Five-Star Gran Canaria

Gran Canaria is stiil often pigeon-holed as a winter sun standby, but that does the island a disservice. This is a place of startling contrasts: cloud-brushed mountains rising behind golden beaches, colonial old towns giving way to bold contemporary architecture, and a culinary scene that has quietly learned a few tricks from Madrid and beyond.
 
Over the past decade, Gran Canaria's luxury hotel offering has evolved just as confidently. Today’s five-star properties are not merely places to sleep between swims; they are destinations in their own right, where design, gastronomy and service come together with a distinctly Canarian sense of ease.
 
In no particular order, here’s twelve, south-coast 5-Star hotels showing Gran Canaria at its most polished:
 
1. Seaside Grand Hotel Residencia - Maspalomas’ Palm-Fringed Jewel
Don’t mistake it for just another beach hotel. Think Colonial-style rooms tucked into tropical gardens; Michelin-Guide-featured dining and easy access to Maspalomas beach with dunes rolling behind like a sandy slow-dance.
Where: Avenida del Oasis, Maspalomas
Website: www.grand-hotel-residencia.com
 
2. Seaside Palm Beach - Elegant Beachfront Classic
This is the sort of hotel that greets you with a linen napkin before you’ve even ordered a drink. Overlooking the dunes and the sea, classic luxury comes with somebody to carry your bag while you take the view, refined dining and that cocktail-at-sunset moment.
Where: Avda. del Oasis, Maspalomas
Website: www.hotel-palm-beach.com

3. H10 Playa Meloneras Horizons Collection - Meloneras’ Sophisticated Sea-Facing Retreat
Right by the sea and next to golf courses designed for players who like blood-orange sunsets for their 18th hole, this is also for couples and families who love space and polished service. The spa feels like a whisper and the swimming pools stretch wide towards the horizon.
Where: C. Mar Caspio, Meloneras
Website: www.h10hotels.com

4. Lopesan Villa del Conde Resort & Thalasso - Canarian Flair Meets Mediterranean Grandeur
Dressed in white and stylish ceramic tiles like a forgotten Andalusian palace, this sprawling, elegant resort is a destination in itself. Expect water features, elegant patios, and restaurants that take their craft seriously. Perfect if you like a long lunch followed by a long spa session. Great for promenades at sunset too.
Where: C. Mar Mediterráneo, Meloneras
Website: www.lopesan.com
 
5. Lopesan Costa Meloneras, Resort & Spa - Resort-Style Luxury with Atlantic Views
A slightly more resort-orientated sibling to Villa del Conde, this place feels like a golf-club champagne reception - effortless and bright. Pools reflect the sky superbly at midday, the spa is calm, and evenings under fairy lights are a beloved ritual.
Address: C. Mar Mediterráneo, Meloneras
Website: www.lopesan.com
 
6. Hotel Riu Palace Meloneras - Riu’s Upscale Take on Canarian Elegance
Classy without being precious, this hotel is for spa-bunnies, infinity-pool lovers, sea-gazers and people who like choice: buffet, a la carte, poolside cocktails, or that quiet lounge with a grand piano playing something jazzy.
Where: Urb Las Meloneras, Maspalomas
Website: www.riu.com
 
7. Bohemia Suites & Spa - Boutique Glamour in Playa del Inglés
Next, something a little boutique from the Marriott group. Think minimal lines, elegant rooms and a rooftop pool that could be in Miami. If you like design, spa treatments that feel indulgent rather than clinical, and cocktails served with a view, this one’s for you.
Where: Avenida Estadios Unidos, Playa del Ingles
Website: www.marriott.com
 
8. Radisson Blu Resort, Gran Canaria - Contemporary Luxury in Arguineguín
A little quieter, more local, but no less polished. Great for people who want sea breeze, pools bigger than most living rooms and reliable service. Ideal for those who enjoy a quieter dinner followed by relaxed talk on the terrace.
Where: Diseminado Bco, Arguineguín
Website: www.radissonhotels.com
 
9. Radisson Blu Resort & Spa - Chic Mogán Bay Luxury
Right by the water in Puerto de Mogán (the “Little Venice” of Gran Canaria), this is seaside charm with Radisson polish - pools, spa, restaurants and that sweet Mediterranean feel.
Where: Avenida los Marreros, Mogán
Website: www.radissonhotels.com
 
10. Salobre Hotel Resort & Serenity - Inland Escape with Views to Remember
Not right on the beach, but if you prefer rolling hills, desert-tinted plains and starry skies instead of full-on Atlantic fronting, this is a surprising delight. The golf course here is dramatic; the spa feels deeply thoughtful.
Where: Urbanización Salobre Golf, Maspalomas
Website: en.salobrehotel.com
 
11. Paradisus by Meliá Gran Canaria - High-End Comfort with Resort Vibes
A touch more relaxed than some 5-Star giants, but still very, very comfortable. Great for longer stays, family and adults alike - think big rooms, broad terraces, a choice of kid-friendly pools, plus buffet and à la carte dining options.
Where: Las Retamas, Playa de San Agustín
Website: www.melia.com
 
12. The One Luxury Apartments - Boutique Apartment Style 5-Star Comfort
Not a classic hotel, but for those who want luxury with home-from-home space, this could be your favourite. Elegant, spacious and right in the charming Mogán area.
Where: Av. la Graciosa, Mogán
Website: www.theoneluxuryapartments.es
 
What unites Gran Canaria’s south-coast five-star hotels is not ostentation, but assurance. These are places that understand luxury as space, calm and attentiveness rather than excess. Whether you are watching the sun slide into the ocean from an infinity pool, lingering over a gourmet lunch, relaxing in a swish spa, or retreating to an elegant suite cooled by trade winds, the island works quietly in your favour.
 
Gran Canaria may still trade on its sunshine, but stay in one of these hotels and you’ll discover something more enduring: an island that has learned how to host with confidence, elegance and just the right amount of indulgence.