16 Top-Rated Beach Resorts in Spain

Author Freddy Sherman has visited Spain many times, most recently in 2022 exploring its Islamic architecture and history.

Spain has some of the best beach resorts in Europe. There are a wide array of options, offering very different vacation experiences based on the location.

Spain has various beach resort areas, ranging from tropical palm tree-fronted beaches to rugged, cliff-fronted rocky shores. You can also choose from remote, uncrowded areas with minimal amenities, or popular tourist destinations with world-class dining, shopping, and nightlife.

For a unique experience, you might visit some of the lesser-known resort areas along the Costa de la Luz, located on the country’s Atlantic Coast. Or you might prefer the energy of extremely developed places like Marbella and Malaga, which are on the country’s Mediterranean coastline.

Aside from its continental beach resort options, Spanish islands like the Canary Islands and the Balearics offer you a choice of even more diverse beach environments. Destinations like Tenerife and Gran Canaria in the Canary Islands are world-class beach resort destinations as are Balearic islands like Ibiza and Mallorca.

Many Spanish resorts are seasonal, with June through September being the high season. Although it doesn’t get very cold in the winter, some beach resorts shut down completely from December through February.

Find a great place to stay on your next vacation with our list of the best beach resorts in Spain.

1. Ikos Andalusia

Accommodation: Ikos Andalusia

There’s a reason Spain’s southern coast is aptly named the Costa del Sol—it gets a lot of “sol”, the Spanish word for sun. Estepona is a smaller resort city, located on the Costa del Sol between Marbella and Gibraltar. About an hour from Malaga, it’s where you’ll find the all-inclusive Ikos Andalusia resort.

The first resort outside Greece for Ikos, a Greek resort company, Ikos Andalusia offers family-friendly, beachfront all-inclusive luxury combined with Michelin-star-level cuisine and all kinds of things to do. Accommodations are stylish, luxurious yet comfortable, and all come with a balcony or patio. With complimentary room service, do yourself a favor and get a sea view.

Ikos Andalusia also shines when it comes to bespoke activities and experiences, which really makes it one of the best beach resorts in Spain. They have a soccer (football) pro on staff who gives lessons, you can take a guided paddleboard tour of the resort’s cove, or even take cliff diving lessons (off a very low cliff).

The resort has a Tesla for their sustainable local drive adventure to explore the local areas, or you can take one of the hotel’s complimentary Mini Coopers for your own self-guided adventures.

Like some other resorts, Ikos Andalusia offers a VIP experience, called the Deluxe Collection. It includes suite accommodations, private exclusive-use pools, an assigned concierge, and other amenities.

This all-inclusive, five-star resort offers so much at such a high level of service and quality, it can be a good value for your money. During the high (summer) season, a five-night minimum stay is required.

Address: N-340, Km 164, 29680 Estepona, Málaga, Spain

2. Iberostar Grand El Mirador

Accommodation: Iberostar Grand El Mirador

This top-rated Spanish beach resort is on the Costa Adeje near Tenerife in the Canary Islands. Closer to Africa than to Europe, the Canaries are in the Atlantic Ocean, about 60 miles off the coast of Morocco.

A popular tourist destination, it’s been called Spain’s Hawaii. Like Hawaii, the Canaries are accessible, and there are frequent flights from many Spanish airports and other European capitals.

The Iberostar Grand El Mirador is on what’s called the Golden Mile section of Playa del Duque beach. Junior and standard suites are available, some with incredible furnished private patio areas. Here the VIP experience is called Star Prestige, and that comes with upgraded accommodations and access to Star Prestige-exclusive dining, swimming, and beach areas.

The Iberostar is a great place to stay in Tenerife if you like golf, as it’s close to five different courses. The resort can arrange tee times and club rentals (if needed) and guests get a discount on greens fees at several courses.

While not all-inclusive, the Iberostar Grand El Mirador can be booked half-board (breakfast and dinner are included) or bed and breakfast where breakfast is included in the room rate.

Iberostar, a large resort company with over 100 resorts in 16 countries, has a sustainability initiative called Wave of Change, in place at all of its properties. This program includes the elimination of single-use plastics (done since 2020), going waste-free by 2025, and being carbon-neutral by 2030. They’re also working towards fully sustainable sourcing of seafood by 2025 and an overall drive to improve coastal health around their resorts.

Address: Av. de Bruselas, s/n, 38660 Costa Adeje, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain

3. Hotel Fariones

Accommodation: Hotel Fariones

This popular, family-friendly beachfront resort is in Puerto Del Carmen on the Canary Island of Lanzarote, the slightly smaller sister island to Tenerife. Totally renovated in 2020, this 213-room resort offers sea views with every type of accommodation. Spoil yourself with a suite and enjoy a hot tub on your private patio or balcony.

The hotel is adjacent to the Fariones Sport Center, which has pools, tennis courts, and a large gym. Hotel guests get free access to everything (except tennis court rentals) including group fitness, yoga, and CrossFit classes. You might also want to swim in the hotel’s beautiful rooftop infinity pool, offering views across the Atlantic to your neighbors, the islands of Fuerteventura and Isla de Lobos. There’s a second infinity pool in the garden area along with a few hot tubs.

Dining is available at a buffet restaurant, an all-day dining cafe, and at two table-service restaurants. Kaori presents a pan-Asian fusion menu and Erizo offers Macronesian cuisine (food from the Azores, Madeira, and the Canary Islands).

Address: C. Acatife, 1, 35510 Puerto del Carmen, Las Palmas, Spain

4. Pleta De Mar Luxury Hotel By Nature

Accommodation: Pleta De Mar Luxury Hotel By Nature

The Mediterranean island of Mallorca (Majorca) is home to the new Pleta De Mar Luxury Hotel By Nature. It’s a long name for a newly-opened (2021) luxury, pet-friendly beach resort near Can Simoneta overlooking the bay of Canyamel.

This resort is set within a grove of majestic pine trees and the accommodations have large outdoor spaces, allowing you to breathe in the glorious natural aromas of the forest and the sea. Pleta De Mar Luxury Hotel By Nature sits on a bluff, overlooking cliffs and a rocky shoreline. Guests have access to a private beach area a short walk away.

Junior suites and full suites are quite bespoke and crafted with a lot of luxurious yet natural materials and original artwork. Serious luxury amenities abound like indoor/outdoor showers and bathtubs, Bang & Olufsen TV, full automation, and digital integration with your devices.

Dining is an experience at the resort’s Sa Pleta by Marc Fosh grill restaurant, which focuses on a primitive open-fire cooking method. Fresh, seasonal produce and products are used, and the smoke and flame from the “live fire” show cooking impart unique flavors to local meat, vegetables, and seafood.

Address: Via de les Cales, 23, 07589 Capdepera, Illes Balears, Spain

5. Hotel Don Pepe Gran Melia

Accommodation: Hotel Don Pepe Gran Melia

This large Marbella beachfront resort delivers something for everybody. Whether you’re on a romantic getaway with your partner or a family looking for fun, the Hotel Don Pepe Gran Melia delivers a great vacation experience.

All the rooms and suites have furnished balconies or patios, and most face the sea, but some face the mountains and lack sea views. The Hotel Don Pepe Gran Melia has a VIP program called RedLevel, which operates more like club-level accommodations. Aside from upgraded suites, you get access to a lounge that features food and drinks along with a private check-in and check-out area. RedLevel guests also have access to special butler and concierge services.

When you get hungry, there are six different dining experiences ranging from casual to resort formal, with different menus or buffet options.

TACHA is the resort’s spa and wellness center with a wide range of programs, classes, treatments, and a sauna and spa pool. The resort also has both an indoor and an outdoor pool.

Address: Via Hotel Don Pepe s/n, C. José Meliá, 29602 Marbella, Málaga, Spain

6. Iberostar Grand Salome

Accommodation: Iberostar Grand Salome

The Canary Island of Tenerife is home to several of Spain’s best beach resorts, including the Iberostar Grand Salome in Costa Adeje.

This adults-only, all-suite resort offers a premium vacation experience with your own butler coming with each suite. You can book your experience as all-inclusive, half-board (breakfast and dinner), or bed and breakfast only.

Suites are large and contemporary, with huge, furnished outdoor spaces and sliding glass panels for indoor/outdoor living. Ground-level suites have direct pool access and all suites have two-person jetted bathtubs and two smart TVs, one 49-inch and one 55-inch.

The resort offers what they call the “Aliveness” experience (available at many Iberostar resorts), which combines wellness, physical training outside in the beautiful environment, spa experiences, mindfulness, relaxation, and special honest food to achieve maximum health and happiness in your vacation and in your life.

Address: C. Londres, 15-A, 38660 Costa Adeje, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain

7. Iberostar Selection Anthelia

Accommodation: Iberostar Selection Anthelia

This family-friendly Canary Island beach resort is part of Iberostar’s special “Selection” group of luxury resort properties. Overlooking the sea in Costa Adeje, guests have exclusive access to nearby Fanabe de Tenerife beach. Unlike other resorts with a special VIP section or program, this whole resort is a VIP experience.

This very large resort has a wide range of accommodation types ranging from garden-view rooms to ocean-view suites. All come with free Wi-Fi, Google Chromecast, a chromotherapy shower, and a furnished balcony or patio. Interconnecting rooms and suites, great for families, are available, as are duplex suites with sofa beds. These can accommodate four adults comfortably.

Kids will love the Smiley Kids Club, which includes indoor and outdoor play spaces, as well as supervised activities. Everyone loves the resort entertainment, which ranges from fun sing-along concerts for families to evening music and dancing for adult guests.

Five restaurants offer a range of dining experiences, and as this is an Iberostar Selection property, it’s a higher-end, more gastronomic culinary experience than at your typical Canary Island mega-resort. Your stay may be booked as room-and-breakfast or as an all-inclusive experience.

When you want some exercise or some pampering, the SPA Sensations and the Mayr Kur Space offer many ways to do both. Iberostar has a sustainability initiative and has already eliminated single-use plastics at all its 100 resorts around the world.

Address: C. Londres, 15, 38660 Costa Adeje, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain

8. The Ritz-Carlton, Abama

Accommodation: The Ritz-Carlton, Abama

Tenerife is the largest of Spain’s islands, located off the west coast of Africa, kind of south of Morocco. The island’s best beach resort is The Ritz-Carlton, Abama, which sits on 400 acres overlooking the ocean. Ritz-Carlton promotes a world of curated experiential luxury where no request goes unfulfilled.

The Moroccan-inspired Ritz-Carlton really caters to every kind of guest. There are family suites for guests with children and there are also adults-only villas for a child-free experience. For families visiting, the resort offers the luxury hotel company’s Ritz Kids activities program.

For fun, there’s the private beach (accessible via the Ritz-Carlton’s private funicular) and a championship golf course, or go for a swim in one of the resort’s seven swimming pools. You can take lessons at the tennis academy or learn Spanish in one of the free classes. Of course, you can also get a range of treatments at the large spa.

There are 10 restaurants on the property, including the two-Michelin-star M.B., serving Basque-inspired cuisine, and the one-Michelin-star Kabuki, which offers Japanese show cooking and sushi. Accommodations can be booked on their own or as half-board or full-board for an all-inclusive experience.

The Ritz-Carlton also has some important environmental sustainability initiatives. All the water used by the resort is sea water converted to fresh water in an on-site desalination plant. Hot water for the swimming pools and guest rooms, as well as the air conditioning, is heated and powered by solar panels.

Address: Calle María Zambrano 2, Carretera General, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain

9. Marriott’s Playa Andaluza

Accommodation: Marriott’s Playa Andaluza

This Spanish beach resort is on Matas Verdes beach near Malaga on the beautiful Costa del Sol. It’s near the historic town of Estepona.

As it’s also a vacation ownership (timeshare) property, the rooms and suites are large and feel very residential. It’s a great place to stay for families as they can prepare some meals and dine together right in the units, which have separate living and dining spaces.

All the accommodations have kitchenettes (and washer/dryer units) and the apartments, available with two or three bedrooms, have full kitchens. Try for a room with a sea view, as some look out onto the gardens. The rooms all come with free Wi-Fi and furnished balconies.

The resort has a lot of things to do, including miniature golf or water sports on its private beach. There are three big outdoor pools and one indoor one, along with several hot tubs. You can work out in the fitness center or get a massage or beauty treatment in the small spa.

The Marriott’s Solera Mediterranean buffet restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Be sure to have a meal on the ocean-view terrace.

Address: Autovía del Mediterráneo, 29680 Estepona, Málaga, Spain

10. Ushuaia Ibiza Beach Hotel

Accommodation: Ushuaia Ibiza Beach Hotel

This adults-only Playa d’en Bossa resort overlooks Ibiza’s main entertainment beach area. EDM (electronic dance music) fans will already know the Ushuaia name. This is the place to come for nightlife.

Ushuaia Club rooms overlook the pool and stages. Ushuaia Tower rooms are more luxurious, and isolate you more (though not completely) from the constant music. All the rooms come with private terraces and include access to the dance club and performances.

There are five differently-themed restaurants on the property. Rooms can be booked all-inclusive (food and drinks) or on their own. There are also four swimming pools, a full spa, and water sports on the beach. If you’re coming to dance and have fun, it’s a great place to stay—if you want peace and quiet, you should choose a different resort.

Address: Ctra. de Platja d’en Bossa, 10, 07817 Sant Jordi de ses Salines, Illes Balears, Spain

11. Puente Romano Marbella

Accommodation: Puente Romano Marbella

Located on the Costa del Sol, on Spain’s Mediterranean coast, Marbella is the country’s largest resort city. The Puente Romano Marbella, a member of the Leading Hotels of the World, offers a more luxurious approach to the all-inclusive, beachfront resort.

This large resort is designed to feel more like a village, with buildings done on a more human scale. Rooms are very luxurious, and suites have really cool amenities, like private, outdoor Jacuzzi tubs and private saunas.

Villas are like small houses, with private pools and room for entertaining. Amenities with all accommodations include a free round of golf at the nearby Marbella Club Golf Resort.

The Puente Romano also focuses on providing a seemingly endless list of activities. Each day they offer over 100 different things to do, from cooking classes to fencing lessons to Instagram photography safaris. The Six Senses Spa specializes in natural healing, with a range of treatments and holistic experiences.

Foodies will be in heaven with a choice of 12 different restaurants, including Spain’s only Nobu.

Address: Bulevar Principe Alfonso von Hohenlohe, 29602 Marbella, Málaga, Spain

12. Secrets Bahia Real Resort & Spa

Accommodation: Secrets Bahia Real Resort & Spa

For a great Canary Island beach getaway, avoid the crowds on Lanzarote and visit Fuerteventura.

The Secrets Bahia Real Resort & Spa is a beachfront resort on the island of Fuerteventura, with beautiful views across the water to neighboring islands Isla de Lobos and Lanzarote. This is the perfect place for couples looking for a romantic getaway.

Rooms and suites are spacious and luxurious; all have furnished balconies, and most have ocean views. They have tile or marble floors and sumptuous spa-like bathrooms.

Speaking of the spa, the resort’s Spa Bahia Vital is quite large, with all kinds of pools and a focus on hydrotherapy. They have a large, indoor pool with a hydrotherapy circuit. There’s also a cold plunge pool and an ice fountain. The spa puts a focus on wellness, with yoga and pilates classes.

There are six different restaurants to choose from, with varied menus and varied levels of formality. There’s also the new Coco Bahia beachfront lounge and restaurant area. A dock extends into the ocean, and you have sun-loungers and Balinese beds to enjoy.

Address: Av. Corralejo Grandes Playas, 103, 35660 Corralejo, Las Palmas, Spain

13. The Level at Melia Alicante

Accommodation: The Level at Melia Alicante

Alicante is a port city on the southeast Mediterranean coast of Spain. It’s a large resort city, but mainly appeals to Spanish visitors and allows for a cool, more local resort experience. The Melia Alicante is a large beach resort at Postiguet Beach, but stay at The Level at Melia Alicante, an adults-only hotel within a hotel.

All the Level rooms and suites are outward-facing; some face the ocean, others the marina. They have luxe touches like spa-like bathrooms, free, high-speed Wi-Fi, and furnished terraces.

There’s an infinity pool exclusively for Level guests, and you also get access to The Level Lounge, a club lounge with all-day food and beverage service. Terra is the resort’s Mediterranean menu restaurant. Blu is the “urban beach lounge,” with a lighter menu of fresh, locally sourced specialties. A lavish buffet breakfast (considered the best in town) is served each morning in the Salon Gran Postiguet.

Address: P.º del Puerto Viejo, 3, 03002 Alicante (Alacant), Alicante, Spain

14. Hotel Arts Barcelona

Accommodation: Hotel Arts Barcelona

This ultra-luxury Ritz-Carlton property is a very cool urban beach resort. It’s in one of Barcelona’s tallest buildings, and the accommodations all have incredible views of the ocean and the city. It gives you a beach resort experience, with its own beach club, very luxurious accommodations, and Ritz-Carlton service while allowing access to Barcelona’s urban culture.

Guests have access to the (seasonal) exclusive Marina Coastal Club, located at the beach directly across from Frank Gehry’s iconic “Fish” sculpture. There you will find two state-of-the-art swimming pools, a popular restaurant, and live entertainment in the evenings.

Rooms and suites at the Hotel Arts Barcelona have amazing views of either the city or the sea. Rooms on higher floors have better views, and the top 10 floors are filled with breathtaking one-, two-, and three-bedroom penthouse units.

Barcelona is a foodie city, and the Ritz-Carlton lives up to that reputation with seven different dining experiences, including the two-Michelin-starred Enoteca Paco Perez.

43 The Spa is the hotel’s large urban spa, named for the 43^rd floor on which it’s located. The views are spectacular. There are separate areas for men and women; each has a dry sauna, a steam room with color therapy lights, a vitality pool, and an ice fountain. The Hotel Arts also has a separate fitness center with personal trainers on staff. Pilates and yoga classes are offered. Non-hotel guests are welcome and can access the spa facilities with the booking of any treatment.

Address: Carrer de la Marina, 19-21, 08005 Barcelona, Spain

15. Seaside Grand Hotel Residencia

Accommodation: Seaside Grand Hotel Residencia

Yet another beautiful beach resort in the Canary Islands, the Grand Hotel Residencia is on Gran Canaria in the town of Maspalomas. This popular resort is the only Leading Hotels of the World property on the island.

The town is known for its striking sand dunes, and the resort is next to the beach, nestled in a palm grove. Created to be more like a luxury residence, the Grand Hotel Residencia is known for its personal, five-star service along with its luxurious accommodations.

This luxury resort has one main restaurant and delivers a world-class gastronomic experience with a local menu. You can also dine at the hotel’s sister resort, Seaside Palm Beach , which has three different restaurants. Most guests book their stay as a full- or half-board.

When you want to relax, you can swim in the heated saltwater pool or the even hotter wellness saltwater pool. This has underwater jets, massage seats, and air jet beds. Aqua spinning and aqua aerobics classes are offered daily.

Address: Av. del Oasis, 32, 35100 Maspalomas, Las Palmas, Spain

16. W Ibiza

Accommodation: W Ibiza

The new W Ibiza attracts a fun crowd comprised of mainly couples or groups of friends, although the 5-star resort does see a fair share of families as well.

Located on Santa Eulalia Beach, which is less chaotic and crowded than other Ibiza beaches, it sits right on the main promenade.

The rooms and suites here are contemporary affairs, with minimalist style and lots of light thanks to large windows. The best rooms come with private swimming pools and are popular with honeymooners. Families can book interconnected room options at the W.

It is easy to while away the day at the W. There is beach access, with sun loungers and umbrellas, as well as more chairs set up around the swimming pool. If you want to pamper yourself, book a treatment at the on-site spa. There is also a fitness room.

For dining, try one of the on-site restaurants, including one that focuses on vegetarian fare.

Address: Carrer Ricardo Curtoys Gotarredona, 37, 07840 Santa Eulalia del Río, Illes Balears, Spain