by Janet Pieterse

Created on: August 03, 2009

The R2 Pajara Beach Hotel in Costa Calma, Fuerta Ventura, promises a carefree, all-inclusive holiday in idyllic surroundings. While it mostly lives up to its too-good-to-be-true four-star image, a holiday there may not suit everyone. Let's take a look at what to expect.

LOCATION

Costa Calma means Quiet Coast, and the little town certainly lives up to its name. There is no designer shopping, no fancy electronics or clothing stores, no buzzing discotheques or even trendy restaurants. Other than idle curiosity, there is little motivation to leave the R2 Pajaro Beach Hotel to visit it.

The hotel itself lies at the beginning of an unspoilt beach that stretches all of 21 kilometres to Jandia, at the south of the island. It is not sand all the way; there are interludes of wild, rocky outcrops to be negotiated.

The view of the sea is magnificent from the pool and pool dining room, as well as from the main hotel. Access to the beach is another matter. It's advertised as being "10 metres" from the hotel, but unless you're prepared for a suicidal jump over the railings, the walk down is considerably longer than that. Bring nuts with you - there are many bold little squirrels that come up to you and beg quite shamelessly. The beach to the south offers recliners that are maintained by the Costa Calma municipality. If you are unlucky, you will be asked to pay 3 euros a day for them.

On the way down, there are also a number of areas enclosed by loosely stacked stone walls. Many people choose to soak up the sun here rather than on the recliners - and they do so au naturel. In fact, people of all shapes and sizes walk around au naturel on the beach, not feeling the need for the pseudo privacy offered by the stone walls.

ARCHITECTURE

Glass and water is the best way to describe the R2 Pajaro Beach Hotel. The main focus, both inside and out, is a waterfall feature. Inside the hotel, it cascades through the full volume of the hotel, and the theme carries through outside in a series of stepped waterfalls leading to the pool.

POOL

The main pool area may make you wonder if you need the beach at all. it is not just big; it is magnificently huge. Here, the paving slopes down gently into the water; there, the pool boasts a central island packed with palm trees. There are no square or formal shapes, the pool curves and meanders around a vast area, creating semi-private pockets of land adorned with comfortable recliners. While you are never far from the pool dining room, or indeed from other

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