The RIU Oliva Beach Hotel in Fuerteventura is facing severe criticism from guests due to the poor state of its facilities. Visitors have voiced their dissatisfaction, highlighting a range of issues such as broken lifts, outdated rooms, and difficulties in even opening some of the doors.
Guests have taken to social media and review platforms to express their frustration. One particularly scathing review described the hotel as having “the oldest rooms I’ve ever seen, old bed linen, faded towels, a bad smell in the rooms, dirty and sandy carpets, unclean bathrooms, poor hygiene, non-functional air conditioning, and outdated televisions. The walls need painting.”
Another guest remarked, “I feel like I’m staying in a dying hotel. The management or owners at RIU must take immediate action. I wouldn’t recommend this place to anyone. Fuerteventura depends on tourism, and having such outdated hotels is unacceptable.”
These reviews continue to be posted amidst uncertainty surrounding the future of the hotel which could be facing demolition for being partially built on protected land.
In September the constitutional court ruled in favour of the government's demolition order against the hotel, but RIU said they will appeal and fight the case, filing their own lawsuits against ‘misconduct of officials’ during this process.
However, what is evident is that the hotel company aren’t willing to invest in the hotel at this stage, as the negative reviews continue to flood in. One user on X said, “What leaves me speechless is this: Riu Oliva Beach, Fuerteventura. Three elevators, and after four days, only one has worked consistently. Seven floors with approximately 60 rooms per floor. Unbelievable.”
Another comment revealed, “There’s no air conditioning. We know because after complaining, we were shown three different rooms, none of which had functioning AC, just air movement. If you have Movistar, forget about having phone service or data. Complete digital disconnection, as their Movistar tower isn’t working. No Wi-Fi. The jacuzzi is out of service. The main building’s lift shakes as if it might break down at any moment.”
The situation at the hotel continues to worsen, casting a shadow over the future of the iconic resort on the sand dunes of Corralejo, leaving both the guests and the reputation of Fuerteventura to suffer.
