Puerto de Mogán in Gran Canaria has beaten better-known destinations to be named as the best resort area in the Canary Islands, with the least-popular deemed ‘too full of British tat’.
The verdicts come from a Which? survey of 1,000 British holidaymakers that ranks Canary Island destinations based on eight criteria, including the quality of the beach, scenery, food and drink, accommodation, and value for money.
A resort score was then calculated, based on overall satisfaction and likeliness to recommend. In general, it is the smaller, quieter Canary Islands resorts that have come out on top – possibly, notes Which?, because more crowded package holiday hotspots have been targeted by anti-tourism protests by locals angry about the negative impact of mass tourism.
Puerto de Mogán tops the 15-strong table with an impressive resort score of 90 per cent.
It scores five stars for accommodation and four-star ratings for food and drink, scenery and value for money – the only resort in the survey to do so. It also receives three stars for peace and quiet.
Puerto de Mogán (above) in Gran Canaria has beaten better-known destinations to be named in a Which? poll as the best resort area in the Canary Islands
The highest-rated Lanzarote resort is Playa Blanca (pictured), which comes second with a score of 77 per cent. ‘The refined resort offers a relaxed pace of life, with respondents describing it as “child- friendly” and “easy going”,’ says Which?
Which? recommends Las Palmas (joint third, pictured) for holidaymakers wanting to combine sun and sea with a city break, with Gran Canaria’s capital scoring four stars for accommodation and three for tourist attractions
‘With its quaint marina, white-washed houses and labyrinthine old town, it’s easy to see why this “peaceful, beautiful place” captured the hearts of visitors,’ says Which?.
Playa Blanca, which comes second with a score of 77 per cent, is the highest-rated Lanzarote resort.
‘At the southern tip of the island, this refined resort offers a relaxed pace of life, with respondents describing it as “child-friendly” and “easy going”,’ says Which?. ‘Largely untouched by high-rise developments, the resort has an excellent selection of accommodation, for which it received four stars.’
Members of Which? enthused about the ‘fantastic’ hotels – many of which are on the beachfront – in Costa Adeje (joint third), Tenerife
Many of the tourist hotspots in the Canary Islands saw locals protesting last year, including in Arrecife, Lanzarote (pictured)
Playa Blanca also received a three-star rating for food and drink, with members praising its ‘great choice of quality restaurants’.
Tied in third place with scores of 75 per cent are Costa Adeje, Tenerife; Costa Teguise, Lanzarote; and Las Palmas, Gran Canaria.
Members of Which? enthused about the ‘fantastic’ hotels – many of which are on the beachfront – in Costa Adeje, rating it five stars for accommodation.
The resort received three stars for shopping and three stars for scenery and food and drink.
‘Friendly’ Costa Teguise, meanwhile, received four stars for accommodation, and three stars for its beach, scenery, food and drink, value for money, and peace and quiet.
‘We like the fact it’s not the biggest draw in Lanzarote,’ said one respondent. ‘It’s got plenty of choices of places to eat and drink and is not overpriced.’
Which? recommends Las Palmas for holidaymakers wanting to combine sun and sea with a city break, with Gran Canaria’s capital scoring four stars for accommodation and three for tourist attractions, value for money, food and drink, scenery and peace and quiet.
The full ranking of the Canary Island resorts in the Which? survey – where did your favourite come?
The Canary Islands resort with the lowest score (61 per cent) is Gran Canaria’s Playa del Inglés (pictured) – which literally translates to ‘English Beach’
Some holidaymakers deemed Playa del Inglés a ‘victim of its own success’ since its construction in the 1960s. And some criticised it as ‘too busy, too full of British tat and not relaxing’
‘It’s a city first, and a tourist destination second,’ said one traveller.
For those seeking peace and quiet on holiday, Playa de Santiago (fifth) might just be the ticket, as it was the only destination in the survey to receive four stars in this category.
Located on La Gomera, one of the smallest Canary Islands, the tiny fishing village – which received a score of 73 per cent overall – ‘draws visitors seeking respite from the madding crowd’, says Which?.
One visitor said: ‘It’s a very quiet little town, unspoiled by tourists… it’s the perfect spot to relax and unwind.’
But it’s the Canary Islands resort with the lowest score (61 per cent) that is potentially the most surprising, as it’s where thousands of Brits flock to on holiday every year – and even named English Beach.
Members of Which? have suggested Playa del Inglés, Gran Canaria, has become a ‘victim of its own success’ since its construction in the 1960s, with some criticising the resort as ‘too busy, too full of British tat and not relaxing’.
It was one of the destinations that saw protests against tourism last year, along with Tenerife, but some members still continue to return.
One said: ‘I always have a good time… I find the local people and visitors very welcoming.’
Rory Boland, Editor of Which? Travel, said: ‘The Canaries are beloved by Brits for their all-year-round sun and while many thousands of us visit every year, our research suggests holidaymakers prefer the quieter resorts to the package holiday, fly-and-flop hotspots.
‘Protests last year showed some locals are very angry about the negative impacts of mass tourism.
‘Choosing a less popular resort that topped our survey will help alleviate those pressures and lead to a better holiday. Look for ways to support the local economy – for example, by choosing family-run hotels, bars and restaurants over multi-national chains and holiday lets.’