Often the hardest part of planning a cycling trip is working out where to stay.
In this article we cut through the confusion and share the best places to stay in Gran Canaria for cycling. We tell you about the best towns for cyclists, plus what you need to know about Gran Canaria’s cycling hotels.
Read on!
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Remember to double-check accommodation bike storage arrangements (and any other services you need) before booking as policies often change.
A cyclist’s overview of Gran Canaria
Gran Canaria is a relatively small, circular island, just 47 kilometres (29 miles) across. It is dominated by the ex-volcanic Pico de las Nieves in the centre.
As with Tenerife, the rule of thumb is that all roads lead up.
Most cyclists find that the best routes on the island are clustered in the southern half or two thirds of the island (check out the cycling route map in our main Gran Canaria guide). Fortuitously, the southern part of the island is also the area that sees less rainfall and is less populated.
The island’s main conurbations are the capital, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria in the northwest, and the sprawling Maspalomas in the south. We’ve cycled the GC-191/GC-500 between Vecindario and Puerto Rico de Gran Canaria, and we can confirm there’s seemingly endless urban sprawl between Vecindario and Maspalomas.
It’s also worth knowing that Gran Canaria is well-known for surfing and windsurfing – yes wind surfing. The World Championship Tour Final for Stand Up Surfing happened around Las Palmas in December 2019. Due to the wind, the eastern coast of the island is not much fun for cycling.
Best place to stay in Gran Canaria (for cycling)
There’s no one dominant cycling base – and also no obvious cyclist-focused bike hotels on Gran Canaria. This means that the best place to stay depends on what you want from your cycling holiday.
Maspalomas
The most obvious place to stay is Maspalomas, which includes Meloneras (reputedly the most upmarket area), Playa del Inglés (where the annual Winter Pride Maspalomas is held) and San Agustin (on the periphery of Maspalomas). It’s home to an army of hotels; there must be thousands upon thousands of hotel rooms in this small pocket of land, much of which is a good few kilometres from the beach.
We stayed in Playa del Inglés with a supermarket next door (where we witnessed a fight one evening) and faceless accommodation all around. Two minutes walk took us to a crazy golf course and the brutalist concrete Yumbo centre, complete with tattoo parlours, bars selling 2 euro beer and adult dancing clubs. Not our cup of tea, but hey, you might love it!
Sunset over Maspalomas (definitely the most sympathetic time of day to see Maspalomas!)
The famous (and very ugly) Yumbo CentreSouth West Coast
Puerto de Mogán
We know several people who always stay in Puerto de Mogán and, having enjoyed a very pleasant evening meal on the beachfront, we can see why. It’s a fraction of the size of Maspalomas and feels a bit smarter. While the skyline is still dominated by hotels, they’re a bit less high rise and look a touch more sophisticated. In particular, we’ve heard great things of the Hotel Cordial Mogán Playa
The downside to Puerto de Mogán is the fact that in 2017 there was a landslide on the GC500, somewhere between Playa del Curo and Puerto de Mogán. While cars are fine, because they can zip around the landslide on the GC1 motorway, bicycles are banned on the motorway. Cyclists’ options involve taking the bus on the GC1 or the ferry between Puerto Rico and Puerto de Mogán.
This adds that extra bit of hassle to getting to the cycling routes east of Puerto de Mogán. If you’ve got a support car with you, and so can get a lift around, or are happy to take your time and catch the bus or ferry, you might decide the inconvenience is worth it.
Balito Beach
There are other options for places to stay on the southwest coast of Gran Canaria, that aren’t Puerto de Mogán and which avoid the landslide issues on the GC500.
For example at Balito Beach you find the Marina Elite Cycling & Sport Resort whose cycling focus is inviting and which is on the Maspalomas side of the landslips (so you can cycle to the routes connecting from Maspalomas). More on the hotel below.
Puerto de Mogán from above
Quaint buildings in the harbour at Puerto de MogánInland options
Inland Gran Canaria is absolutely stunning and, were we to return, this is where we would probably stay next.
Your choice of hotel is severely restricted compared to the coast, you’ll have very little choice of where to eat/bars and you’ll end up finishing each day on a climb, but the advantage is that you’ll be surrounded by gorgeous scenery and will be away from the crowds on the coast.
The village of Fataga
You’ll find lots of pretty traditional villages away from the coastAs we said at the start, it all depends on what you’re looking for!
Hopefully this gives a useful overview of where to stay as a cyclist on Gran Canaria. In the rest of the article, we share our pick of the best bike friendly hotels on Gran Canaria. Comment below and let us know if you’ve stayed at these hotels before – or if we’ve missed anywhere from our list!
9 best Gran Canaria cycling hotels
Best hotels on Southwest coast
The Marina Elite Cycling & Sport Resort has spectacular views over the Atlantic Ocean and lies on the route to the famous Valley of the Tears and Pico de las Nieves climbs.
The large resort offers two heated swimming pools, a bike storage room, gym and a variety of rooms, from simple but cozy to deluxe rooms. There are also three bars and a buffet restaurant from where you can watch the waves breaking on the beach below.
A 5-minute taxi ride away, you find the lively locations of Puerto Rico and Arguineguin, with a variety of restaurants, shops, bars and pubs.
Hotel Cordial Mogán Playa is a large four-star hotel with a Michelin star restaurant serving traditional Canarian dishes. Situated just a ten-minute stroll from the beach, the hotel has two large outdoor swimming pools, a spa and over 48,000 square metres of lush botanical gardens.
Inside the hotel, you’ll find the Freemotion bike hire shop which offers all the latest models of road, mountain and e-bikes. At the end of the day, guests can relax in the hot tub or by enjoying a relaxing massage in the spa.
Best Maspalomas hotels
Dunas Suites and Villas is located next to the Maspalomas golf course and the Dunas de Maspalomas nature reserve. This four-star hotel offers half-board or all-inclusive accommodation in a choice of bungalow-style suites and villas. The hotel features a whopping seven swimming pools, plus a splash park and beautiful gardens.
Dunes Suites and Villas sponsors Gran Canaria Bike Week. At the hotel you’ll find a Freemotion bike shop for bicycle hire as well as bike storage and repair facilities. Laundry services are available.
Playa del Ingles
Gold by Marina is where we stayed when we visited Gran Canaria. We liked it, especially the fresh orange juice at breakfast and the cooks available to prepare eggs as you would like them. The decor felt fresh and modern, if a little Ikea-esque. There’s no bike room but the staff seemed relaxed about us keeping our bikes in the bedroom.
It’s about 700 metres to the beach and 300 metres to the Freemotion bike shop (both on foot).
For the price, we thought the hotel represented excellent value for money.
Meloneras
H10 Playa Meloneras Palace is a five-star hotel and is the place to go if you’re looking for something special. Located next to Meloneras Beach and golf course, this stunning hotel has three pools, three restaurants and five bars. The décor is classy and modern and even though this is a large hotel, staff go above and beyond to help.
Bikes can be hired from the nearby shop, Rent Bike Playa Meloneras. Here you will also find bike repair facilities and a bike wash. Guests are permitted to store bikes in their rooms.
Seaside Grand Hotel Residencia is a small five-star hotel which gets outstanding reviews. It features Spanish colonial-style villas with opulent décor, set in tropical gardens. Offering a choice of bed and breakfast or half-board stays, meals are lovingly prepared by a Michelin-starred chef.
The hotel has a heated outdoor pool and a free-to-access spa with pool, sauna and Turkish bath, as well as a tennis court. Just a ten-minute walk away is the Freemotion bike centre, where you can hire a range of premium bikes.
San Agustin
Gloria Palace San Agustín Thalasso & Hotel offers four-star accommodation just 650 metres from Las Burras Beach in Gran Canaria.
Guests can relax with a choice of four indoor and outdoor swimming pools, including an adults-only rooftop pool. The hotel has two restaurants and five bars including a romantic rooftop cocktail bar, with a choice of board bases available.
There is a Freemotion bike centre within the hotel grounds offering all kinds of bikes for hire as well as the option to join guided cycling tours.
Best inland Gran Canaria hotels
Hotel Las Tirajanas is set high in the mountains in San Bartolomé de Tirajana. This four-star hotel offers stunning panoramic views and is a great base for cyclists. The cyclist hub of San Bartolomé is near the top of the climb from Maspalomas, at the junction with the GC60, that connects you into lots of the island’s best cycling routes.
Facilities at this traditional-style hotel include indoor and outdoor swimming pools, tennis court and a spa with a sauna, hot tub and Turkish bath. Guests can enjoy a relaxing massage after a long day of cycling. The hotel restaurant has amazing views overlooking the Tirajana gorge and serves local specialities and international favourites.
Hotel Parador de Cruz de Tejeda is a four-star hotel offering panoramic view from one of the highest points in Gran Canaria. It is surrounded by forests and mountains. The hotel is the island’s only parador, which means that it’s owned and administered by the Spanish government.
Tejeda is an ideal location for cyclists, as it is on the GC60 heading towards Pico de las Nieves. At the hotel, bikes are stored in a locked room overnight.
Casa Leon Villa y Restaurante is an an exclusive hideaway in an idyllic location on Monte León with breathtaking views to the sea and the dunes of Maspalomas. There’s a daily programme of wellness activities including yoga, pilates, tai chi, meditation, aqua gym and aqua yoga as well as games like tennis, badminton, shuffle-board, bocce, darts, billiards and giant chess.
This hotel is in a great location for cycling holidays. It’s located north of Maspalomas on the cyclist’s favourite GC60, heading up towards the junction with the popular GC65 near San Bartolme. Free mountain bike hire is available.
What’s your favourite bike friendly hotel on Gran Canaria?
We’d love to hear about your experiences in Gran Canaria – share your favourite places to stay in the comments below!
Here’s our checklist of points to consider before booking a bike hotel.
Want more information on cycling Gran Canaria?
Don’t miss our guide to cycling Gran Canaria, including bike routes, bike hire information and lots more information.
Clare Dewey is a road cyclist with a passion for travel. She set up epicroadrides.com to help make it easy for road cyclists to explore new places by bike.
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Hi! Thanks for the nice recommendations. We are planning a week-long escape around New Year’s Eve in Gran Canaria, and are considering where to stay now. I was wondering, you wrote “the only option for getting east along the coast is to take the ferry between Puerto Rico and Puerto de Mogán” — is this still the case as of November 2021?
Hi there, thanks for raising this query. We have looked into the situation and believe that it may be possible to get a bus along the coast (and that you are allowed to put your bike in the bus). We haven’t used this ourselves first hand however. How was your trip?