If you’ve mentally filed the Canaries under “easy winter sun” and left it there, it’s time for a refresh.
The new Canaries are hotel-led. High level renovations, design energy and a food scene that’s moved way past the basics. For UK travellers, it’s the sweet spot between convenience and escapism, especially in shoulder season when the islands feel calmer and the days still deliver sun-on-skin.
One note worth saying out loud, tourism pressure is a real conversation across the islands so travelling thoughtfully matters. Choose hotels that invest locally, eat in independent spots and respect the pace of place.
Shoulder season in the Canaries means you get the sunshine without the peak summer crush. It’s the kind of break that feels like a reset rather than a mission and the hotels really come into their own when you’re not competing for the best lounger.
The best Canary Islands
hotels right now
Tenerife: the polished, easy-luxe choice
1) Tivoli La Caleta Tenerife Resort, Costa Adeje
This is the Tenerife stay to book when you want warmth, calm and a hotel that feels properly elevated. Tivoli La Caleta reopened following an extensive renovation with refreshed rooms, multiple dining options and a spa led by the brand’s wellness credentials.
Jen’s stay: “Perfect location, you can walk out onto the beach, it’s beautifully designed and the service is excellent. Also great padel courts and near to the shops and restaurants at the Abama if you fancy it.”
Best for: a chic short haul reset, grown up pool days and an easy base for Costa Adeje
2) The Ritz-Carlton, Tenerife, Abama
Abama is a destination resort done with real confidence: dramatic setting, Atlantic views and a dining scene that pulls its weight including Michelin-star options on site.
Best for: big resort energy, food-led trips and couples who want everything under one beautiful roof
Tivoli La Caleta Resort, Tenerife
The Ritz-Carlton Abama, Tenerife
Gran Canaria
old school glamour that still hits
Seaside Grand Hotel Residencia, Maspalomas
Tucked into a palm oasis near the dunes, this is quiet luxury that feels timeless rather than try-hard. It’s also a Leading Hotels of the World property which says a lot about the standard.
Best for: classic luxury, slower days and that “return to the same bar twice” kind of stay
Seaside Grand Hotel Residencia, Gran Canaria
Lanzarote
design, culture and a cooler kind of Canary
Paradisus Salinas Lanzarote, Costa Teguise
An architectural icon with César Manrique ties, this is Lanzarote at its best: art, nature and a very distinct sense of place.
Best for: design lovers, wellness days and anyone who wants the hotel to feel rooted in the island
Paradisus Salinas, Lanzarote
La Palma
the quiet flex
Hotel Hacienda de Abajo, La Palma
La Palma is the under-the-radar choice and Hacienda de Abajo leans fully into heritage luxury. It’s calm, characterful and ideal if you want a slower island and a hotel with real atmosphere.
Best for: grown up escapes, something different and a proper switch-off pace
Hotel Hacienda de Abajo, La Palma
How we’d pick
the right island for you
You want polished resort ease: Tenerife
You want classic luxury and calm: Gran Canaria
You want design and culture: Lanzarote
You want quiet, slower and different: La Palma
Want us to build your Canary Islands escape?
Send us your ideal dates, your vibe (pool, beach, wellness, food, exploring) and whether you want adults-only or family-friendly and we’ll match you to the right island and the right hotel, then sort flights and transfers around the best timings.
Ready to book?
Send us an enquiry and we will get you matched to the right experience. Call or Whatsapp us on 0333 305 9912.
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