XQ El Palacete

Fuerteventura basks in 3000 hours of sunshine a year, calling for optimum sun-basking opportunities – and XQ El Palacete delivers. Balinese days beds are dotted around a bubbling whirlpool bath on a wooden terrace, with views of the ocean beyond. A smattering of padded loungers line a glass-edged terrace above the jewel-toned sea below, while a gleaming outdoor pool begs to be dived into – the sun bouncing off its sparkling surface.

You couldn’t ask for a better location: XQ El Palacete looms over the powdery dunes of Playa Jandía in the south of the island; you weave through the undulating sand to reach the beach and Atlantic Ocean beyond. The foam-tipped swell lures windsurfers from across the world, but the golden grains are just as enticing for sunbathing.

The pace shifts down a few gears in this corner of the island: wake to leisurely breakfasts set against a soundtrack of crashing waves, go cycling in  Jandía Natural Park, and help release rescued loggerheads into the sea at Morro Jable’s Turtle Nursery. While away the afternoon flitting between the hot tub, pool and sun lounger, before ending the day with a feast of day-fresh seafood and local cuisine. Behind a lemon-yellow façade, rooms are classic and rooted in place – think oceanic blues or bleached stone hues, coastal-inspired wall art and coral-pink cushions. Many come with private sea-facing balconies for optimal blue-on-blue views.