Hotel San Agustin Beach Club

If you are looking for quality hotel accommodation close to the beach in Gran Canaria's sunny south, but prefer not to stay in a large complex, the San Agustin Beach Club is the perfect choice. The hotel's grounds lead straight onto the dark-blonde sands, so it would be hard to get any closer to the beach, and the area of San Agustin is generally considered to be the quieter part of Gran Canaria's southern coast, consisting largely of privately owned apartments and a handful of upmarket hotels. Unlike the vast majority of hotels in the south of the island, which tend to be rather on the large side and can therefore feel somewhat impersonal, the Beach Club has just 57 rooms and thus offers a much more intimate and personal ambience.

As befits the hotel's ocean-front setting, the décor follows a nautical theme, with wood-panelled walls, cool marble floors and polished brass fittings lending the interiors the timeless elegance of a luxury yacht. Generously proportioned and comfortably furnished, the guestrooms have all the amenities one might expect in a hotel of this class, including air-conditioning, minibars, satellite TV (limited English-language channels), safety deposit boxes, telephones, and smart en-suite bathrooms with hairdryers and make-up mirrors. Each room also has its own furnished terrace or balcony, the vast majority with superb views across the pool area to the sea.

The hotel boasts two kidney-shaped swimming pools (one seawater, the other freshwater), one of which can be heated in winter. Surrounding the pools is a terrace with plenty of room for sunbathing and admiring the ocean views; pool towels and mattresses for the sunloungers are provided free of charge. A pool-bar is on hand to keep you refreshed during a hard day's relaxation, and other facilities include a small fitness room, sauna, steam room and beauty salon.

Breakfast at the San Agustin Beach Club is served buffet style in the light and airy breakfast room, whilst the evening meal in the more formal dining room may be either a buffet or table service depending on the hotel's occupancy - either way, the hotel's restaurant enjoys a fine reputation locally for its cuisine. Should you fancy a change, there are a few restaurants in the nearest small shopping centre some 300 metres or so away, whilst the centre of Playa del Ingles is approximately 5 km away. There is a regular bus service, or you may enjoy the walk along the pedestrian seafront promenade.

For couples of all ages seeking a relaxing beach holiday in elegant surroundings, with a high level of personal services and an air of sophistication, the San Agustin Beach Club would be hard to beat.