Spain hotels worth checking
Last updated: 2026-06-17
What matters most with Spain hotels
Spain offers a wide range of hotel styles, from beach resorts and family hotels to city stays. Location shapes the trip more than small price differences — and so does whether your chosen region charges a tourist tax at all.
Popular Spain hotel areas
- Costa del Sol — reliable family beach hotels with no regional tourist tax
- Costa Blanca — a mix of family resorts and quieter coastal towns, no general tourist tax
- Majorca and the Balearics — strong all-inclusive and family options, but subject to the regional eco-tax
- Tenerife and the Canaries — warm enough for a genuine winter break
- Barcelona — city breaks, but the highest tourist tax in Spain following April 2026 increases
- Madrid — city hotels with no tourist tax currently applied
- Ibiza — nightlife and adults-leaning resorts, also subject to the Balearic eco-tax
What to check before booking
- ETIAS — from late 2026, UK travellers need an ETIAS travel authorisation (around €20, valid three years) to enter Spain. It's not a visa, but apply online before you fly
- Tourist tax — only in Catalonia and the Balearic Islands. Costa del Sol, Costa Blanca and Madrid charge no general tourist tax; Barcelona's combined tax is among the highest in Europe
- Board basis — B&B, half-board and self-catering are more typical than all-inclusive on the mainland
- Noise and nightlife level, which varies hugely between resort towns
- Seasonality — the Canaries for winter sun; the mainland is more spring-to-autumn
Best for
- Family holidays and short breaks
- Beach hotels and city breaks combined
- Travellers wanting easier flight options
- Winter sun in the Canary Islands
Spain hotels worth checking
A starting point across the main categories — check live availability for your own dates before booking.
Hotel Riu Costa del Sol
Torremolinos, Costa del Sol
A reliable, large-scale all-inclusive option with consistently strong family reviews and no regional tourist tax to budget for.
Iberostar Selection Marbella Coral Beach
Marbella, Costa del Sol
An all-inclusive resort with a full-service spa, suited to couples or families wanting a more polished stay on the same coastline.
Iberostar Waves Las Dalias
Costa Adeje, Tenerife
A genuine year-round option thanks to the Canaries' climate, with an extensive kids' club making it a strong family pick for winter sun.
Fantasia Bahia Principe
Tenerife
A larger luxury all-inclusive resort with family rooms, useful for bigger groups wanting more space than a standard double.
DealStays verdict
Spain is worth checking if you want flexibility, short flight times and a wide range of hotel styles. Just check whether your region charges a tourist tax — Costa del Sol and Madrid don't, Barcelona does heavily — and apply for ETIAS in good time once it launches.
Related pages
Frequently asked questions
- Does Spain have a tourist tax?
- Not nationwide. Catalonia (including Barcelona) and the Balearic Islands charge a per-person, per-night tax, raised again in April 2026. The Costa del Sol, Costa Blanca and Madrid currently apply no general tourist tax, so it depends entirely on where you're staying.
- Will UK travellers need a visa for Spain?
- Not a traditional visa, but from late 2026, UK travellers will need an ETIAS travel authorisation (around €20, valid three years) to enter Spain and the rest of the Schengen Area. It's applied for online before you fly.
- Which part of Spain is best for guaranteed winter sun?
- The Canary Islands, particularly Tenerife and Gran Canaria, stay warm enough for a beach holiday year-round, unlike the Spanish mainland.
- Is the Balearic eco-tax charged per room or per person?
- Per person, per night, with rates varying by season and accommodation category. It's usually paid locally rather than included in your booking price.
- Is Spain or Turkey better value for an all-inclusive holiday?
- Turkey is generally stronger for large-scale all-inclusive resorts. Spain has all-inclusive options too, particularly in the Canaries, but B&B, half-board and self-catering are more typical on the mainland and in the Balearics.