Going on holiday with young children can often feel like an all-or-nothing scenario. You let them stay up extra-late one night to see a show or musician, and suddenly, they think sweets at 10pm and bed by midnight is a holiday norm. The extra ice cream is seen as a daily divine right. When it comes to kids' clubs, off they go on their merry way to develop their own holiday hinterland for hours, leaving you free to chill. If you don't go down the kids' club route, you're likely dividing your time between being chief entertainer and having a good time yourself.
But on the perma-sun-kissed island of Fuerteventura, I think I've found the perfect middle ground hotel that gives kids bags of freedom and entertainment, while offering adults the chance to relax – without needing to commit to a kids' club. Barceló Corralejo Sands, to the northeast of the year-round holiday isle that now has a direct TUI weekly route from Cardiff Airport, doesn't set its stall out as a place geared purely towards families, nor as a bolthole for frazzled grown-ups.
A Design That Delivers for Everyone
Rather than feeling like it has no identity, this place feels like an optimum stay for families, solo travellers, and couples of any age. The main reason is a fantastic design that maximises the compact footprint of the site by putting the two pool areas within easy line of sight of one another. It means there are no distractions between one side and the other. If you're on a child-free getaway or couples' holiday, you can lounge by the larger main pool in what we found was generally a very relaxed and quiet atmosphere. Meanwhile, a matter of seconds away is a genuinely exceptional environment for children.
There's a shallow pool with two slides – one smaller and designed like a humpback whale suitable for even the youngest kids, and another part of a pirate ship setup that was easily safe and accessible. The water, which also features a palm tree waterfall, is only the beginning of the fun. There's a generously-sized climbing frame suitable for toddlers, a set of football goals, table football, table tennis, and a pool table. There's also a small classroom-like building filled with toys, such as a role-play kitchen and colouring.
Stress-Free Family Fun
Combine it with a set of nearby loungers around the water, access to both the bar and your room, and you've essentially got all you need to satisfy everyone for a full day in the sun. Kids can play freely and easily make friends. Provided your child is old enough, you can take it easy while being on hand to splash around in the water, act as cannon fodder in goal, or take them on in one of the tabletop games. In purely logistical terms, Barceló Corralejo Sands is a complete delight. It feels like you can get the best of all worlds as a family with the absolute minimum of stress and effort.
Elegant Accommodation and Amenities
All that would count for a lot less if the rest of the hotel did not rise to the same levels. Thankfully, it does in just the same non-showy way as it bills itself. It's elegant and classy without being overblown or fussy. The staff are discreet, friendly, and almost without exception absolutely lovely and willing to help. Our poolside suite was light, airy and comfortably spacious for four, even with the 'lounge' area converted into a second bedroom. The balcony was large and sheltered and, on our side of the pool, the staggered design of the building meant it was completely private from the neighbouring room.
There were lots of neat points of attention to detail, such as cute bathroom sets for the children, and handy features like the use of beach/pool towels and a mini fridge to keep any drinks you buy off-site cool. We stayed on a half-board basis and loved the array of breakfast options. It felt particularly decadent to start the day with cava, smoked salmon, and capers, as well as the nightly themes for cuisine from around the world (Spanish, Canarian, and Arabic being my particular highlights). Bottles of wine ranged between roughly €20 (£17) and €30 and a large beer was €3.80 at the time of our visit.
Evening Entertainment and Location
We tried and failed to have eaten come the start of the mini disco in the bar each night at 8pm. If I were being picky, I'd say this could maybe have run a shade longer than 15-20 minutes. Part of the reason for its brevity was the nightly bingo at 8.30pm. This was genuinely pacy and fun for all ages, and had us all laughing on several occasions. Each night, there was a musician or another type of performer on at 9pm.
The resort, tucked away neatly down a side street, was only a matter of minutes on foot from the buzzy bars and famed 'music square' of Corralejo town. It's an easy walk to an array of different beaches, too, though we generally preferred the relaxed vibes and on-tap fun of being around the pool, which doubled up with the advantage of the buildings offering screening from the island's famous breeze.
Excursions and Booking
If you want to take a day or two further afield, there are plenty of boat trips and excursions on offer. We took a dolphin-spotting trip through TUI Musement (from £132 for a family of four, based on two adults and two children), and we were so glad we did peel ourselves away from the pool. It was a mesmerising experience. Put together with the island's year-round sunny climate and a delightful setting, and in Barceló Corralejo Sands we've found a family holiday spot that could easily become a go-to.
TUI offers a seven-night holiday to Corralejo, Fuerteventura, staying at the 4T Barcelo Corralejo Sands on a half board basis from £847 per person. The price is based on two adults and two children sharing a Suite with Balcony or Terrace departing with TUI Airways flights from Cardiff on June 6, 2026, with 20kg hold luggage per person and transfers included. To find out more about this holiday or to book go to tui.co.uk, visit your local TUI holiday store, or download the app. If you fancy leaving later in the year the same trip can be booked for departure on September 19, 2026, from £871 on a half-board basis or £1,086 for all-inclusive. TUI Musement offers a two-hour dolphin-spotting cruise from Corralejo along Fuerteventura's north coast from £132 for a family of four. This price is based on two adults (from £40pp) and two children (from £26pp).
