Rooftop Hotel Bar overlooking oldtown Las Palmas Vegueta

The Best Hotels in Las Palmas, by Location

Santa Catalina, Las Canteras and the old town Vegueta-Triana compared

Thirteen hotels, three very different neighbourhoods. Having watched guests choose (and sometimes regret) their location for years, I compare beachfront Las Canteras, leafy Ciudad Jardín and the lantern-lit old town Vegueta-Triana, area by area.

Overview

Room quality in Las Palmas hotels is fairly consistent these days — most of the established houses sit at a similar standard. What actually decides your holiday is location. Do you want to step straight onto the sand at Las Canteras in the morning? Sleep somewhere quiet, wrapped in parkland? Or wander home through the old town's narrow streets after dinner? I've watched enough guests choose (and occasionally regret) their hotel over the years to have firm opinions on this. Here are thirteen hotels across three very different parts of the city.

Bull Reina Isabel & Spa (long known as Hotel Reina Isabel) has, in my view, the best beachfront position of all: its hotel terrace sits directly on the promenade, right in front of the loveliest, palm-lined stretch of Las Canteras. The rooftop pool has a panoramic Atlantic view, and there's a wellness area with a hydrotherapy pool on the ninth floor.

Sercotel Playa Canteras also sits directly on the beach promenade. Some beachfront rooms here go a step further than most: they come with a genuine private sun terrace, with space for loungers right outside the room, not just a balcony. There's also a pool on the roof. If a private beachfront terrace matters more to you than anything else on this list, this is the hotel to book.

The five-star Hotel Cristina by Tigotan sits just slightly back from the promenade rather than directly on it. Most of its beachfront rooms have a small balcony, there's a pool, and the upper floors — thanks to the building's height — get an excellent view. One thing to watch: rooms on the back side face the busy Calle Albareda and are considerably less pleasant, so it's worth asking for a sea-facing room when you book.

NH Imperial Playa, in the La Puntilla district at the northern end of Las Canteras, genuinely sits right on the beach. From the nine-storey building, many rooms have an open view across the whole bay to the breakwater. If you want quiet, ask for a higher floor.

AC Hotel Gran Canaria by Marriott is easy to spot — a cylindrical tower right beside Parque Santa Catalina, opposite the El Muelle shopping centre. The upper floors probably have the best panoramic view in the city, from the bay to the old town skyline. The cruise port and Santa Catalina bus station are only a few minutes' walk away.

Hotel BEX is housed in a former bank building, and the design leans into that heritage: vault doors as room entrances, columns shaped like stacks of coins, a bar called "Vault". The rooftop IBEX Bar has panoramic city views, and the location is a genuine plus — a short walk to the bus station and within walking distance of the cruise port.

Hotel LIVVO Lumm practically has its feet in Parque Santa Catalina and looks straight out over the bay — a sensible choice if you're staying the night before or after a cruise, since the port and bus station are only minutes away. The rooftop Sky Bar Lumm, with its pool and views over the port and bay, is the clear highlight.

All of this beachfront position naturally comes at a price. If what you actually need is a comfortable, well-kept room near the beach rather than a sea view from your pillow, plenty more good hotels sit a street or two back in the same Canteras area, usually for noticeably less.

Ciudad Jardín: The Grand Old Classic

Santa Catalina, a Royal Hideaway Hotel is the city's most historic address. Opened in 1890, it's considered the oldest hotel in the archipelago and has hosted its share of notable guests over the decades. Its five-star setting inside the green Parque Doramas, in the leafy Ciudad Jardín district, is genuinely lovely — but be clear-eyed about the location: it is not within walking distance of either the old town or the beach. Both are at least 2 km away, so you'll need the bus, a taxi, or a rental bike to get to either. This is a hotel for guests who want peace and grand-hotel history and don't mind arranging transport for their sightseeing. The hotel is also home to Muxgo, one of the island's few Michelin-starred restaurants.

Vegueta-Triana: Colonial Charm in the Old Town

In the historic heart of the city, several boutique hotels have opened in former colonial buildings in recent years — a good fit if you want to walk between the cathedral, the museums, and the tapas bars in the evening without needing a taxi.

The Cordial Boutique Hotels form a small family of four houses here. Cordial Plaza Mayor de Santa Ana sits directly on Plaza de Santa Ana, with a rooftop terrace looking at the cathedral. Cordial Malteses and Cordial La Niña de Vegueta are also in the historic Vegueta-Triana core. Cordial La Peregrina is in the neighbouring Triana district, in a listed building on the corner of Calle Remedios and Calle Peregrina, also with a rooftop terrace.

Two further houses belong to the Airnest group. MASANET Emblematic Hotels by Airnest opened in 2023 right beside the Santa Ana cathedral, on a quiet side street, and is known for its elaborate à la carte breakfast. VEINTIUNO Emblematic Hotels by Airnest occupies a colonial house from 1780, arranged around a courtyard — an adults-only hotel with a pool and a rooftop bar overlooking the cathedral, right in the middle of Vegueta, a short walk from the Triana shopping streets.

Hotel Madrid sits directly on Plaza de Cairasco, facing the cathedral, in the building of the former governor's palace. The history here is tangible — General Franco reportedly spent the night in one of its rooms on the eve of the civil war in 1936, and that room is still marked as such today. The terrace onto the square is one of the nicest seats in the old town, though the rooms themselves stay deliberately simple. This is a hotel for guests who value history and location over polish.

Nearby Attractions

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Herb Schubke

Herb Schubke isn't a travel blogger passing through: he's lived in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria since 2003, speaks Spanish and is socially integrated into Canarian society. All photos on this page are his own, taken on location — no stock imagery.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which hotel in Las Palmas is right on the beach?
Bull Reina Isabel & Spa, Sercotel Playa Canteras, Hotel Cristina by Tigotan, and NH Imperial Playa are the hotels that sit directly on the Las Canteras promenade. Of these, Reina Isabel has the best overall position, facing the most beautiful, palm-lined stretch of the beach. Several other hotels in the area are a short walk from the sand, but not directly on it.

Which hotel has a private beachfront terrace?
Sercotel Playa Canteras stands out here: some of its beachfront rooms come with a genuine private sun terrace and space for loungers, rather than just a balcony.

Which hotel is closest to the cruise port?
Hotel LIVVO Lumm, Hotel BEX, and AC Hotel Gran Canaria by Marriott are all within a short walk of Santa Catalina bus station and the cruise port — a sensible choice for a night before or after a cruise.

Which hotel in Las Palmas has the best view over the city?
AC Hotel Gran Canaria by Marriott, thanks to its cylindrical tower, is generally considered one of the best vantage points in the city. One thing to know: the view is from large windows, not balconies — the tower design doesn't allow for them. The rooftop bars at Hotel BEX (IBEX) and Hotel LIVVO Lumm (Sky Bar Lumm) also offer panoramic views over the port and bay.

Which hotel suits a stay in the old town, Vegueta-Triana?
For the old town, look at the Cordial group's boutique hotels (Plaza Mayor de Santa Ana, Malteses, La Peregrina, La Niña de Vegueta), the Airnest houses MASANET and VEINTIUNO, and the historic Hotel Madrid on Plaza de Cairasco. Hotel Parque, on the busy Plaza San Telmo at the edge of the old town, is worth a special mention: it's only about 100 metres from the San Telmo bus terminal, making it a practical base if you're planning day trips on the Global intercity buses.

Is the Santa Catalina Royal Hideaway within walking distance of the beach or old town?
No. It's a beautiful, historic five-star hotel set in Parque Doramas, but both the old town and the beach are at least 2 km away. You'll need a bus, taxi, or rental bike to reach either.

Is there a hotel with real history behind it?
Two stand out. Santa Catalina, a Royal Hideaway Hotel, has been the oldest hotel in the archipelago since 1890. Hotel Madrid on Plaza de Cairasco is historic too — General Franco is said to have stayed there on the eve of the 1936 civil war.