La Palma is the greenest and steepest of the Canary Islands, and it has nothing to do with Palma de Mallorca. Deciding where to stay on La Palma matters, because this is an island of volcanoes, laurel forest, black-sand beaches and one of the clearest night skies in the world, not big resorts and long promenades.
The roads wind over mountain ridges more than 2,000 metres high, and on the same day you can have cloud on the east side and sunshine on the west, so your choice of area matters more here than on the other islands. You should also plan on hiring a car, so check the prices of car hire on Booking.com before you book your hotel. Here are my six suggestions.
Contents
Where to Stay on La Palma: The Best Areas
- Santa Cruz de La Palma - best area for first-time visitors without a car
- Los Cancajos - best area for families and beach holidays close to the airport
- Los Llanos de Aridane & Tazacorte - best area for sunshine, day trips and volcano views
- Puerto Naos - best area for a beach holiday on the west coast
- Fuencaliente - best area for volcanoes, wine and peace and quiet
- Barlovento & Los Sauces - best area for hikers and natural pools
Below, I go through the six areas one at a time, with maps, driving times, price levels and three specific places to stay in each. Bear in mind that La Palma has few traditional hotels. Many of the best places are small apartments, bungalows and casas rurales, and that goes for several of my suggestions too.
1. Santa Cruz de La Palma - best area for first-time visitors without a car 🏛️
- 📍 Distance to the centre: You’re staying in the island’s capital, and everything in the Old Town is within a 10 to 15-minute walk: Calle Real, Plaza de España, the harbour and the balconies on Avenida Marítima.
- 🚌 Transport: The town is the hub for the island’s TILP buses (guaguas). Route 300 runs to Los Llanos through the tunnel, route 200 takes the southern road via Fuencaliente, and route 100 goes round the north to Tazacorte. Ferries from Tenerife dock a few minutes’ walk from the centre.
- ✈️ Time from La Palma Airport: Around 15 minutes by taxi over 9 km, or take bus route 500, which runs between the airport, Los Cancajos and Santa Cruz from early morning until late evening.
- 💰 Price level: €€ to €€€. The three hotels below cost roughly £50 to £95 per night when I searched for a week in March.
- 👮 Safety: Very safe, in the evening too. The biggest problem is the steep steps and narrow pavements in the upper part of town, so pack light.
Santa Cruz de La Palma was founded in the late 15th century, when Alonso Fernández de Lugo conquered the island for Castile, and for several hundred years the town was an important port on the route to the Americas. The cobbled main street, Calle Real, is lined with merchants’ mansions and small shops, and on Plaza de España you’ll find the town hall and Iglesia del Salvador, which according to Spain’s official tourism portal form a group of Renaissance buildings unlike anything else in the Canary Islands. Down by the water, the colourful wooden balconies hang out over Avenida Marítima, and the Castillo de Santa Catalina fortress protected the town from pirates in the 16th and 17th centuries.
I’d stay here if it’s your first trip to La Palma, especially if you don’t want to drive for the whole holiday. Santa Cruz is the only place on the island where you can step out of the door in the evening and choose between lots of restaurants and bars, and all the buses start from here. If you arrive on the ferry from Los Cristianos on Tenerife, you’ll land right in the centre. Fred. Olsen Express runs the route in around 2 hours and 30 minutes, and Naviera Armas sails it too, so you can bring your own hire car. From Tenerife South Airport it’s a 15-minute drive to the ferry port; see my guide to getting from Tenerife’s airports.
See hotels in Santa Cruz de La Palma here.
The downsides are the weather and the beach. Santa Cruz is on the east side, where the trade winds push the clouds in over the mountains, so it’s more often cloudy and windy here than in Los Llanos and Tazacorte. The town beach is a man-made stretch of black sand right by the promenade, fine for a dip but not a beach worth travelling for. Every five years in July, the town is also packed to bursting during the Bajada de la Virgen, when the island’s patron saint is carried down from the Las Nieves sanctuary and tall men in costume dance the Danza de los Enanos. If you’re visiting then, book well in advance.
Hotels in Santa Cruz de La Palma
Hotel San Telmo - boutique hotel in a 17th-century house with sea views from the roof terrace
Hotel San Telmo is set in a restored 17th-century house with a traditional Canarian courtyard at its heart and a roof terrace overlooking the sea and the rooftops of the Old Town. There are only a few rooms, breakfast is included, and the beach is a five-minute walk away. The hotel is in the upper part of town, so there are quite a few steps down to Calle Real, and guests mention that the lift doesn’t always work.
One guest writes on Booking.com: “The staff were friendly and very helpful.”
See photos and book Hotel San Telmo here.
Hotel Castillete - simple hotel with apartments and sea views on Avenida Marítima
Hotel Castillete sits at the northern end of Avenida Marítima, with the sea just across the road and around a 10-minute walk to Plaza de España. It’s a three-star place with large apartment-style rooms, a lift, a café and daily cleaning, and it’s one of the few proper hotels in town. On the other hand, the décor is worn, there can be noise from the street and the neighbours, and on-street parking is limited.
From one review: “The apartment was spacious, exceptionally clean and was cleaned every day.”
See photos and book Hotel Castillete here.
Apartamentos La Fuente - budget apartments in an old house in the middle of the Old Town
Apartamentos La Fuente is on Calle Pérez de Brito, one of the old streets behind Calle Real, and it’s the cheapest of my suggestions in town. The apartments have kitchens, there’s a sun terrace on the roof and a laundry, and you can walk everywhere. The building has no lift, so you’ll have to haul your suitcase up the stairs, and guests mention that doors slamming at night can be heard throughout the house.
One guest highlights the “fantastic location” and the “exceptionally friendly” staff.
See photos and book Apartamentos La Fuente here.
2. Los Cancajos - best area for families and beach holidays close to the airport 🏖️
- 📍 Distance to the centre: About 5 km south of Santa Cruz. Los Cancajos itself is a small holiday settlement around the beach with a supermarket, restaurants, dive centres and a handful of hotels.
- 🚌 Transport: Bus 500 stops in Los Cancajos on its way between the airport and Santa Cruz, so you can manage without a car if you only want a beach holiday and to see the capital. If you want to see the rest of the island, you’ll need a car.
- ✈️ Time from La Palma Airport: About 10 minutes. The tourist office says a taxi costs 7 to 9 euros (around £6 to £8).
- 💰 Price level: €€ to €€€. The three places below cost roughly £60 to £120 per night when I searched for a week in March.
- 👮 Safety: Quiet and family-friendly. Keep the children inside the sheltered coves, because beyond the breakwaters the Atlantic is powerful.
If you’re wondering where to stay on La Palma for a proper beach holiday, Los Cancajos is the east coast’s resort and the closest the island comes to a classic beach resort. The beach is made up of small coves of black lava sand sheltered by breakwaters, so the water is calm enough for children, and a promenade runs along the seafront with restaurants, shops and a couple of the island’s largest hotels with pools. The settlement belongs to the municipality of Breña Baja and is just five minutes from the airport, making it the easiest place to arrive on a late flight.
I would choose Los Cancajos if you’re travelling with children and want a pool, a beach and ice cream within walking distance, or if you want to dive. The water off the breakwaters is clear, and several dive centres are right on the beach. Santa Cruz is ten minutes away on bus 500, so you can have dinner in the capital in the evening and still sleep by the beach. If you’d like a hotel with more peace and a garden, Parador de La Palma sits on the hill above Los Cancajos, a few minutes’ drive from the beach.
See hotels in Los Cancajos here.
Be honest with yourself about what you want. Los Cancajos is small, the beach gets crowded in high season, and the choice of restaurants in the evening is limited. Most importantly, it’s on the east side, where clouds hang over the mountains in the afternoon, while the west coast often has sunshine. If a beach holiday with guaranteed sun is your top priority and you don’t mind driving a bit for it, look at Puerto Naos further down the guide. If you want both without driving, Los Cancajos is the best compromise on the island.
Hotels in Los Cancajos
H10 Taburiente Playa - the large four-star beach hotel with a pool right by the sand
H10 Taburiente Playa sits directly on Playa de los Cancajos and is the most complete hotel on the east coast, with a heated pool, children’s pool, tennis court, sauna, evening entertainment and a buffet restaurant. The rooms are large and many have sea views, but quite a few guests feel the décor is worn, and the buffet food gets mixed reviews. Street parking costs about 10 euros (around £8) a day.
One guest writes on Booking.com: “The location and the room were fantastic, and the facilities excellent.”
See photos and book H10 Taburiente Playa here.
Amelia Cancajos - modern apartment with a shared pool a few minutes’ walk from the beach
Amelia Cancajos is on Calle La Corvina, a little way up the hill behind the beach, and has a terrace, a garden, an outdoor pool open all year round, sun loungers and an electric car charging point. The apartment suits a family who would rather have their own kitchen than a hotel buffet. You’ll have to walk a couple of hundred metres up and down the hill to the beach, and a few guests have been less enthusiastic about the pool area and the garden.
From one review: “We really enjoyed our holiday. Fantastic place.”
See photos and book Amelia Cancajos here.
Cascada de colores - budget ground-floor apartment in a complex with a pool, children’s pool and bar
Cascada de colores is a ground-floor apartment in Urbanización La Cascada, less than a kilometre from the beach, with access to the complex’s outdoor pool, children’s pool, garden and bar. It’s the cheapest of my three suggestions and a sensible base for a family with a hire car. The apartment is on the ground floor of a large complex, so there may be noise from neighbours and the pool area outside the set quiet hours.
One of the guests writes: “The apartment was very comfortable and well equipped.”
See photos and book Cascada de colores here.
3. Los Llanos de Aridane & Tazacorte - best area for sunshine, day trips and volcano views 🍌
- 📍 Distance to the centre: Los Llanos is the island’s largest town and sits on the west side, about 35 km and a 40-minute drive from Santa Cruz. Puerto de Tazacorte and its beach lie about 7 km below the town.
- 🚌 Transport: Los Llanos is the bus hub for the west side. Line 300 runs to Santa Cruz through the tunnel, line 200 goes round the south via Fuencaliente, and line 204 runs down to Puerto Naos. Even so, if you stay here you should have a car.
- ✈️ Time from La Palma Airport: About 40 minutes by car over the mountains on the LP-3 and through the tunnel. By bus 500 to Santa Cruz and then line 300 onwards, allow a good hour and a half.
- 💰 Price level: € to €€€€. The three places below cost around £50 to £290 a night when I searched for a week in March.
- 👮 Safety: Safe. Los Llanos is a working town with traffic and tight parking in the centre, so head straight for the car parks.
The west side is the sunny side of the island. Tazacorte calls itself the municipality in Spain with the most hours of sunshine, and the Aridane Valley is covered in banana plantations all the way down to the sea. Los Llanos de Aridane is a proper town with tapas bars around Plaza de España, shops and a local life that isn’t geared towards tourists. Seven kilometres further down lies Puerto de Tazacorte, with the island’s longest black sand beach, almost two kilometres long and protected by a breakwater so families can swim, plus fish restaurants and a marina where the whale-watching boats depart from.
Here you’re staying right in the middle of the island’s biggest attractions. The Tajogaite volcano from the 2021 eruption lies just south of the town, and you can see the black lava flows from Mirador de Tajuya in El Paso. If you want to get close, you need to go with an authorised guide, as you’re not allowed to walk up to the crater on your own. The official route with a local guide costs about €37 (around £30) and takes four hours. In Las Manchas you can walk into the Cueva de las Palomas lava tube from the Caños de Fuego visitor centre, and in El Paso you’ll find the visitor centre for the Caldera de Taburiente National Park, which according to the Spanish national parks agency is open every day from 9am to 6pm. From here you drive up to the La Cumbrecita viewpoint, where the car park is small, so arrive early.
See hotels in Los Llanos de Aridane and Tazacorte here.
The downside is that Los Llanos isn’t a holiday resort. The town has no beach, there’s traffic, and the valley gets hot in summer. Puerto de Tazacorte is a nicer place to stay but small, and above the village of Tazacorte it’s a steep climb to everything. I’d choose this area if you want to see as much of the island as possible, because from here it’s a short trip to the volcanoes, the caldera and the beaches of the west coast.
Hotels in Los Llanos de Aridane & Tazacorte
Hotel Hacienda de Abajo - the island’s most beautiful hotel, set in a 17th-century sugar plantation in Tazacorte
Hotel Hacienda de Abajo occupies a restored 17th-century sugar hacienda in the middle of the village of Tazacorte and is filled with antiques, paintings and tropical gardens. The hotel is adults only (from age 14), and there’s a heated pool, spa, restaurant and pool bar. The beach at Puerto de Tazacorte is about 2 km down the hill. It’s by far the most expensive place in this guide, and some guests feel the beds don’t live up to the price.
One guest writes on Booking.com: “The hotel is beautiful with lovely gardens and full of wonderful paintings and antiques.”
See photos and book Hotel Hacienda de Abajo here.
Hotel Benahoare - solid three-star town hotel a few minutes from Plaza de España in Los Llanos
Hotel Benahoare is on a side street in the centre of Los Llanos and is the best-rated proper hotel in town. The rooms are soundproofed and air-conditioned, there’s a hot tub and rooftop sun terrace, and you can walk to the restaurants on the square in a couple of minutes. The hotel has no parking of its own, so you’ll need to find a space nearby, and breakfast is simple.
From one review: “The hotel is super comfortable and pleasant.”
See photos and book Hotel Benahoare here.
Casitas Rosheli - small houses with a pool and views over the valley on the edge of Los Llanos
Casitas Rosheli is a small complex of houses with kitchens on Camino Los Lomos above Los Llanos. There’s a pool overlooking the valley and the sea, a barbecue, a sun terrace and free parking, and the price is low for what you get. It’s a 15-minute walk down to the centre and rather longer back up, so it’s a place for people with a car, and at night the sound from the town can carry up the hillside.
One guest highlights: “Value for money exceeded expectations!”
See photos and book Casitas Rosheli here.
4. Puerto Naos - best area for a beach holiday on the west coast 🌋
- 📍 Distance to the centre: About 10 km south of Los Llanos along the coast road. Puerto Naos is a small resort town built around the beach and the palm-lined promenade.
- 🚌 Transport: Route 204 links Puerto Naos with Los Llanos, where you change for the rest of the island. A car is by far the easiest option, and many apartments have free parking.
- ✈️ Time from La Palma Airport: About 60 minutes and 40 km. According to the island’s tourist office, a taxi costs 45 to 48 euros (around £40).
- 💰 Price level: €€. The three apartments below cost roughly £55 to £75 a night when I searched for a week in March.
- 👮 Safety: Safe, but the area is still monitored with sensors for volcanic gas (CO2). Follow the signs and check the current status with the Cabildo de La Palma before you book.
For many years, Puerto Naos was La Palma’s main beach resort, with a wide black-sand beach, a promenade beneath tall palm trees and large hotels. Then came the Tajogaite eruption in 2021. The lava never reached the town, but in the months that followed, CO2 began seeping up from the ground, and both Puerto Naos and the neighbouring settlement of La Bombilla were completely closed off for several years. Since then, the area has gradually reopened, house by house and business by business, as the readings have allowed, and the whole beach is open for swimming again. More than 1,500 sensors keep an eye on the gas, and some buildings and premises may still not have been cleared.
So my advice is simple: check the current status with the Cabildo de La Palma before you book, and expect fewer restaurants and shops than before the eruption. In return, you get the west coast’s best beach almost to yourself, sunshine from morning to evening and a view up over the banana plantations to the black volcano. Paragliders often land on the beach, and a few kilometres to the north is the small swimming cove of Charco Verde, which bus 204 also serves.
See hotels in Puerto Naos here.
Puerto Naos suits you if you want beach, sun and peace and quiet and don’t care about nightlife. Most of what you can book here is apartments and small complexes, and many owners have returned after several years of closure, so standards vary. Read the reviews carefully and choose places with plenty of recent ratings. Evenings are quiet, and if you need a bigger supermarket or a pharmacy, you’ll have to drive to Los Llanos.
Hotels in Puerto Naos
La Muralla Apartamentos - apartments with an infinity pool and views over the whole bay
La Muralla Apartamentos sits on the hillside above Puerto Naos by the road into town, and it’s the view you’re paying for: an infinity pool with the sea and the whole beach below you. The apartments have a garden, a sun terrace and free parking, and the place has more reviews than anywhere else in town. The downside is that there’s no footpath down to the beach, so you’ll drive the few minutes, and some guests would like better kitchen equipment and more light indoors.
One guest writes on Booking.com: “The location is fantastic.”
See photos and book La Muralla Apartamentos here.
Apartamentos El Faro - well-kept apartment in Edificio El Faro right by the promenade
Apartamentos El Faro is on Paseo el Coral, a few steps from the beach and the promenade, so you can head straight down for a morning swim. The apartment has a terrace, family rooms and a lift in the building, and it’s kept to a high standard. There are fixed quiet hours from 11 pm to 8 am, which is fine for most people, and the place still has relatively few reviews, so you’re booking partly on trust.
From one review: “Very clean and comfortable apartment, prepared to a high standard and well equipped for every need.”
See photos and book Apartamentos El Faro here.
Apartamento Mar y Sol - budget apartment with a lift a couple of streets from the beach
Apartamento Mar y Sol is on Avenida de la Cruz Roja, a few minutes’ walk from the beach, and it’s the cheapest of my suggestions in Puerto Naos. The building has a lift, there’s garden furniture outside, and the owner organises yoga. It’s a simple apartment without a pool, and parking in the surrounding streets can be limited when the town is full.
One of the guests writes: “The apartment was very clean and had everything we needed for a great stay.”
See photos and book Apartamento Mar y Sol here.
5. Fuencaliente - best area for volcanoes, wine and peace and quiet 🧂
- 📍 Distance to the centre: The village of Los Canarios is the main town of the municipality and sits on the southern tip, around 30 km from Santa Cruz and 25 km from Los Llanos. Getting down to the lighthouse and the salt pans means another 7 km of steep road.
- 🚌 Transport: Route 200 between Santa Cruz and Los Llanos runs via Los Canarios. To get down to the coast you’ll need a car, so in practice one is essential.
- ✈️ Time from La Palma Airport: Around 35 to 40 minutes along the LP-2 down the east coast through Villa de Mazo.
- 💰 Price level: € to €€€. The three places below cost roughly £50 to £185 a night when I searched for a week in March.
- 👮 Safety: Completely safe and very quiet. Drive carefully in fog and on the narrow roads through the vineyards, and keep your distance from the cliff edge on the coast when the sea is rough.
Fuencaliente is the southern tip of the island, and everything here is volcanic. From the village of Los Canarios you can walk up to the crater rim of San Antonio, where the visitor centre explains how the island was formed, and below it lies Teneguía, which in 1971 had Spain’s most recent eruption before Tajogaite and created the beach Playa de Echentive with its natural pools. Right down by the sea stand the two lighthouses: the old one from 1898, which now houses a centre for the marine reserve, and the new red-and-white one. Next to them are the Salinas de Fuencaliente salt pans, where salt is still harvested by hand in square pools in every shade of white, pink and brown. This is also where you’ll find one of the best restaurants on the island, El Jardín de la Sal.
The area is also the island’s wine country. Bodegas Teneguía and Juan María Torres have been making wine for more than 60 years, and the malvasía grape grows in black volcanic gravel at Llanos Negros, where the vines lie almost flat on the ground to cope with the wind. For hikers, the Ruta de los Volcanes ends here: the third stage of the GR 131 runs from Refugio El Pilar along the entire southern ridge to Fuencaliente, 23.7 km and graded as difficult, and in my opinion it’s the best hike on the island. Once darkness falls, the lighthouse is designated as one of the island’s official stargazing viewpoints.
See hotels in Fuencaliente here.
I’d stay here if you want to hike, drink wine and enjoy some peace and quiet. The accommodation is almost all casas rurales, bungalows and small apartments with views, plus one large adults-only hotel down on the coast. The drawbacks are obvious: Los Canarios sits high up and can be wrapped in cloud and wind while the coast is sunny, there are only a few restaurants open in the evening, and you need a car for everything. If you’re coming to surf, La Zamora beach is the place, but it’s not one for children.
Hotels in Fuencaliente
Esencia de La Palma by Princess - large four-star adults-only hotel with a spa on the coast below Los Canarios
Esencia de La Palma by Princess is the only large hotel in southern La Palma and sits on the rocky coast below Los Canarios, with a heated pool, spa, tennis court, mini golf, evening entertainment and free parking. It’s adults only and works best if you want a classic resort holiday with day trips by car. The location is remote, and several guests feel the food doesn’t live up to four stars.
One guest writes on Booking.com: “Beautiful hotel, fantastic grill, honestly, everything was good.”
See photos and book Esencia de La Palma by Princess here.
Casa Simon Villa Colón - apartments and bungalows with a saltwater pool and sea views in Los Quemados
Casa Simon Villa Colón is in the small hamlet of Los Quemados, west of Los Canarios, with views down over the vineyards to the sea. There’s a saltwater pool with a view, a sun terrace, air conditioning and free parking, and the apartments have kitchens, so you can cook while watching the sunset. It’s on a small lane among the vines and, according to several guests, can be hard to find the first time, so save the address on your phone.
From one review: “Wonderfully designed pool and a fantastic view.”
See photos and book Casa Simon Villa Colón here.
Apartamentos Los Volcanes - simple apartments in the middle of Los Canarios by the main road and the bus stop
Apartamentos Los Volcanes is on the main street in Los Canarios, so you have the bakery, the bars and the bus stop right outside the door. The apartments are simple but clean, there’s a sun terrace, daily cleaning and a games room, and it’s the cheapest of my suggestions in the south. Because it faces the main road, there can be a bit of traffic noise in the mornings, and the parking is a short walk away.
One guest highlights: “The host was fantastic and helpful, and communication was good and very easy.”
See photos and book Apartamentos Los Volcanes here.
6. Barlovento & Los Sauces - best area for hikers and natural pools 🌿
- 📍 Distance to the centre: Los Sauces is around 25 km north of Santa Cruz along the LP-1 coast road, and Barlovento is a further 7 km to the north-west on the northern tip of the island.
- 🚌 Transport: Line 100 between Santa Cruz and Tazacorte runs all the way round the north of the island via Los Sauces and Barlovento, but services are infrequent. You’ll need a car here.
- ✈️ Time from La Palma Airport: Around 40 minutes to Los Sauces and 50 minutes to Barlovento. To Roque de los Muchachos, allow roughly an hour and a half’s drive.
- 💰 Price level: € to €€. The three places below cost roughly £55 to £100 per night when I searched for a week in March.
- 👮 Safety: Safe. The biggest risks are the roads, which are narrow, steep and full of tunnels cut into the rock, and the weather, as cloud and rain can hang here all day while the west side is sunny.
The north of the island is the green, wet side of La Palma, and this is where it looks most like something from another age. Near Los Sauces lies Los Tilos, one of the best-preserved laurel forests in the Canary Islands and the island’s first biosphere reserve, with a small visitor centre and a waterfall right next to it. From here starts the famous hike to the Marcos y Cordero springs, where you take a 4×4 taxi up to Casa del Monte and walk back down through 13 water tunnels with a torch. From the village of San Andrés, you can walk around 1.5 km along the coast to the Charco Azul natural pool, and in Barlovento you’ll find La Fajana, with three sheltered pools calm enough for children and fish restaurants right beside them.
The area suits you if you want to hike and don’t mind the odd spot of rain. The island’s GR 130 circular route passes through the villages of Gallegos and Franceses, crossing deep ravines towards Garafía, and up at Laguna de Barlovento, 650 metres above sea level, there are picnic areas and pine forest. From here you can also drive up to Roque de los Muchachos at 2,426 metres, home to the observatory. The Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias offers guided daytime visits of around an hour and a half, which must be booked in advance and are paused in winter, and in the evening you can join a stargazing tour to Roque de los Muchachos with sunset and wine for around 55 euros (about £45).
See accommodation in Barlovento and Los Sauces here.
The downsides are the rain, long drives and few restaurants, and you’ll be staying in casas rurales and holiday homes rather than hotels. If you’d prefer more sunshine, the alternative is the north-west around Tijarafe and Puntagorda, where it’s drier, the drive up to Roque de los Muchachos is shorter, and Puntagorda’s weekend market makes a good day out. But if you want laurel forest and natural pools right on your doorstep, this is where to stay.
Hotels in Barlovento & Los Sauces
Riegos de Lino - holiday home with its own restaurant right by the La Fajana natural pools
Riegos de Lino is on Calle la Fajana, a few metres from the natural pools in Barlovento, and it’s the closest you’ll get to staying by the water in the north of the island. There’s a restaurant on site, a terrace, sun loungers and free parking, and pets are welcome. It’s the most expensive of my three suggestions up here. The coast is exposed to the wind, and when the restaurant is busy, you can hear it in the apartment.
One guest writes on Booking.com: “The apartment was spotlessly clean with every facility, including a very well-equipped kitchen.”
See photos and book Riegos de Lino here.
Los Boleros - small holiday home with a pool, barbecue and views up in Barlovento
Los Boleros is a holiday home on Calle las Paredes in Barlovento with a year-round outdoor pool, barbecue, garden, sun loungers and heating for the cool evenings you get up here. The host is praised in almost every review, and the price is low for a whole house with a pool. It’s tucked away on a small lane, so you’ll need a car for everything, including dinner.
From one review: “Marianne was really helpful and friendly.”
See photos and book Los Boleros here.
Hostal Bubango - cheap, top-rated guesthouse in the middle of Los Sauces
Hostal Bubango is in the middle of Los Sauces and is one of the best-rated budget places on the whole island, with a score above 9 from many hundreds of guests. There are rooms with private bathrooms and rooms with shared bathrooms, a shared kitchen, a garden, luggage storage and free parking, and you can walk to the town’s bars and supermarket. Rooms facing the street can get traffic noise, so ask for one at the back.
One guest highlights: “Everything was spotlessly clean and tidy.”
See photos and book Hostal Bubango here.
Where not to stay on La Palma?
The first trap is the name. If you just type “La Palma” into the search box on Booking.com, you risk getting hotels in Palma de Mallorca, and that has happened to more people than you’d think. Always check that the address ends in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, the province La Palma belongs to. The second trap is booking a cheap country house high up in the mountains in Garafía, Puntallana or the upper settlements of El Paso without a car. The houses are beautiful, but there’s no evening bus, no restaurant within walking distance and dark, winding roads you won’t want to drive after dinner. Also avoid booking in Puerto Naos and La Bombilla without checking the current situation, and don’t plan a pure beach holiday on the east coast in the winter months if sunshine is your priority. And if you want long sandy beaches and big resorts, Fuerteventura is a better island than La Palma.
If it’s your first trip to La Palma and you’d rather not drive, I’d stay in Santa Cruz de La Palma or Los Cancajos and use the buses plus a single guided excursion. If you have a car and a week, I’d split the holiday: three or four nights in Los Llanos or Puerto de Tazacorte for the volcanoes and the caldera, and the rest in Fuencaliente or the north of the island, depending on whether you’d rather have wine and stars or laurel forest and natural pools.
If you’re combining La Palma with one of the neighbouring islands, which the ferry makes easy, my guides to where to stay on Tenerife and where to stay on Gran Canaria can help you with the other half of your trip.
Travel ressources & websites I use all the time 👇
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