NH Las Palmas Playa las Canteras

Despite its three-pearl rating and a bare minimum of facilities, cozy 67-room NH Las Palmas Playa de las Canteras is a well-maintained hotel with sleek, modern decor. The lobby area, although small in size, is visually striking, with an immaculate white marble floor and elegant gray and white furniture. The hotel is quiet, with minimal traffic and no music to add atmosphere, but with its excellent location -- just a one-minute walk from the beach -- and modern interiors, it’s good value for money. Unlike its sister hotel around the corner, which sits in the midst of bustling beach action, this property is on a quiet pedestrian block, where resident Canarians idle by and casually converse with their neighbors. It’s an authentic local vibe, and sets a tone of low-key relaxation that’s echoed in the hotel. It accommodates a variety of guests, but primarily couples and business guests, as well as families. With its basic facilities, this NH best suits no-fuss guests who prefer quality over quantity.

NH Playa de las Canteras is on a quiet, brick-lined pedestrian block, with the vibrant beach promenade just a one-minute walk down the road. There are myriad cafes and restaurants nearby, including the excellent Restaurante La Marinera, which serves fresh local seafood and is a two-minute walk from the hotel. This is a great location for both beach trips and city exploring. The city’s largest shopping mall and Parque de Santa Catalina -- a local hangout spot -- are both roughly a 15-minute walk away. Calle Triana, the city’s pedestrian-only shopping street, and the charming old town are both about a 15-minute drive from the hotel. Gran Canaria airport is a 25-minute drive away.

All 67 rooms here are essentially the same, but some come with balconies that face the pedestrian street below. Roughly three-quarters of rooms have a street view, while the remainder face the inner courtyard (there are no sea views). All rooms are clean and recently refurbished as of 2017, with bright and breezy decor, modern bedding, air-conditioning, flat-screen TVs, and reasonably stocked minibars. Safes are free to use and Wi-Fi is included in rates. Bathrooms are fairly modern, with neutral tiling, shower/tub combos, and bidets. Beds are comfortable, and come as queens or two twins. Some rooms have sofabeds that can accommodate an extra person. This hotel had some of the most modern amenities that we saw on the island in 2017, including USB sockets -- extremely convenient for charging your phone if you’ve forgotten your European plug adapter -- and lamps with an infrared switch triggered by hand waving. 

Admittedly, this hotel lacks any bells and whistles. There’s a TV lounge with one vending machine and one hot drinks machine, but no other public amenities. Accordingly, there’s no bar or restaurant, but an excellent paid buffet breakfast with fantastic sea views is available at the sister hotel around the corner. It includes an extensive spread of hot and cold options, including fresh fruit smoothies, fresh squeezed orange juice, cooked-to-order eggs, and a special selection of 18 different herbal teas. Healthy extras are also available. There’s free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel. As with most hotels in Las Palmas, there’s no on-site parking.