Gran Canaria Resorts: Where to Stay and Which Hotels Suit You

Puerto Rico is by some distance the most searched of the resorts in Gran Canaria, and with Maspalomas, Playa del Inglés and Puerto de Mogán it makes up the southern coastal strip where most package holidays land. Maspalomas is the one with the most to see on the doorstep: the Maspalomas Lighthouse, the beach at Meloneras and Palmitos Park, a zoo and garden that suits families well. Puerto de Mogán belongs to the Mogán municipality, whose hinterland includes the Inagua protected area and Montaña de Tauro for walkers.

Las Palmas is the capital and a proper city, close to the island's main ferry port, which suits travellers who want restaurants and streets rather than a sun-lounger routine. Telde, the largest town on the island with over 123,000 residents, is only 7 minutes from the airport and has the Cuatro Puertas archaeological site.

Inland, Santa Brígida puts you near Bandama Caldera and the botanical garden, Teror is home to the Basílica de Nuestra Señora del Pino, and Agüimes is the gateway to Barranco de Guayadeque. In the north-west, Gáldar has the Painted Cave and Punta Sardina Lighthouse, and San Nicolás borders Tamadaba Natural Park and the remote beach at Güigüi.

The southern coastal resorts are where the classic resort hotel holiday happens, and where most of the nice resorts in Gran Canaria for a beach fortnight are found. If you are weighing 5 star holidays in Gran Canaria, Maspalomas and its Meloneras beach area are the natural place to start comparing, and the live hotel prices here can be filtered by star rating and board basis.

Self catering in Gran Canaria makes the most sense when you want to explore beyond the beach: a base in Las Palmas, Telde or the south lets you pick up car hire and reach the Painted Cave, Teror or Tamadaba in a day. Self catering holidays in Gran Canaria also give families more flexibility with meal times and budgets.

For villas in Gran Canary, think about the quieter inland municipalities. Santa Brígida, Teror and Santa Lucía are calmer than the coast, and Santa Brígida and Santa Lucía are both around 14 minutes from the airport. Holiday villas in Gran Canaria suit groups and multi-generation families who want space and a car, and you can compare car hire alongside your stay on this page.

Most British travellers book a package: flight into Gran Canaria airport (LPA), hotel and transfer in one booking. You can compare package deals from several providers here, then check what is included, especially board basis, since all inclusive, half board and room only change the real cost of a week considerably. School holidays push prices up across all providers, so travelling outside half term and the summer break usually gives more choice.

Timing matters less here than in mainland Spain. Maspalomas sees highs of 23°C from December to February, around 27°C in November and 31 to 33°C in July and August, when it is dry. If you are booking holiday villas to rent in Gran Canaria for midsummer, factor in that heat when choosing between coast and interior.

For gran canaria villa holidays and self-catering stays, add car hire to the plan from the outset: the inland sights such as Bandama Caldera, Barranco de Guayadeque and Pilancones Natural Park are best reached by road. Tours and tickets for the island are also listed on this page.