There are places that feel restorative the moment you arrive and Gran Canaria is one of them. Long-celebrated for its unique climate and natural healing elements, the island has quietly been welcoming wellness seekers for over 150 years. Back in the mid-19th century, European doctors were already prescribing time here, recognising the powerful combination of sunshine, sea air, mineral-rich waters and golden sand.

Fast forward to today and Gran Canaria’s wellness offering has evolved beautifully. Alongside its natural assets sits a new generation of thoughtful spa experiences, sleep programmes and holistic retreats, all designed to help you truly switch off. This is wellbeing, island-style: unforced, deeply nourishing and effortlessly luxurious.

Where to Stay for Deep Rest and Relaxation

For a wellness escape that balances nature with considered design, head south where many of the island’s most beautiful beaches and spa hotels are found.

Wellness meets Rest & Relaxation

Tucked into the charming harbour town of Mogán, Hotel Cordial Mogán Playa feels more like a Canarian village than a resort. With its low-rise buildings, chapel and lush botanical gardens (home to more than 450 plant species), it invites a slower pace from the outset. The Inagua Spa & Wellness is a highlight, flooded with natural light and garden views, while the flotarium pool, rich in salts, allows you to float weightlessly as the sun gently warms your skin. A deeply calming experience.

Nearby, Cordial Mogán Valle Apartments offers a relaxed, garden-filled setting with multiple pools and the Salinas Spa & Wellness centre, perfect for those seeking flexibility without compromising on wellbeing.

Meanwhile, the Cordial Santa Águeda Resort delivers a more contemporary, family-friendly take on wellness living. With its seafront location, infinity pools and the beautifully designed Callao Spa & Wellness, guests can enjoy organic treatments alongside a soothing wet circuit of sauna, steam room and leisure pool.

Seaside Escapes with Soul

Just moments from Playa del Inglés, Seaside Sandy Beach offers a tranquil oasis wrapped in Arab-inspired architecture and subtropical greenery. Its rooftop Spa & Wellness centre is particularly special with panoramic views, a private jacuzzi terrace and a heated saltwater pool complete with hydromassage jets.

A short drive away, Seaside Palm Beach, set beside the Maspalomas Dunes Nature Reserve, blends retro 1970s design with modern luxury. Three heated pools, palm-filled gardens and a refined spa make it an ideal base for restoration. Treatments such as the Pantai Luar massage, a rhythmic Far Eastern ritual using warm herbal pouches, melt away tension and restore balance.

For those seeking the pinnacle of indulgence, Seaside Grand Hotel Residencia offers a five-star Gran Lujo experience. Nestled within tropical gardens close to Maspalomas Beach, its colonial-style architecture sets the tone for an exceptional spa journey, complete with salt caves, ice fountains, Finnish sauna, sensation showers and deeply restorative treatments.

Wellness with a View

At Salobre Hotel Resort & Serenity, architecture and landscape exist in harmony. Built into the rolling terrain just inland from the coast, the resort’s tiered design reveals breathtaking views across mountains and sea. Infinity pools, particularly the sunset pool, invite long, golden-hour soaks, while Balinese beds offer front-row seats to some of the island’s most memorable sunsets. The Be Aloe Wellness spa uses the resort’s own aloe vera in treatments, while Tempo, a science-led sleep and wellbeing programme, takes rest seriously, ideal for those looking to reset their rhythm.

Thalassotherapy at Its Finest

Gran Canaria is also a destination for thalassotherapy, a wellness tool used for thousands of years. Gloria Palace San Agustín Thalasso & Hotel is home to one of Europe’s largest thalassotherapy centres, with approximately 7,000m² dedicated to seawater-based treatments designed to restore, rebalance and rejuvenate.

Perched dramatically between Puerto Rico and Amadores beaches, Gloria Palace Amadores Thalasso & Hotel appears to rise from the cliffs themselves. Its seawater hydrotherapy circuit, offering pools at varying temperatures, delivers both therapeutic and sensory benefits, all with sweeping ocean views.

Facing Amadores Beach, Gloria Palace Royal Hotel & Spa combines natural stone architecture with understated luxury. Its heated infinity pool seems to blend seamlessly with the sea, while spa treatments, including hot stone rituals and complimentary hydromassage stations, invite total relaxation.

Gran Canaria isn’t about chasing wellness trends, it’s about returning to what truly restores us. Sun, sea, thoughtful spaces and time to slow down. Whether you’re floating in salt-rich waters, indulging in a sunset soak or rediscovering deep sleep, this island offers a gentler way to reset, and a reminder that wellbeing doesn’t need to be complicated to be transformative.

For more inspiration on planning your wellness escape, visit grancanariawellness.com