In this guide · 5 sections
For gay visitors, choosing accommodation in Gran Canaria boils down to Maspalomas or Las Palmas city. Your pick shapes the entire trip.
Maspalomas and Playa del Inglés
The resort area of Maspalomas and Playa del Inglés has the most gay-specific and gay-friendly hotels on the island. Some of them directly cater to gay guests: think clothing-optional pools, a clientele that's mostly or entirely gay, and quick access to the Yumbo Centre.
These are largely sun-and-fun resorts, not boutique places. But they offer a particular vibe that gay travelers looking for a proper resort holiday really appreciate.
Standard resort hotels and apartments here range from cheap self-catering units to mid-range all-inclusive spots. Quality varies. If you want one of the explicitly gay options, look for hotels that belong to gay hospitality networks and market directly to gay visitors; these usually have the pool culture and social scene that sets them apart from regular resorts.
Las Palmas
Las Palmas has city hotels and boutique accommodation in the historic Vegueta and Triana neighborhoods. These are for people who want a city break, not a resort holiday. Hotels here are generally good value compared to mainland Spanish cities, and considerably cheaper than Maspalomas resorts. Triana, especially, has some good mid-range boutique choices in restored early 20th-century buildings.
When to book
Maspalomas Pride in May and the February-March Carnival Pride period require the most advance booking. For May Pride, six months to a year ahead isn't too much for the better gay-specific hotels; they sell out fast. For winter visits outside of festival weeks, two to three months ahead is usually fine. January and February are popular with people escaping cold Northern European weather, so rooms fill up quicker than you might expect.
The hotels
Practical notes
Maspalomas resort properties often include breakfast or can be booked all-inclusive; Las Palmas hotels are more likely to be room-only. It's about a 20-minute drive from Gran Canaria Airport to Maspalomas; to Las Palmas, it's 30-40 minutes. For more on the island, see the Gay Gran Canaria Guide.