Santa Catalina, a Royal Hideaway Hotel

Nadav Sheffy

A very service oriented luxury hotel with old world grandeur, great breakfast, very impressive dedicated service but with some issues. This is definitely a hotel oozing with style and grandeur reminiscent of old world luxury, both the common areas as well as the rooms. It's not for everyone but that's a matter of taste. The location is somewhere between the cathedral and old town and the playa the las Canteras, a bit of a hike from both of them so not ideal. My first room was a junior suite which was indeed very large, quite fancy and with a balcony overlooking the main entrance, while the balcony was a nice touch, sound proofing was a major problem and the room was simply too noisy for me during the entire evening and night from the bar downstairs and from the coming and going in the entrance area. I mentioned that the following day in a "how is your stay" automatic email which I got from them and usually ignore, and a few hours later they called me and suggested to switch my room to another one even though the hotel was quite full. They moved me to a slightly smaller room with no balcony but facing the gardens at the back of the hotel and that was blissfully silent during the night - so impressive service from the side of the guest experience team but also choose your room wisely if you are sensitive to noise. They have a large wellness area which I did not go to but the gym next to it is almost a professional level gym so a pleasure, the pool is not large and probably can get very busy but the weather was gray and unhappy during my stay so I had it to myself to swim in . there is a municipal semi-olympic swimming pool right next to the hotel (5 minutes walk) and you can get an hourly swimming pass between 0800-1600 (I think only on week days but not sure) for less than 10 euros if swimming is important. Breakfast was really very good and abundant. there are a few very fancy restaurants in the hotel, I ate dinner in the least fancy one (1890 La bodegita) and it was very good. As July is not the high season in Las Palmas prices were reasonable for the level of service and quality of accommodation. All in all, this is a place worthy of its name. there were some issues but they handled them very efficiently and with real willingness to solve them and that is always important.

Ninve E

We had an absolutely wonderful stay at Santa Catalina and truly couldn’t have asked for a better experience. The hotel itself is beautiful, but what made our stay so special was the incredible warmth and kindness of the staff. The breakfast was amazing every single morning. Everything was incredibly fresh, with a great variety of options, including plenty of healthy choices, which we really appreciated. Our stay became even more unforgettable because we got engaged while we were there. When the staff found out, they surprised us with such a sweet and thoughtful gesture, which meant so much to us and made this special moment even more memorable. A very special thank you goes to the Concierge Carolina, who organized everything for us and was simply wonderful. She is such a warm, kind and genuinely lovely person, and she made us feel incredibly welcome and cared for. We are so grateful for everything she did for us. Santa Catalina will always have a very special place in our hearts, and we would absolutely love to come back. Thank you for making our stay and our engagement so unforgettable! ❤️

Preben Rund Torgalsbøen

The breakfast is amazing. Compliments to the chef. Very good food especially the omelett, but have the espresso if you want your coffee to wake you up. The orange juice is really good. If you want the full experience, then you need to order a suite. A deluxe room will make you a second class citizen and you will be prohibited from entering the rooftop swimming area before 17:00. Also you should learn some spanish because some of the staff is not well versed in english. One could of course have a discussion if it is the guest responsibility to learn the language at the place they are visiting, but was a bit surprised that some questions had to be interpeted into spanish in order for them to understand. It also seems quite odd for them to have an iron board available in the room so we had to ask. When we asked to get our drinking bottle filled, the lady looked a bit confused. Most of the guest probably have never asked this question. Guess us middle class people have some odd ways of doing things. The rooftop bar is very beautiful and the staff is very nice. But the way of ordering drinks is not very effective. You have a qr code, but you dont order drinks from the page, you wait for the waiter to come. Then she will try to remember all the drinks you and everyone else there order and get back to the bar. If she forgets she comes back and ask. The spicy margerita didnt have much punch to it. The winterfell was allright. The room is okey. Bed is nice and soft. The bathroom is a bit damaged. The toilett is right next to the bed so try to be quiet when you do your business. When walking aroud some parts of the hotel you get the feeling that you are in an half finished open world game. Lots of areas are empty with nothing to do. The pool on the ground floor is okey. Lots of noise from traffic and road work, but you can block some of it out. Again, friendly staff, but not sure if we will return unless we save up for a room suite.

Biljana Lojanica

Santa Catalina Hotel is undeniably a historic architectural landmark, but as a hotel experience it fell well below expectations. On arrival, the service felt cold and somewhat pretentious rather than welcoming. A key reason for choosing the hotel was the prominently advertised rooftop pool and views, only to discover after check-in that access is restricted to suite guests. The spa is similarly limited unless you pay €15 per person for 90 minutes, which felt too rushed to unwind and relax. These restrictions are not clearly communicated at booking and leave a sense of being misled. Several of the lounge and communal areas were also frequently reserved for corporate events and seminars, which further diminished the sense of a relaxed hotel environment. As a guest, it often felt as though you were secondary to business groups and functions moving through the space, even in more personal hotel moments such as walking through pool access corridors in a robe. In-room entertainment is very dated, with a non–smart TV offering only basic local and satellite channels. Room service carries a €5 delivery surcharge, while on-site dining is largely limited to high-end fine dining with little casual alternative. It is also worth noting that Las Palmas sits under a noticeably less favourable microclimate than the south and west of Gran Canaria. During our stay, conditions were consistently cloudy, windy, and cool, which further limited the enjoyment of the hotel’s already restricted amenities. For those seeking reliable sun and beach weather, the southern or western parts of the island are a better choice. The atmosphere and clientele also skew noticeably toward an older demographic.

Salisa Hartney

My mum and I stayed at the Royal Hideaway Santa Catalina to celebrate her 50th birthday, and it was truly an unforgettable city break. From the moment we arrived, we were blown away by the hotel’s stunning architecture and timeless elegance. The hotel is absolutely beautiful, with luxurious facilities, gorgeous pools, a fantastic spa - we had one very relaxing massage. The gardens and grounds are simply breathtaking—so beautifully maintained that wandering around them became an activity in itself. Every corner felt peaceful and picturesque, making it a joy to explore and soak up the atmosphere. The location was perfect too—close enough to explore everything Las Palmas has to offer, including Las Canteras Beach, the charming streets of Vegueta Old Town, and so many wonderful restaurants, while still feeling like a peaceful oasis to return to. One of the highlights of our trip was dining at the hotel’s Michelin-starred restaurant. It was an incredible culinary experience from start to finish and made the celebration even more memorable. What really made our stay exceptional, however, was the outstanding service. Every member of staff was warm, welcoming, and professional, but we would especially like to say a huge thank you to Julia - (and a lovely lady I think called Sonia.) Julia went above and beyond to ensure our stay was perfect and helped me organise multiple surprises for my mum’s 50th birthday, making the occasion even more special than I could have imagined. Her kindness, attention to detail, and genuine care made such a difference, and she is a real credit to the hotel. Thank you, Julia, for creating memories that we will remember for a long time! We couldn’t have chosen a better place to celebrate such a special milestone. Royal Hideaway Santa Catalina exceeded all of our expectations, and we wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it to anyone looking for a luxurious, memorable stay in Las Palmas. We can’t wait to return.