Spain

7 best family hotels and resorts in the Canary Islands

Last updated 1st July 2024

With warm sunshine, gentle, turquoise seas and miles of sandy beaches, the Canary Islands are an easily accessible holiday paradise, perfect for families. Lucy McGuire reveals the best places to stay with kids in Tenerife, Lanzarote, Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura

1/7 Ritz Carlton Abama, Tenerife

The Ritz Carlton is one of Tenerife’s most idyllic family resorts and perhaps one of the most sophisticated. With a striking Moorish design, sleek modern interiors, Michelin-starred dining and an exclusive beach, it offers a wonderfully luxurious stay.

Location

The Ritz Carlton Abama is located on the island’s volcanic slopes, in a tranquil spot close to Guia de Isora in the west of Tenerife. It has a traditional Canarian vibe and is home to a pretty harbour. The fishing village of Alcala is also close by.

Facilities and food

There are ten restaurants to choose from, including two Michelin-starred eateries and a newly-opened steakhouse. You can expect to eat well here! There’s a spa, gym, evening entertainment and an exclusive beach (accessed via a funicular or the resort train). Boat trips and excursions are available too.

Rooms

The hotel has family rooms and suites with children’s beds and connecting rooms and the hotel now offers family suites and villas. Rooms are light and contemporary with pillow menus, Asprey toiletries and Nespresso coffee machines.

Why it’s great for families

A tennis academy, educational Ritz Kids kid’s club and nanny service add to the hotel’s impressive child friendly facilities. There’s a teenager’s programme for 12 to 18-year-olds and six out of the seven pools are open to children. The secluded beaches, relaxed local vibe and promenades make it perfect for families.

Book your family holiday to Ritz Carlton Abama here

2/7 Sheraton Fuerteventura Beach, Golf and Spa Resort, Fuerteventura

This vast five-star beach hotel in Caleta de Fuste is set within tropical leafy grounds and boasts an elegant Canarian design, bright terracotta exterior and vast luxury spa. Guests can enjoy direct access to a pretty beach.

Location

A handy 10-minute drive from Fuerteventura airport, the hotel is easy to get to and is close to Caleta de Fuste’s horseshoe-shaped bay. The town is perfectly set up for tourists with watersports, boat trips and jeep safaris and the region is a favourite for golf-lovers.

Facilities and food

Choose from three bars (including an Irish pub) and four unique restaurants with children’s menus available. There are four outdoor swimming pools, tennis courts, beach volley ball, a golf course (shuttle available) and huge Hesperides spa with Roman bath.

Rooms

Family Premium rooms overlooking the hotel’s tropical gardens vary from 49 to 53m² and come with a combined lounge area and excellent bathrooms with double sinks. They also have a minibar, TV and wifi and are decorated in a colourful Canarian style.

Why it’s great for families

Children aged four-12 are kept busy with the Yambaland Kids Club and the hotel puts on cinema and disco nights. The hotel nails the entertainment with regular musical, acrobatic and magical shows and it offers an all-round fantastic sunshine break.

Book your family holiday to Ritz Carlton Abama here

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3/7 Hard Rock Hotel, Tenerife

Part of the legendary Hard Rock Hotel brand, this beachfront holiday resort is made for families who know how to rock and roll. With a flashy set-up and a focus on musical icons, this is five-star hospitality and entertainment, but in a fun and funky style.

Location

Perched above a small beach and saltwater lido in Playa Paraiso, the Hard Rock Hotel is just a 10-minute drive away from the stylish shops and restaurants of El Duque in Costa Adeje. A 35-minute transfer will take you to the island’s southern airport.

Facilities and food

There are 10 places to eat and drink, including a stylish coffee shop, American diner, sumptuous buffet and rooftop bar. The hotel has three swimming pools and saltwater lagoon, a beach club, branded Hard Rock shops, a spa, gym and – as you’d expect – an excellent music line-up. Horse-riding, watersports and paddle-surfing are available in the area.

Rooms

Bold and stylish rooms – many with fantastic ocean views – are spread across their ‘Oasis’ and ‘Nirvana’ towers and come with surround sound systems and the option to have Fender guitars and DJ-ing equipment brought to your room. Connecting rooms are available.

Why it’s great for families

The Lullaby Club, Hard Rock Roxity Kids Club™ and Teen Spirit Club offer everything from an adventure playground and rock star storytelling to Xbox competitions and high-tech gaming. Evening babysitting is available too.

Book your family holiday to Hard Rock Hotel here

4/7 Princesa Yaiza Resort, Lanzarote

This luxury beachfront hotel is great for both active families and those who want to relax while the children are kept entertained. The spacious resort is a fantastic base for island adventures, submarine safaris and enjoying family beach activities.

Location

Located in the pretty Playa Blanca on Lanzarote’s southern coast, guests are steps away from the Playa Dorada beach. There are two shopping arcades selling top clothing brands nearby.

Facilities and food

You can choose from five bars and nine restaurants (most offering kid’s menus) serving everything from Asian show-cooking to traditional Spanish tapas. The hotel has a spa and Thalassotherapy centre, plus three pools, beach activities and a sport centre offering classes.

Rooms

There are spacious family suites available, including Royal Kiko Family Suites, decorated with colourful motifs. Suites offer in-room PlayStations, a DVD Player and even a kids’ minibar with two hours complimentary babysitting.

Why it’s great for families

The hotel’s Kikoland Kids Club offers an array of activities for children aged 0-16 including a 10,000 m² children’s park kitted out with a children’s pool, tennis courts, football school, amphitheatre and playhouses. Baby Kikoland takes in babies from four months old.

5/7 Costa Adeje Gran Hotel, Tenerife

An oasis of sun terraces, palm trees and an abundance of places to bask in the sunshine, The Costa Adeje Gran Hotel is one of the island’s best family resorts for pool and beach lovers. If you go all-inclusive, it’s excellent value for money.

Location

Located in the popular Costa Adeje, this hotel overlooks the dramatic cliffs of Tenerife’s south coast. The resort is close to the volcanic sands of Duque and Fañabé Beaches and is a short walk to the town’s stylish shops and market.

Facilities and food

The hotel has seven restaurants including a buffet restaurant which hosts themed nights (kids will love the churros). Activities includes aqua aerobics, mini-golf, basketball, bike rental and more. There are four pools (one for children), a spa and gym.

Rooms

Rooms here are light and airy and cots are available free of charge. The 45 m² accessible rooms fit two adults and one child (or three adults and a cot) and the Senior Suite has a sofa bed for an extra child. The 170m² Royal Suite offers two bedrooms, a lounge area and terrace.

Why it’s great for families

Costa Adeje Gran Hotel offers a great range of activities and babysitting by the hour. Entertainment is offered six days a week with shows and a nightly disco. The kids club welcomes children aged four-12 and the staff are super friendly.

Book your family holiday to Costa Adeje Gran Hotel here

6/7 Bahia Del Duque, Tenerife

Hotel Bahia Del Duque is a striking and colourful colonial-style hotel filled with lush palms, pretty water features and manicured gardens. It has beautiful views over the Atlantic Ocean and offers a stylish family stay.

Location

You’ll find Hotel Bahia Del Duque in the relaxed town of Costa Adeje on Tenerife’s south coast. It’s steps away from Playa del Duque beach and the 2km promenade that takes you to Puerto Colon marina. It’s just 15 minutes away from Reina Sofia Tenerife South Airport.

Facilities and food

The hotel has eight restaurants ranging from a laid-back buffet lounge to a Latin inspired ‘La Hacienda’ restaurant (seven of these welcome children under 10). There’s a collection of bars, four swimming pools, 24-hour fitness centre, hairdressers, spa and even an ice-cream parlour.

Rooms

Family rooms here are uniquely designed and offer two spacious bedrooms, luxury Aqua di Parma toiletries, tea and coffee facilities and spacious lounge areas. They’re ideal for families looking for a luxurious ‘home-from-home’. Cots and highchairs are available on request.

Why it’s great for families

The Duqui Club offers entertainment and babysitting services for children aged three-12, while The Teen Lounge caters for teens. Their Family Getaway package even includes dinner for two adults and one child, entry to the nearby waterpark and spa treatments for parents.

Book your family holiday to Bahia Del Duque here

7/7 Seaside Sandy Beach Hotel, Gran Canaria

The Seaside Sandy Beach hotel has an Arabian-inspired design and bags of charm. Perched above the beach, its night-time light displays transform this family friendly resort into an Arabian Nights-esque getaway where you can kick back and relax.

Location

Seaside Sandy Beach Hotel is in popular Playa del Ingles, home to one of Gran Canaria’s largest beaches. It’s within reach of the sand dunes and lagoons of Maspalomas Nature Reserve as well as the shops and nightlife of Playa del Ingles, San Agustin and Maspalomas. The airport is an hour away.

Facilities and food

You’ll find highchairs and a special children’s menu at the buffet restaurant and families can order picnic baskets when they go out on excursions. Fun child-friendly activities such as shuffleboard, giant chess and table-tennis will also keep the brood busy.

Rooms

There are 14 specially-designed family rooms and they come with separate living and sleeping areas and a spacious bathroom. Some also offer a microwave, fridge and coffee machine so you can prepare your own snacks. Bottle warmers are available on request.

Why it’s great for families

The hotel is well geared to families, offering free stays for infants under three, children aged three-six and a 50% discount for the under 12s. During school holidays, a children’s entertainment programme and Mini-club is available. There’s babysitting too.

Book your family holiday to Seaside Sandy Beach Hotel here

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