Gloria Palace Royal Hotel & Spa

Built in 2008, the Gloria Palace Royal is a large oceanfront resort with a simple, airy vibe. The hotel sprawls along the hillside overlooking Amadores beach, and there are plenty of places from which to enjoy the view of the ocean below. Common spaces are open and bright, and despite its large size, the property stays pretty quiet.

The hotel mainly draws vacationers looking to relax and swim. There is access to two white-sand beaches, each about a five-minute walk down from the main building. The two pools are quite spectacular, as they are large and sparkling blue. Along the pools’ patios are numerous lounge chairs positioned to overlook the sea, but it is advisable to go out early if you want to grab a spot, as they often fill up quickly.

On a cliff overlooking the beautiful white sand Amadores beach, the location of the Gloria Palace Royal is idyllic. The seafront is about a five-minute walk from the hotel's main building, though it should be noted that the path can be a bit steep in places. For those who want to venture further outside the property, the village of Puerto Rico is around a six-minute drive from the hotel and the charming town of Mogan, nicknamed “Little Venice,” is about a 20-minute drive away. The Gloria Palace Royal is roughly a 30-minute drive from the Gran Canaria airport.

The rooms at the Gloria Palace are large and tastefully, if simply, designed. White walls are livened up with colorful modern prints, and every room includes a spacious balcony that faces the sea. Even the smallest rooms include a desk, reading chair, and small coffee table. All rooms come with satellite TVs and free Wi-Fi. The bathrooms are also fairly large and include separate tubs and showers.

Upgrading to a suite gives guests a separate bedroom and living room. Some suites include a jetted tub in the bathroom or a whirlpool on the balcony.

The hotel is spread out and some rooms can be a bit of a trek from the main building, though they tend to be quieter than the centrally located ones, which can have issues with street noise due to a nearby road.

Water is the Gloria Palace Royal’s greatest selling point. The hotel and its two large pools overlook the white sand beach and bright blue sea. The infinity pool, which is the bigger of the hotel’s two pools, allows guests to feel as though they’re swimming up to the edge of a cliff, where they can take in gorgeous views of the beach down below. The adjacent deck is quite spacious, with a hydromassage area and a separate children’s pool and play area. The smaller pool sits next to one of the hotel’s bars on an upper level and offers lovely views of the ocean from its deck. There is also an enclosed area for nude sunbathing located on this level.

Adults looking for additional relaxation may enjoy the full spa. The Gloria Palace Royal’s facilities are more basic than some of the other spa hotels of its class, but include a sauna, heated pool with massage stations, Turkish bath, Scottish shower, and small fitness center. Guests can also book beauty and body treatments for an extra charge.

For the kids, there is an indoor playroom with a ball pit and jungle gym, as well as the outdoor children’s area and kiddy pool. Games and entertainment tailored specifically for the little ones are also offered.

There are two outdoor bars with ocean views on the premises (one is on a covered patio) and a buffet-style restaurant, which is open for all meals. A la carte options are also available.