The south of Gran Canaria is where most visitors stay, and for good reason: it has the island's most reliable sunshine, the famous Maspalomas dunes and a long coastline of resorts. But the south isn't one place. San Agustín is calm and residential, Playa del Inglés lively and good value, Maspalomas and Meloneras more upmarket around the lighthouse and dunes, and Puerto de Mogán, further west, a picturesque harbour town. This guide picks the best hotel in each category, with a runner-up for each, so you can match the hotel to your trip.
For the whole island, see our best hotels in Gran Canaria guide; for the top end, our best luxury hotels; and for couples, our best adults-only hotels.
Quick Decision Guide
Best Overall
A polished all-round five-star on the Meloneras promenade.
Best Luxury
The island's most exclusive stay, beside the lighthouse.
Best for Families
Themed five-star with a huge pool landscape.
Best Adults-Only
Design-led suites in Playa del Inglés.
Best All-Inclusive
Premium all-inclusive on San Agustín beach.
Best Budget
Simple, central three-star in Playa del Inglés.
Best in Puerto de Mogán
Top-rated modern five-star near the harbour.
Quick Comparison: All Hotels in This Guide
| Hotel | Area | From / Night | Adults Only | Best For | Check Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lopesan Costa Meloneras Resort & Spa | Meloneras | €220 | No | All-round resort | Expedia → |
| Lopesan Villa del Conde Resort & Thalasso | Meloneras | €205 | No | Resort & thalasso | Expedia → |
| Seaside Grand Hotel Residencia | Maspalomas | €600+ | No* | Exclusive luxury | Expedia → |
| Hotel Faro, a Lopesan Collection Hotel | Maspalomas | €265 | Yes | Lighthouse, couples | Expedia → |
| Lopesan Baobab Resort | Meloneras | €250 | No | Families | Expedia → |
| HD Parque Cristóbal Gran Canaria | Playa del Inglés | €130 | No | Family value | Expedia → |
| Bohemia Suites & Spa | Playa del Inglés | €220 | Yes | Design boutique | Expedia → |
| Hotel Riu Palace Maspalomas | Playa del Inglés | €305 | Yes | Dune views | Expedia → |
| Paradisus Gran Canaria | San Agustín | €500+ AI | No | Premium all-inclusive | Expedia → |
| Hotel Riu Gran Canaria | Meloneras | €350 AI | No | Family all-inclusive | Expedia → |
| Hotel Rey Carlos | Playa del Inglés | €80 | No | Budget | Expedia → |
| Hotel Green Field | Playa del Inglés | — | No | Self-catering | Expedia → |
| Radisson Blu Resort & Spa, Gran Canaria Mogán | Mogán | €230 | No | Modern resort | Expedia → |
| Apartamentos Cordial Mogán Valle | Mogán | €200 | No | Self-catering families | Expedia → |
Approximate low-to-mid-season starting rates for a double room, checked in October 2026; all-inclusive (AI) rates cover two people. *Seaside Grand Hotel Residencia does not admit children 16 and under in December and January. Always confirm current rates before booking.
Best Overall: Lopesan Costa Meloneras Resort & Spa
Lopesan Costa Meloneras is the classic big Gran Canaria resort done well: colonial-style buildings around palm-filled gardens and lagoon pools with waterfalls, right on the Meloneras promenade. With guest scores of around 9.2 out of 10 from more than a thousand reviews, it's one of the most consistently praised resorts on the island.
The Corallium Spa, a wide choice of restaurants and a children's pool cover every kind of guest, and the Maspalomas lighthouse and the dunes are within walking distance. Ask for a room near the main pools, as the resort is large.
Runner-Up: Lopesan Villa del Conde Resort & Thalasso
Lopesan Villa del Conde is one of the most distinctive resorts in the Canaries: a five-star built to recreate a traditional Canarian village, complete with a central square and a church-style main building, on the Meloneras seafront. Guest scores of around 9.2 out of 10 from a thousand reviews reflect consistent quality.
Its Corallium Thalasso centre, built around seawater treatments, is one of the island's leading spas, and the Meloneras promenade, beach and dunes are a short walk away. It's often priced a little below its sister, Costa Meloneras.
Our Take: Best Overall
Lopesan Costa Meloneras is the most complete all-round resort in the south. Its sister Villa del Conde is often a little cheaper, with more character and a leading thalasso spa.
Best Luxury: Seaside Grand Hotel Residencia
Seaside Grand Hotel Residencia is Gran Canaria's most exclusive address and a member of the Leading Hotels of the World. Just 94 rooms are spread across two-storey colonial-style buildings in lush gardens, a five-minute walk from the Maspalomas lighthouse, the dunes and the beach, and guest scores of around 9.6 out of 10 reflect exceptional, personal service.
Half board is widely recommended — dinner on the open-air terrace is a highlight — and the spa, tennis courts and adjacent golf course complete the stay. It's the island's most expensive hotel, with current rates often starting above €600 a night, and children 16 and under are not admitted in December and January.
Runner-Up: Hotel Faro, a Lopesan Collection Hotel – Adults Only
Hotel Faro sits right beside the Maspalomas lighthouse, where the promenade meets the beach and the dunes, and is now an adults-only hotel in the Lopesan Collection. Guest scores of around 9.2 out of 10 reflect its design-led rooms and calm atmosphere — a more affordable alternative to Seaside Residencia a few minutes away.
Best for Families: Lopesan Baobab Resort
Lopesan Baobab is Gran Canaria's most theatrical resort: an African-inspired design of thatched pavilions, earthy towers and lagoon pools winding through tropical gardens, in Meloneras. It's one of the island's best five-stars for families, with a huge pool landscape and plenty to keep children busy, without losing its sense of style.
The beach and the start of the dunes are a short walk away, and the Meloneras promenade is lined with restaurants. Ask for a room near the pools you'll use most — the resort is large.
Runner-Up: HD Parque Cristóbal Gran Canaria
HD Parque Cristóbal is a family-friendly bungalow resort in Playa del Inglés, with low-rise accommodation set around large pools and palm gardens. It's a more affordable way for families to stay in the south, with space to spread out and the beach and dunes a short drive or bus ride away.
Best Adults-Only: Bohemia Suites & Spa
Bohemia Suites & Spa is the stylish counterpoint to the big resorts of the south: a design-led, adults-only boutique hotel in Playa del Inglés, with suites rather than standard rooms, a spa, and a rooftop restaurant and bar looking out over the Atlantic and the dunes at sunset.
It's ideal for couples who want contemporary design and a calm atmosphere, with the beach, the dunes and Playa del Inglés's restaurants within easy reach. For more couples-only stays, see our best adults-only hotels in Gran Canaria guide.
Runner-Up: Hotel Riu Palace Maspalomas – Adults Only
The first Riu Palace hotel in the world was reborn as a five-star, adults-only hotel after a full refurbishment, and its position is unbeatable: right on the edge of the Maspalomas dunes, with views over the sand to the sea. With around 350 rooms, it's the larger-scale alternative to Bohemia's boutique calm.
Our Take: Luxury, Families and Adults-Only
Seaside Residencia is the south's most exclusive stay, with Hotel Faro the stylish adults-only alternative at the lighthouse. Families should choose Baobab, or Parque Cristóbal for value; couples Bohemia for boutique design or Riu Palace Maspalomas for dune views.
Best All-Inclusive: Paradisus Gran Canaria
Paradisus by Meliá Gran Canaria is the island's most polished all-inclusive, set directly on San Agustín beach with boardwalk access and a quieter atmosphere than Playa del Inglés next door. Guest scores of around 9.6 out of 10 are among the highest on the island, and couples rate it particularly highly.
Three outdoor pools, a full-service spa and beachfront dining complete a stay where everything is included. Rates are high, but they cover all meals and drinks for two — compare them with half-board alternatives before deciding.
Runner-Up: Hotel Riu Gran Canaria – All Inclusive
The Riu Gran Canaria is a large, refurbished all-inclusive on the Meloneras seafront, with sea-facing pools and a busy entertainment programme for all ages. Guest scores of around 8.8 out of 10 make it a reliable choice for families who want everything included and the Meloneras promenade on the doorstep.
Best Budget: Hotel Rey Carlos
Hotel Rey Carlos is a simple three-star in the heart of Playa del Inglés, beside the CITA shopping centre and around eight minutes' walk from the Yumbo Centre, with the dunes about ten minutes away on foot. Guest scores are average, at around 7 out of 10 from nearly 500 reviews: guests value the location, pool and price rather than the rooms, which are basic.
It's a good-value base for travellers who plan to spend their days out exploring rather than at the hotel.
Runner-Up: Hotel Green Field
Hotel Green Field is an aparthotel in Playa del Inglés, around an eight-minute walk from the beach and three from the Paseo Costa Canaria, with an outdoor pool, poolside bar, rooftop terrace and gym. It has very few verified reviews on Expedia so far, so check the latest guest feedback before you book.
Best in Puerto de Mogán: Radisson Blu Resort & Spa
Opened in 2016, the Radisson Blu brings a contemporary five-star resort to the island's most picturesque corner. Low-rise, terraced buildings look over large pools and the valley towards the sea, and guest scores of around 9.2 out of 10 from a thousand reviews make it one of the best-rated resorts on the island.
Families get three pools, a children's pool and plenty of activities, while couples have a separate adults-only area and the spa. The harbour of Puerto de Mogán — the island's "Little Venice" — is around 15 minutes away on foot; see our Puerto de Mogán guide.
Runner-Up: Apartamentos Cordial Mogán Valle
Cordial Mogán Valle offers self-catering apartments with kitchens around pools in the Mogán valley, a walk from the harbour of Puerto de Mogán. Guest scores of around 8.6 out of 10 make it a solid option for families who want space and the freedom to cook.
Our Take: All-Inclusive, Budget and Mogán
Paradisus is the premium all-inclusive, with Riu Gran Canaria the family alternative. On a budget, Rey Carlos offers a central base for little money. In Mogán, the Radisson Blu is the top-rated resort and Cordial Mogán Valle the self-catering choice.
How to Plan Your Stay
The Airport
Gran Canaria Airport (LPA) is 25–35 minutes from San Agustín, Playa del Inglés, Maspalomas and Meloneras, and 40–50 from Puerto de Mogán.
Do You Need a Car?
Not to enjoy the south's resorts, but it's the best way to reach the mountains and Roque Nublo — compare car hire.
The Beaches
From Maspalomas to Amadores, our best beaches in Gran Canaria guide covers the coast.
The Dunes
Our Maspalomas dunes guide covers the best walks, sunrise and the rules in the reserve.
Day Trips
See our best excursions, best hikes and hidden gems guides.
North or South?
Our Gran Canaria south vs north guide explains the island's two sides.
Short Trip?
Our 3 days in Gran Canaria itinerary combines the south, the mountains and Las Palmas.
Staying Connected
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Our Honest Verdict
The south of Gran Canaria has a hotel for every trip. Lopesan Costa Meloneras is our best overall pick, Seaside Grand Hotel Residencia the most exclusive, Baobab the family favourite and Bohemia the adults-only choice, while Paradisus leads for all-inclusive and the Radisson Blu for Puerto de Mogán.
For the rest of your planning, see our Gran Canaria island guide, Maspalomas dunes guide and Puerto de Mogán guide.