[Top] 75 14 of the best family hotels in Gran Canaria

Gran Canaria is often referred to as a “continent in miniature”, with rolling sand dunes, coastal cliffs, rocky monoliths and verdant mountain peaks all within its 29-mile length. While holidaying families will certainly love the diversity, they’ll also appreciate another of this Canary island’s strong suits — its convenience. The beach resorts of Gran Canaria line up along the curving south coast like a wide smile of welcome, and they’re all less than a 35-minute drive from the airport. No matter where you stay, you’ll be in easy reach of the island’s many child-friendly attractions, from water parks to dolphin-watching cruises.

There are excellent family hotels in all the south coast resorts, from big, bustling Playa del Ingles to peaceful, pretty Puerto de Mogan. Maspalomas is all palm trees and sun-drenched sand, with its truly epic protected landscape of rolling dunes, where you can even ride camels. Next door is Meloneras, an enclave of some of the island’s most luxurious hotels. For something a little less mainstream, head to the rural interior, where boutique accommodation abounds. And in the pretty capital Las Palmas, at the northern tip of the island, you’ll find one of the world’s best urban beaches.

Main photo: Hotel Riu Gran Canaria, Meloneras

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1. Lopesan Baobab, Meloneras

Best for quirky design details
The Canary Islands may be Spanish, but geographically they’re closer to the coast of Africa, and this luxurious hotel will make sure you don’t forget it. Its striking, safari-on-steroids stylings — think earth tones, animal prints and dramatic timber roofs — are backed up by an impressive array of family facilities, with a kids’ club for four to 12-year-olds and a suite of sports. Swimming pools are where it really excels — there are seven, plus a lazy river. There are two just for kids and one with sandy shores, which makes up for the ten-minute walk to the nearest beach.

Kids’ club Y
Pool Y
Price £££

2. Radisson Blu Gran Canaria, Arguineguin

Best for big families
This sleek, stylish hotel is on the outskirts of a south-coast fishing village. Spacious one, two and even three-bedroom suites come together with living areas, kitchenettes and balconies — and families of up to eight can stay together comfortably. There’s plenty to keep all ages occupied, from a kids’ club, children’s pool and play area to tennis, a gym and a spa. The pick of the two beaches within easy walking distance is Anfi, a sheltered curve so white and soft your feet might think you’re in the Caribbean — which is where the sand was imported from.

Kids’ club Y
Pool Y
Price £££

3. Santa Monica Suites, Playa de Ingles

Best for direct dune access
Despite its many excellent beaches, finding a hotel right on the sand isn’t always easy in Gran Canaria. You can walk directly from the pool area of this four-star hotel to the undulating golden waves of the coastal nature reserve of Maspalomas dunes. It’s suited to younger families looking to spend time together — there’s a children’s pool and a playground, but no organised kids’ club. Suites have sofa beds and cots can be requested, and it’s worth upgrading to one with a sea — and dune — view.

Kids’ club N
Pool Y
Price ££

4. Hotel The Lago Taurito, Taurito

Best for resort-centric value
If you’d rather not venture far from your hotel during your time away, this excellent value three-star might fit the bill. Tucked away in a narrow, steep-sided valley, Taurito is a small resort with a few hotels that surround a sprawling salt-water lido and a water park set in front of the dark sand beach. Stays at Hotel The Lago are all-inclusive, and cover unlimited access to the water park, plus a kids’ club. Family rooms sleep up to five with a sofa bed in a separate living room.

Kids’ club Y
Pool Y
Price £

5. H10 Playa Meloneras Palace, Meloneras

Best for a boutique feel
Bold architecture and a spacious, cliffside site at the end of the Meloneras strip gives this hotel a sense of exclusivity and idiosyncrasy more commonly found in smaller places. It’s not vast — there are 370 rooms — but the facilities match those of hotels twice the size. On offer are pools for both adults and children, tennis courts, bike hire, a kids’ club and playground, and activities of all sorts, from everyday sports to archery and water polo. Book all-inclusive and almost everything, even spa access, is complimentary.

Kids’ club Y
Pool Y
Price £££

6. Hotel Reina Isabel & Spa, Las Palmas

Best for urban beaches
With kilometres of golden sand and safe swimming — a volcanic rock formation protects much of the beach — Las Canteras is one of the world’s best city beaches for little ones. Hotel Reina Isabel is right on the beachfront and has sun beds, parasols and towels for guest use. There’s also a rooftop pool and a breezy beachside restaurant, and kids under six can stay free in their parents’ room. If you want a break from the sea and sand, Gran Canaria’s cosmopolitan capital has plenty of sights, including a child-friendly science museum and aquarium.

Kids’ club N
Pool Y
Price ££

7. Suites & Villas by Dunas, Maspalomas

Best for verdant seclusion
Tucked away next to a golf course on the border between the resorts of Maspalomas and Meloneras, the accommodation at this beautifully kept four-star is surrounded by palms, cacti and aloe vera, making it feel a world apart. The suites all have separate living rooms, and dedicated family suites, located near the splash area and sleeping up to six, have beanbags, teepees and kids’ welcome gifts. There’s a clutch of pools, most heated in winter, and a spa, which — with kids’ and teens’ clubs entertaining those from four right up to 16 — parents will actually get the chance to enjoy.

Kids’ club Y
Pool Y
Price ££

8. Hotel Riu Gran Canaria, Meloneras

Best for all-inclusive
This large, upmarket hotel on the seafront is a 24-hour all-inclusive, so you can leave your wallet — and your worries — in the safe in your room. With a food truck and a snack bar on top of the four buffet and à la carte restaurants, no one will go hungry, but the included activities are where you’ll really see the value. Alongside five pools, kids’ and teens’ clubs and a playground, you’ll find art classes, live music and sports all part of the deal. Accommodation options include one and two-bed family rooms.

Kids’ club Y
Pool Y
Price ££

9. Hotel Cordial Mogan Playa, Puerto de Mogan

Best for scenic stays
Behind a sheltered beach and marina you’ll find one of the island’s prettiest towns, known as Little Venice for its narrow streets and canals lined by whitewashed houses. The Hotel Cordial is equally picturesque, built in the style of a Canarian village with accommodation and pool areas surrounded by botanic gardens that feature hundreds of species of tropical plants. There’s plenty for young visitors, with a kids’ club, games room and playground. Most evenings will be spent at the buffet restaurant and the mini disco, but parents should schedule one visit to the Michelin-starred Los Guayres.

Kids’ club Y
Pool Y
Price ££

10. Seaside Palm Beach, Maspalomas

Best for the youngest guests
This opulent five-star puts a huge effort into catering to little ones. There are many thoughtful touches, such as a separate shallow baby pool, so tots aren’t splashed by bigger kids careering down the slides in the kids’ pool, special menus in the restaurants, a playground and outdoor games, as well as a children’s club and babysitting. While the little ones are entertained, parents can head for the spa or tennis court, or lounge around one of two adults-only pools. One child under 12 can stay free in their parent’s room — or, if you’d prefer a connecting room, kids stay for half-price.

Kids’ club Y
Pool Y
Price £££

11. Gloria Palace Royal Hotel & Spa, Playa de Amadores

Best for spending time together
Although this family-friendly hotel has a kids club, there’s no need to drop them off every day. There’s plenty to do en famille, with the children’s pool and playground next to the adults’ infinity pool, table tennis, board games and even two hours a day when children are allowed into the spa to enjoy the warm pools with jets and bubble beds. The hotel, built sympathetically in local stone, perches above the fan-shaped beach, where there’s an inflatable fun park and a mini golf course. Family rooms sleep four.

Kids’ club Y
Pool Y
Price ££

12. HD Parque Cristobal, Playa del Ingles

Best for all-action families
There’s never a dull moment at this refurbished resort in the heart of bustling Playa del Ingles. At the shaded, open-air studio you’ll find endless fitness classes, from CrossFit to Zumba, and football, volleyball and basketball tournaments at the multi-sports pitch. There are dance parties by the pool, a zipline, kids’ gardening experiences and even a “campsite” area for toasting marshmallows on a fire and watching movies under the stars. Bungalow accommodation includes a number of family options, with bunks and play areas in the kids’ version, and beanbags and games consoles for teens. There’s a free shuttle bus to the beach.

Kids’ club Y
Pool Y
Price ££

13. Marina Suites Hotel, Puerto Rico

Best for yacht spotting
Panoramic ocean views are one of the big sells of this apart-hotel overlooking Gran Canaria’s most well-heeled marina. The suites have floor-to-ceiling windows and balconies facing seaward, and you’ll breakfast in a restaurant where the Atlantic peeps through the curved glass walls and, outside, the blue of the infinity pool blends into that of the watery horizon. It’s a stone’s throw to the marina, where you can take dolphin-watching cruises, fishing trips or scuba-diving excursions. On site there’s a kids’ club, play area and gym.

Kids’ club Y
Pool Y
Price ££

14. Hotel Rural El Mondalon, Los Hoyos

Best for a rural retreat
There’s more to Gran Canaria than its sandy beaches, but you’ll need to leave the south coast to discover that. For something a little more rural, try this former farm set in vineyards towards the north of the island. It’s a tranquil spot with a heated outdoor pool, a games room and a playground for kids, and rooms that sleep up to four. It’s a short walk over the farmland to the Caldera de Bandama, a 200m deep, half-mile wide wide crater, lined with lush vegetation — a reminder of Gran Canaria’s volcanic heritage.

Kids’ club N
Pool Y
Price £

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