Where to Stay

Gran Canaria is an island of spectacular contrasts, possessing an incredible variety of bioclimates. The great dunes and the golden sand of the southern beaches compete for your attention with the deep, green ravines of the center of the island and the sharp cliffs of the north. This physical diversity is the base upon which a thriving tourist industry has developed. The island is a treasure for convention- and conference-goers as well as for tourists. Well-developed infrastructure and top services are available all year round, offering you modern, fully-equipped conference halls and an unbeatable offering of accommodation, including 169 hotels and 723 apartments, bungalows and rural homes to choose from.

Tourism was mostly the domain of the British during the last century. They came looking for what they couldn't find in their own country, that is, nice weather all year long. Already in the 20th century Gran Canaria took its place as one of the destinations of the privileged. Alongside the coastal beaches has sprung up an infrastructure capable of welcoming the more than three million travelers that visit us every year. The variety of lodging is more than adequate: there are all classes of hotels and apartments, and most of the four and five-star ones are outfitted for receiving businesspersons and and conventioneers as well.

Add to this a network of companies and businesses offering the entire gamut of specialized services: high-tech equipment, audiovisual supplies, catering, translation and interpreting services, hostesses, public relations and organizational advisor's. The well-known international hotel chains are longstanding on the island. From the Sol Meliá chain you'll find Meliá Las Palmas, Meliá Confort, Meliá Tamarindos and Sol Barbacán, among others. Then the Riu chain has more than ten high-class hotels to offer, such as the five-star Hotel Riu Maspalomas Oasis, the Riu Papayas, the Riu Palace Meloneras and the Riu Palmeras, among many other eminently comfortable places to stay. The German chain, Seaside Hotels, also offers one luxury hotel, the Gran Hotel Residencia in Maspalomas, as well as the Palm Beach and the Sandy Beach.

This luxury is wonderfully complemented by excellent independent hotels, such as La Canaria in Patalavaca, the Gloria Palace in Playa del Inglés (recognized for having the biggest thalasso therapy center in Europe), and the Bahía Mar, located in Telde, more specifically on Garita beach. The offer of hotels continues to grow and new establishments open up steadily, such as the recently inaugurated Gran Hotel Vecindario Aeropuerto which, as its name (Great Hotel in the Neighborhood of the Airport) tells you, is located just next to the most international and most trafficked spot of our beautiful island!

In recent years rural tourism has been on the increase, gaining in popularity both with Canarian tourists and visitors alike. This type of accommodation is best for those who want to appreciate the natural beauty and peace and quiet of the northern and central parts of the island. While the south is drier and filled with beaches, the north and center are blessed with verdant mountains, valleys and cliffs, which during the winter even see some snow.

Although the number of rural homes is increasing astronomically, we can still point out some classic abodes such as the 300-year old El Vinco, in San Mateo which has been completely refurbished in an eminently comfortable style with furniture from the 19th century. There are plenty of rural hotels to choose from as well, such as El Refugio, located smack-dab in the middle of the island, just next to the state-run Tejeda hotel, which has an incredible viewpoint from which one can admire the majestic Teide, the highest mountain in Spain, located on the neighbor island Tenerife. To name some others, we can mention the Hotel Princesa Guayarmina in the locality of Agaete, where one can enjoy all the benefits of a nice hotel without sacrificing the countryside feeling. To sum up, if you're looking for the perfect vacation spot, don't hesitate to come visit this mini-continent that is the beautiful island of Gran Canaria.

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