 months.
We had over an hour wait for security at Birmingham despite arriving at 04.15 am. We understand this wait went up to 2 hours at 07.00. Our flight was approximately 95% full going and 80% coming back. Our journey through passport control in Fuerte was quicker than ever 10 mins even though we followed another UK flight. Taxis at Fuerte Airport were plentiful and also in and around the resort during our stay.
Again we saw more people about in Caleta especially at night and the restaurants were very busy. We went to El Fado midweek and they were turning people away and asking people to try again in 30 mins. Most bars and cafe's were equally busy during the day. As I said before there were many more overseas voices heard around town than pre pandemic. Work was ongoing on at Tahona (windows and gardens cleaned and workmen on site) and the Barcelo at the harbour (lots of activity ongoing). It was strange seeing the Barcelo empty and bare. It seems like only a couple years since its last major refurb.
Was interested to see Puerto Caleta complex taped off. Are they going to carry out the long awaited refurb? Good to see the market so busy but the Saturday before we retuned we noticed more stalls set out.
Caleta Gardens was also empty apart from the few private apartments. The back of the place is a real eyesore with peeling paint etc. The migrants have been moved out of Costa Caleta. Not sure what is going on at La Luna apartments. A section of apartments have been demolished to allow vehicular access to the pool area but no one working during our stay.
Upon our return, despite a longer than normal queue for security we only had to wait 7 mins. No queues at Fuerte passport control but 20 mins at BHX. Getting a taxi to get us from the airport was an issue with a minimum one hour wait on Bank Holiday Monday.
Overall another improvement seen on 3 months ago and a really positive visit. It's turned around very quickly.
7 weeks till our next visit.
Just returned after an enjoyable 10 day stay so just a few things I experienced/spotted:
Outbound
BHX Airport - On the advice of Ryanair we arrived 3 hours (03.45) in advance of the flight only to be confronted with a 50 min queue for Security. Travellers arriving at 06.00 were experiencing hour and a half queues. Once cleared we noticed that all the outlying eateries were closed and everyone was force to the central open area resulting in long queues to buy coffee and food. Even one of the VIP Lounges was closed.
Fuete Airport - Fantastic. From stepping off the plane to opening the door of the apartment was just 30 mins. Taxi fees have risen. We normally pay 15 euro from the airport. This visit we was charged over 18.
In resort
Barcelo - Work continues apace. Some sections are now open and occupied. They are building a new building that appears to be a restaurant on their land at the back of the landscaped gardens close to the costal path. The circular entertainment building adjacent to the costal path has now gone and the area landscaped. The harbourside eateries are now open but the cafe bar above the Dive Centre (El Faro?) is sadly still closed with no signs of work. The paddle board courts just down from the White Centre have all been completely refurbished and were all well used throughout our stay.
Costa Caleta Hotel - is now empty and all the old mattress are stacked up to be removed. It looks like its being repainted from brown and white to a wine red and white though the workforce is few and far between so not sure when that will be completed.
La Luna - Somehow they seem to make the complex worse the more they work on it. More windows blocked in, canopy's removed, a whole section of building removed presumably for access to the pool area. A real mess atm with no one working on it during our stay.
Puerto Caleta Hotel - Was taped off last May. The tape has been removed with no discernible work undertaken. No one staying there.
Caleta Gardens - Most exciting of all. Work was taking place. Primarily concrete repairs to the balcony edges. There was also a truck removing old sunbeds etc. Could it be happening at long last?
SMY Tahona - Now open with guests. Looks all newly painted and fresh.
K31 Bar open and doing well (opposite British Corner) though the Beauty Lab shop next door was closed.
Caleta Beach is proudly sporting its 2022 Blue Flag and has a new lifeguard look out (a la Baywatch), recycling bins and some new foundations being laid adjacent to one of the paths close to the cafe in the middle of the beach.
New e scooters are for hire at the side of the road called Bird. Thankfully smaller than the usual ones and well used (taxi prices?)
Resort was very busy with queueing at the usual night time restaurants.
Lots of taxi's looking for business. More people appeared to be walking etc. at the turn of the year we struggled to get one either at the airport or within resort.
Outside the Resort
Ikea undergoing an internal refurbishment/rearrangement though not extending its footprint.
Rotundas was heaving and Puerto in general was busy with lots of people in cafes and bars. Good to see.
Return
Fuerte Airport. - Sailed through Security (5 mins) and flight on time
BHX Airport - Sailed through passport Control (1 minute)
We were in the Elba Carlota again but for the first time in june ( 18th->29th ) , whilst all the previous years ( since 2013 ) in september and october . ( once also before X-Mas )
Ryanair does not seem to fly anymore directly from Charleroi , it looks like that has been stopped and maybe restarts only in november , so we had to TUIFly with a stop first in Lanzarote . A Short strike delay in Brussels of an hour , made it to become a 7 hour plane journey (which was full ....) .
Lots of French people now in Elba Carlota since Framissima is involved , besides very many young Polish people ...
Good to sea the shops at the Atlantico Centre all being open and business up again but apparently all the shops in front of Eurostars Las Salinas still empty .
Did not really have a summer feeling since each morning lots of clouds and a cold wind . Only 2 days we could enjoy the early morning swimming in an almost empty pool . Therefore first time we were not unhappy to return back to Belgium.
@villan And tomorrow ? Back again ? 😉 😉 😉
I would indeed return tomorrow if I could Alex however it will have to wait until October 😏😎
It's good to see your reviews, when we were there feb/March from villa florida down towards San Jorge, ezra Mar it seemed very run down, with costa caleta etc looking very tired and worn. I can never remember the name of the apartments, where el captain was a couple of years ago but that was all taped off and looking abandoned. Then the ongoing saga of the apartments? Trying to be refurbished for a few years they closed Aberdeen Angus, as that was going to be the new reception area, do you know if there is any update on this ongoing project. Just felt that this part of caleta had been left, but on the bright side you are saying tahona is now open, which I doubted when we were there.
Well, just returned after 12 days in Caleta. My review.
BHX Airport - Arrived just before 04.00 only to be confronted with the biggest queues yet for Security. The good news is that we got through in 35 mins. I was still picked out for a frisk 😊 Airport was busy but more outlets were open so Mrs Villan was able to have her pre flight coffee this time.
Outbound Flight (Ryanair) - Called to the flight on time then told that a cabin crew felt unwell. We had to wait for a replacement, no resilience at the airport we had to wait whilst she travelled from home. 2hrs later she arrived. Fuerteventura Airport was great and we flew through passport control and was able to access a taxi straight away.
Caleta Gardens - My previous excitement at structural work and potential improvements was short lived as the concrete repairs were finished, but they have been left unpainted and no workmen on site. Still a complete mess.
La Luna - No work visible. Still a complete mess.
Barcelo - They opened the "Royal development (pool and restaurant/bar whilst we were there. Its located on land behind the garden area. Very impressive and again a big improvement. Can they buy La Luna and Caleta Gardens please?
Barcelo organised games of boule on the beach for guests. We counted 25 players one morning.
K31 Bar - was closed during our stay, permanently?
Caleta Beach Party - Fantastic set up and bands. The evening groups attracted big crowds, mainly Spanish groups and crowds. Would look to return when this is on again.
The resort was very busy again with queues spotted for several popular restaurants. A couple of times we struggled to get seats in bars in White City. Again we saw the change in nationalities in resort with more German tourist voices. When an artist at the Beach party asked for any British people just a dozen or so hands went up.
Ikea - Cafe opened. looked like some good vfm meals for sale as well as some limited stock available to buy in store.
Return Flight (Ryanair) - Flew through Fuerte security in 3 minutes. Was picked out again for my usual frisk/pat down. The outbound flight landed in Fuerteventura 30 mins late. We all boarded then in her speed to depart the stewardess closed the door on the boarding stairs causing damage to the steps and paintwork damage to the plane. Another 2hr delay ensured whilst an engineer was summoned to inspect and paperwork completed. Flight was OK and we passed through BHX passport control in just 5 mins.
The 4 hours delay on this return flight means that i total for the 4 return flights this year we have been waiting on the plane with delays for 12 hours.
Thanks for your review villan. You didn't have much luck with your flights!
I heard the beach party was great and good to hear caleta is getting busier.
I often wondered about the la luna complex. It's been derelict/empty as long is I can remember. A shame as its in a good location.
About 14 years ago an estate agent took us around a virtually completed La Luna just before they were due to be released for sale. The level of finish was higher than anything we had seen at any other new builds including the golf course with marble worktops and high end appliances, tiles etc I understood they were Italian developers. Then all of a sudden they went into administration.
Longest delay was just over 3 hours in January, when firstly the pilot had the wrong documentation, then the wings had to be deiced …… twice 😡
