Article primarily intended for tourists, not those looking to purchase property here. I’ll explain the types of accommodation in the Canary Islands available for short-term rent, their features, drawbacks, and what to expect. There will be links to resources where apartments for vacations can be booked. Overall, this is a general article about hotels and apartments in the Canaries.

Accommodation in the Canaries: Types of Lodging for Tourists

Taking a broad view, the rental housing market for tourists in the Canaries is quite typical for Europe. Here you’ll find various options:

  • Traditional hotels
  • Apartments
  • Aparthotels
  • Villas, houses
  • Even hostels

Hotels, especially those with large pools and all-inclusive dining options, are an excellent choice. However, prices for such accommodation have significantly increased, making it challenging to find a room for even 150 euros during the season.

You can find a decent hotel with just breakfast, a small pool, or none, within 1-2 km from the beach for 100-120 euros per night per room.

hotels in canaries
Hotels built in the early 2000s are the most budget-friendly. Yes, they might not have modern furniture or huge pools, but if you’re not a picky tourist, such accommodation in the Canaries would be an excellent option, and there’s a wide selection of them.

The most popular accommodation in the Canary Islands is apartments and aparthotels. Their main difference from traditional hotels is having a full kitchen in your room. This is very convenient, especially for tourists with children.

Furthermore, apartments tend to be more budget-friendly than hotels. There’s quite a large selection for up to 100 euros per day. Also, if you have a rental car (which many tourists do), it’s not a problem to stay in beautiful mountainous areas 5-10 km away from the beach, and you can drive to the beach in your car.

Interesting to know:

Personally, when traveling to the islands, we almost always stay in aparthotels; it’s very convenient. An aparthotel is a traditional hotel but with a kitchen. Sometimes breakfasts are included in the price, there’s a restaurant where you can have dinner if you wish, but there’s also your own full kitchen.

Peculiarities of Accommodation in the Canary Islands

I’ll list the peculiarities of housing on the islands that you wouldn’t think of until you arrive in the Canaries. Some of these peculiarities might surprise you unpleasantly.

  • Air conditioners: The Canaries have a perpetual spring-like climate. Winters are warm, summers are not scorching. Also, the air is very dry year-round. Air conditioners are usually required only for 1-2 weeks a year; they are rarely found. Details about the weather on the islands, when it’s best to vacation, and the dangers of Calima for tourists.
  • There’s generally no central heating or hot water supply. Each landlord resolves these issues independently. Everyone has a water heater, but they vary. Some have large ones, allowing for 20-minute showers, while others only provide enough hot water for 3 minutes. Just keep this characteristic in mind.
  • Tiled floors everywhere: This is practical, easy to clean, and more durable than other coverings. While it’s refreshing in the summer, especially if you live in the mountains, it can be very cold in the winter. If you’re sensitive to cold floors, bring slippers or warm socks from home.
accommodation in the canary islands
Almost all apartments have a classic living room and kitchen. They come equipped with everything necessary for cooking. Tiled floors are always cold.

One of the biggest drawbacks of any accommodation in the Canaries:

is sound insulation. With a warm climate year-round, there’s no need for double-glazed windows or thick walls. Sound insulation is terrible everywhere, from the street noise to hearing everything that passes under your window, to sound insulation with neighbors, you can hear what they’re talking about. You can even hear water running.
  • Moreover, since most islands have complex terrain and many volcanic mountains, hotels, apartments in the Canaries, and entire towns can be built right on the slopes of mountains. If you don’t enjoy constantly going uphill or using stairs, be very attentive when booking accommodation.
apartment canaries
On Tenerife, we stayed in a hotel 500 meters from the ocean. Here’s the view from the hotel to the beach below. Later, it turned out that it was 500 meters to the ocean and 400 meters downhill. Our neighbors didn’t have a car, and for all three days, they complained about how difficult it was to walk to the beach. So choose your accommodation carefully; proximity to the beach can be deceiving.

You can read about the volcanoes and mountains of the Canary Islands and about eruptions in this article.

What to Consider When Booking Apartments

Where to book accommodation in the Canary Islands, you’ll find through the links at the end of the article, there are several excellent platforms to choose from with a large variety of options. And I’ll tell you more specifically what to pay attention to when searching for and booking accommodation. Perhaps some tips will help you choose your ideal option.

Tip:

Always read reviews about the accommodation; they are available on any booking platform. It’s the reviews, not just the accommodation rating, that are important for decision-making. Sometimes someone gives a 3-star rating with comments like “too many mosquitoes” or “very far from the beach.” How can you give 3 stars for something beyond the host’s control? When you booked, didn’t you see that it was far from the beach? If you’re the one at fault, why give a bad rating?
  • Pay attention to the street where the accommodation is located. If it’s a central, noisy street, it’s better to bring earplugs.
  • Accommodation, even 300 meters from the beach, might be on a very steep hill with a thousand steps.

Tip:

There are very cool free navigators for phones like OrganicMaps or maps.me, both available for Android and iPhone. They are very detailed, better than Google Maps. And their feature is that they have a filter showing elevations above sea level. You can see where you’ll be living before booking accommodation. This applies to hotels as well; they are now being built right on cliffs.
canary island apartments
A bit more about altitude. Behind me, 300 meters away, is the beach and ocean. Look at how hotels are built, right on cliffs. From the top hotel, if there’s no elevator (sometimes there are), you can walk to the beach, but going back uphill will be difficult for many, especially with a stroller and child.
  • And of course, pay attention to the availability of private parking if you plan to rent a car. Parking is a headache on the Canary Islands. It’s catastrophically insufficient. If you plan to stay in the center of a popular resort (especially on Tenerife and Gran Canaria), parking will be a problem. All about car rentals in the Canaries, parking, roads, fines, and traffic rules.

Interesting Accommodation Options for Tourists

Yes, you can book a hotel, apartment, or any other accommodation right by the beach at the resort for your vacation, and it will be a great option. I recommend searching for accommodation in the mountains, in remote villages, with panoramic views for those flying here for two weeks and planning to rent a car. There’s plenty of such accommodation in the Canaries. Yes, there won’t be a grocery store or restaurant within walking distance, but the views from your terrace will be unforgettable.

I won’t give specific links because there’s so much accommodation, and it’s all available on the resources linked at the end of the article. But here are a few examples of what you can find, not just apartments near the beach in the city:

best view hotel tenerife
Our room in an aparthotel on a cliff on the island of Tenerife. Yes, you can’t walk to the beach, but the views are fantastic. You can easily spend a couple of days living like this.
apartment la palma sea view
Here’s our accommodation in the Canary Islands on the island of La Gomera in a remote village with only three houses. It’s just you and nature here.
mountain house gran canaria
On the island of La Palma, we stayed 5 km from the beach in the mountains. Our friends asked, “how is it possible not to live by the beach?” but we had this view from our window.
cave house canary islands
Just so you know, such accommodation exists in the Canaries. On the island of Gran Canaria, we stayed for two nights in a valley in a house that was partly carved into a cave (arrow in the photo). It’s a 1 km walk from the parking lot to the house. But the only neighbors were wild goats. It was a very interesting experience.

A selection of the best hotels in the Canary Islands with prices and photos.

In conclusion, there’s accommodation in the Canary Islands for every taste and budget. The economy of the islands depends on tourism by 80%. Therefore, there’s a huge choice of rental housing for tourists. You’ll definitely find apartments by the beach and a house in a mountain gorge. And don’t forget, there are mosquitoes in the Canaries, not many, but they’re there; bring a plug-in mosquito repellent from home. Also, I recommend booking accommodation in the Canaries in advance; there’s plenty of it, but during the tourist season, there are even more tourists.

Useful links to help you plan your dream trip to Canary Islands:

  • Car Rental: LocalRent or DiscoverCars – the most popular car rental platforms.

  • Accommodation:
    • Trip.com – the largest accommodation booking platform.

    • or TripAdvisor – to compare prices among other platforms and choose the best one.

  • Budget-friendly vacation packages to Spain and Canary Islands: CheapOair.

  • Tours and activities: GetYourGuide or Viator – hundreds of offers, whales and dolphins, entrance tickets with discounts.

  • eSIM and internet: Airalo.

  • Flights: WayAway compares prices among dozens of companies.

  • Travel Insurance: EKTA.