The Greenfield Hotel is situated near the Tropical Centre (where the bus station is) in Playa del Ingles, opposite the Irish Centre. It’s a pretty basic place to stay and I’d say about 80% of the tourists in there are Irish and mostly younger groups or couples. Despite the location and the average tourist age I remember it wasn’t overly noisy (but then we were staying up until 4am, catching up with people who worked in the bars). The place is cleaned daily and there are electronic safes and TVs. There is a pool outside and sun loungers.

Photo by Jacob Poul Skoubo

Nearby Bars and Restaurants

Mulligans Bar is 2 minutes away and if you’re staying at Greenfield Hotel you get 10% off in Mulligans. Right outside (underneath) Greenfield Hotel is Lady Pink which sells surprisingly good pizza (try the Hawaii with pepperoni) as well as chips with curry, garlic sauce and various other snacks. This is a friendly place and it’s open until almost dawn. When I used to DJ in the Irish Centre I was often in Lady Pink at 5am enjoying a pizza!

Over the road is the Irish Centre and there are a number of bars and restaurants to choose from in there. The beach is 5 minutes walk and the bus station is about the same. You can get buses all over the island from the Tropical Centre bus station. The staff in the Greenfield Hotel reception are friendly and helpful if you need anything.

This is an economy hotel but one of the better ones so if you’re on a budget and you’re looking for cheap holidays to Gran Canaria, bear in mind the Greenfield Hotel is situated in a nice place and is well-run. The one tiny disadvantage might be the noise (from the bars over the road) but if you like to stay up partying until the wee hours it should suit you perfectly.

Has anyone stayed at Greenfield Hotel, Playa del Ingles recently? Please share your experiences

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Apparently this Playa del Ingles guesthouse is very clean and the hosts are friendly. One of the most common complaints about hotels in Gran Canaria is that they are dirty or grimy but this place is really clean.

About 4 years ago we had some friends from Dublin, Ireland staying here and I have vague memories about visiting them one sunny afternoon. They loved it here too and had no complaints.

Playa del Ingles by Jacob Poul Skoubo

Included in the price is a pick-up from and back to the airport and a small pool. Laurence and Eddie are the owners of Jardin Guesthouse and it seems that they will do their very best to ensure you have a pleasant stay.

If you’ve stayed here let me know what you thought. Do you disagree with the 5 out of 5 rating or did you have a wonderful time?

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If you are looking for 4 or 5 star luxury I would choose another place, perhaps Gloria Palace or Tamarindos. If you just want somewhere to lay your head after partying until the early hours, Koka Apartments might suit you. It is 200 metres from the beach. These apartments might be very basic but they are clean and affordable.

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You can get delicious cheese here, as well as almonds and strawberries. Do you like wine? If so, you ought to try Vansequillo wine. Why not visit on a Sunday and check out the produce at the Sunday market?

You can get the number 43 bus from Telde.

Photo by Marianne Perdomo

What to See

Visit the San Miguel church or check out the quotidian sculptures. You can get fantastic views from the Mirador del Helelchal and there are strawberry fields as far as you can see too. This lively town is vibrant and interesting all through the year, especially when the Fiesta del Almendro en Flor is on in February. This is when the almond trees blossom. The Fiesta del Caballo is also good.

This village is named after an old sugarcane-pressing machine and you can see the ruins of it today. Check out the Museo de Piedra while you’re in Valsequillo de Gran Canaria – that’s the stone museum.

Where to stay in Valsequillo

There are not a lot of places to stay in this small village but there is one luxury “cottage” (more of a villa really) on the edge of the village but it is heavily booked despite the 700 euro/week fee!  I guess that shows people like it.

More details via the website here, here and here.

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It’s close to the Europa Centre (a couple of minutes walk) and you can walk to Amadores beach in ten or fifteen minutes but it is also located in a quiet, peaceful street.If you want to go to the main shopping centre in Puerto Rico you can walk down in twenty minutes or get the bus or a taxi down for a couple of euros.

The swimming pool has massage jets and there’s a billiard table too, as well as a barbecue grill and a sheltered lodge. You can contact the owner, Bernardo, to ask about booking but be warned this is a popular place to stay and he’s booked up until March 2011.

All the apartments have a VCR, satellite TV, toaster and coffee machine and the bedding and towels are changed twice a week. I used to live five minutes down the road from Finca E and it’s in a really nice location. Some people prefer big hotels but others like a more personal touch, which is why Finca E might appeal to you.

You can call Bernardo at Finca E on +34 928561397 to ask about availability and prices, or send an email to fincae@web.de, but do remember he’s fully booked until March 2011.

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Another option is to use one of the property agencies in Gran Canaria but then you will have to pay the equivalent of half a month or a whole month’s rent in fees. Of course if you find the perfect house or apartment in Gran Canaria it can be worth doing that if you are planning to stay a long time (or if your Spanish isn’t up to par!)

The best way to find somewhere to live is to come over with a package holiday then at least you have somewhere for a couple of weeks while you look. In Gran Canaria property to rent tends to be widely available and you can find a very small 1 bedroom apartment for 400 euros (absolute cheapest) or something a bit bigger. You normally have to pay 1 month’s rent and 1 month’s deposit to move in, although this does vary.

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There is also a swimming pool at the Altair Hotel Puerto Rico with sun loungers and parasols. If you like activities, you can watch the shows in the evening or play darts or water polo. There is also children’s entertainment at the Altair Hotel Gran Canaria. There is a pool bar if you fancy a snack or a beer, as well as a mini market. There is pay-as-you-go internet too.

The Altair Hotel used to be called Nevada Apartments and if you’re looking for somewhere economical, cheap and cheerful you could do much worse than this one.

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If you are looking for budget accommodation in Gran Canaria, the Colina Mar aparthotel is a good choice although because it’s so high up you will need to get a taxi back up if you go down to the beach.

You do get some pretty good views from up there though!

Sunset over Tenerife

If you like to lie by the pool in the daytime and go out at night, the Colina Mar apartments are great because the Europa Centre is only about five minutes walk.

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The accommodation is cheap and cheerful so if you’re just looking for somewhere to lay your head these apartments are basic but sound. There is a pool bar and a Netto supermarket nearby.

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Photo by JimmyRoq

Whether you want to come on holiday with your RV and drive across Europe to get here or whether you just want to bring a tent and sleep under the stars for a couple of nights, there are various campsites on the island offering all the facilities you need.

Here is a list of campsites in Gran Canaria.

Campsites in Gran Canaria range from little clearings in the forest with just about enough room to erect a tent and a couple of boulders acting as your table and chairs to huge campsites full of motor homes with an on site bar and hot showers.

If you want to do some camping in Gran Canaria you have to obtain permission. It is illegal to camp on public beaches. You can be fined for illegal camping.

If you want to camp in the mountains you will need to go the OIAC Office in Profesor Agustín Millares Carló Street in Las Palmas and ask for a camping permit. You have to show your NIE number (which you can get from the police station) and tell them where and when you plan to camp. This office is open from 8.30am until 2pm Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday and from 7pm until 9pm on Thursday. They also open from 9am until 12pm on Saturday.

Get Away from the Tourists – Ideal Gran Canaria Getaway

Soria is a wonderful place to get away from it all. To get to Soria you need to go up the valley from Arguineguin until you come to a caravan park. There is a shop/bar there which rents little cabins. You can phone them on 0034 928 735688.

Photo of Soria by Jesus de Blas

The cabins have two bunk beds, a shelf, a fridge and a terrace with a table and bench seating. It is a lovely peaceful place and you can go fishing for bass and carp or go swimming nearby. The shop has daily deliveries of fresh bread and it makes a nice change from the touristy resorts.

I’ve camped in Veneguera and for that you have to drive up the west coast and there is a clearing by the pebble beach where you can park your RV (or in our case BMW because we just had that and a tent!) Don’t expect a bar, toilet or any showers.

An 8am swim in the Atlantic sure is bracing!

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