Abora Continental by Lopesan Hotels

Since starting out as an independent travel agent, I’ve set myself a little mission: to explore different destinations and stay in 3-star hotels to discover whether there are any hidden gems out there that deserve more recognition for what they offer.

I want to look beyond the star rating and consider the things that really matter when booking a holiday: location, cleanliness, facilities, food, service and, most importantly, whether the overall experience represents good value for money.

After plenty of research, I chose Abora Continental by Lopesan Hotels in Gran Canaria for my very first stay on this little adventure. And let me tell you… it did not disappoint! 🙌

Here’s my honest review, including the things I loved and a couple of areas where I think there’s room for improvement.

📍 Location — A definite winner! First things first, the transfer from Gran Canaria Airport took approximately 20 minutes, which was a huge plus for me. Nobody wants to spend hours travelling to their hotel when they’re ready to start their holiday!

On arrival, the entrance and foyer were clean, bright and spacious. The reception staff were friendly and welcoming, and check-in was straightforward and hassle-free. The location is another big selling point. The beach is around a five-minute walk away, although be prepared for quite a few steps! There is a steep ramp option if you prefer an alternative route. That said, the beach was absolutely beautiful and well worth the walk.

Restaurants, bars and shops are all within a few minutes’ walk, and I thoroughly enjoyed visiting the local market, approximately eight minutes away on foot. There’s also a bus stop opposite the hotel, making it easy to venture further afield.

We even walked along the beach one evening to explore some of the larger shopping and dining areas, but we kept finding ourselves gravitating back to the hotel. The atmosphere was lovely, the drinks were fantastic, and we genuinely enjoyed spending time there.

🛏️ The room — Clean, comfortable and a gorgeous view! We stayed in room 521, opposite the lift, and I would happily request this room again when booking! The room was lovely, clean and spacious, with a gorgeous view. The beds were incredibly comfortable, and I slept well every night, which is always a big tick in my book.

Everything we needed was provided, including a mini fridge, hairdryer and safe. You can also request for the mini fridge to be stocked for an additional fee.

Housekeeping visited daily, and I loved the little personal touches. They even arranged our pyjamas into cute little shapes! 🥰 It’s the small things that make a stay feel that bit more special. Overall, I had absolutely no complaints about the room.

🍹 All-inclusive premium — Worth the small upgrade? We booked the All-Inclusive Premium package, which was only a small additional cost compared with the standard all-inclusive option. For us, it was well worth considering, as it included premium branded drinks and a selection of different cocktails.

Despite arriving late, we decided to head downstairs for a nosey around and order a few cocktails. The bar staff were incredibly friendly, charismatic and welcoming, and the drinks were lovely! We certainly tried our fair share throughout the stay. 😂

One detail I particularly loved was the presentation. Rather than serving every cocktail in the same standard glass, they used different styles depending on the drink. Even around the pool, where plastic glasses were needed, the cocktails were served in similar styles. It might seem like a small detail, but it added a lovely touch of luxury to the experience.

There’s also a small 24-hour snack area in the lobby, with a limited selection of sandwiches and cakes for those late-night munchies. It’s a thoughtful addition, although I wouldn’t rely on it for a substantial snack. The sandwich choices we encountered included ham and cheese and, rather unexpectedly, crab paste!

Fortunately, there’s a little shop to the left of the hotel, and a SPAR further up the road to the right, so there are alternatives if you fancy something different outside normal food service hours.

🍳 Food and drink — Plenty of choice, with room for improvement Breakfast was a real highlight! There was a massive selection, with plenty of cooked and continental options, and lots of space in the dining room. And can we take a moment to appreciate the decent Nescafé coffee machine? Thank goodness! ☕ A good coffee first thing in the morning always gets my day off to a better start.

Lunch and dinner were a little more challenging for us, however, as I was travelling with my adult daughter, who is vegetarian. The hotel offered different food themes each evening, which was a nice touch, and there was always enough food to keep us going. However, we found that dishes weren't always labelled clearly, making it difficult to identify which options were vegetarian. The dining room staff were busy, and we didn't want to keep interrupting them to ask about every dish. Clearer food labels, particularly for vegetarian options, would make a real difference and help guests feel more confident about what they're eating. We also weren't sure whether gelatine was used in some of the mini cakes, so my daughter decided to give these a miss, much to her disappointment. This wasn't something that ruined our stay, but it's an area where a little extra clarity would go a long way, particularly for vegetarian guests and those with specific dietary requirements.

The pool snack bar offered chips, burgers, hot dogs, salad and fruit, served from closed cabinets. It was fairly standard poolside fare, but it did the job when you wanted something easy during the day.

For my daughter, though, the options were more limited, with chips being the main suitable choice we found. I would have loved to see something like cheese toasties or crepes available, as these make such an easy and enjoyable daytime treat at other hotels we've visited.

Of course, that's a personal preference rather than a major criticism! Soft drinks were branded and available on tap, alongside wine, beer and fruit juices.

My suggestion? Keep the variety, improve the food labelling and perhaps introduce one or two additional vegetarian-friendly poolside snacks. Those small changes could make an already enjoyable all-inclusive experience even better.

🏊 Pool areas and facilities — Better than expected! This was another area where the hotel exceeded my expectations. There was a main pool, a quieter pool and a small dipping pool, which was ideal for cooling off or relaxing with a book. There were also three jacuzzis! The pool areas were aesthetically lovely, clean and more impressive than we'd anticipated. There were plenty of sunbeds and parasols, and the sunbeds themselves were comfortable. Some of the better sunbathing spots filled up quickly, as you'd expect, but I really liked the hotel's approach to preventing sunbed reserving. If a sunbed had been left unattended for a while, staff would leave a note giving guests an hour to return before towels were removed. This helped prevent the usual race for beds and made the whole experience feel fairer and more relaxing. Staff also regularly walked around the pool area, clearing away used glasses and keeping everything tidy.

Another thing I appreciated was the hotel's approach to recycling. ♻️ Recycling was actively encouraged, with designated bins and even a separate place to pour away unwanted drinks before returning your glasses. It's great to see hotels making an effort to reduce waste, and these practical little touches didn't go unnoticed.

I also didn't experience any issues with wasps, flies or mosquitoes during our stay, which was another bonus when spending so much time outdoors!

Pool towels were included, with a €1 charge if you wanted to exchange yours for a fresh one.

🎭 Entertainment — A massive shout-out to the animation team!

I have to give credit where credit is due here, because the animation team were an absolute asset to the hotel! They gave 100% every day and evening, encouraging guests to get involved without being overly pushy. They were all incredibly friendly, approachable and full of energy. During the day, there were various activities to join in with, including aqua aerobics, water games and other fun activities. In the evenings, the team put together their own shows, making great use of their talents and personalities. From games involving guests to their variety show, there were plenty of laughs, and I genuinely enjoyed watching them. It was lovely to see a team so enthusiastic about creating a fun atmosphere for guests. Entertainment can make such a difference to a holiday, and they absolutely helped make our stay memorable. A huge well done to the team! 👏 You are a real credit to Abora Continental by Lopesan Hotels.

🏖️ Things to do nearby One of the things I loved most about this hotel was how easy it was to get out and explore. The beach was beautiful and only a short walk away, and there were plenty of restaurants, bars and shops nearby. The local market was also within walking distance, and the bus stop opposite the hotel was ideal for anyone wanting to explore more of Gran Canaria without hiring a car.

Although we ventured out a few times, we found ourselves coming back to the hotel because we enjoyed the atmosphere so much.

For anyone who likes a holiday that combines pool days, beach trips and the option to explore the local area, the location is a real bonus.

💚 So, would I return?

Absolutely — and that's what makes this first stay on my three-star hotel mission such a success!

Abora Continental by Lopesan Hotels is rated 3+, and I genuinely feel that it deserves recognition for what it offers. The location is excellent, the rooms are clean and comfortable, the pool facilities are lovely, the drinks offering was a highlight, and the staff and animation team helped create a really welcoming atmosphere.

Yes, I'd love to see clearer food labelling in the restaurant, especially for vegetarian guests, and a little more variety at the pool snack bar would be a welcome addition. But these are constructive suggestions rather than reasons to avoid the hotel.

For me, a great holiday isn't necessarily about luxury or how many stars a hotel has. It's about the overall experience, the little details, the people who make your stay special and whether you leave feeling that you've had a good holiday. And that's exactly how I felt here.

As an independent travel agent, I want to discover places that offer more than people might expect, and I think Abora Continental by Lopesan Hotels could be just that kind of hidden gem for the right traveller.

My first hotel on this mission has set the bar high, and I can't wait to see where my next adventure takes me! ✈️

Thank you, Abora Continental by Lopesan Hotels, for a wonderful stay. We look forward to returning! ❤️

We had a brilliant 5-night stay here and would definitely recommend it!

We paid to upgrade our room to the adults-only area and for us it was 100% worth the extra. We had a lovely room with a great view, and having the pool towels included with the upgrade was a bonus too.

The reception staff were really friendly and helpful, and communication was really easy. We had absolutely no problems speaking to anyone in English.

One of our favourite things was definitely the 24/7 self-service drinks and snack station – such a good idea! The drinks set-up in the main buffet restaurant was brilliant too. There were several stations, so even when it was busy you could easily grab a coffee, beer, wine or soft drink without queuing forever.

The food was really good. Obviously it’s an all-inclusive buffet, so you know the style of food you’re getting, but there was always plenty of choice and we always found something we enjoyed.

The pool area could get busy at times, but we pretty much always managed to find a sunbed somewhere and the beds themselves were in good condition. A few areas around the hotel could probably do with a little bit of TLC and a lick of paint, but nothing that affected our holiday at all.

We travelled without children so can’t really comment on the kids’ entertainment, but we did see the animation team doing plenty of activities with them. We also didn’t have any food allergies in our party, so can’t comment on how well allergies or dietary requirements are catered for.

Location-wise, it was brilliant. The beach is literally just down the road, taxis are available right outside, there’s a bus stop nearby and plenty of shops, bars and places to explore within a 5–10 minute walk. We even walked across to the Maspalomas dunes, which was absolutely doable – although we did treat ourselves to a taxi back! 😂

Overall, a great hotel, brilliant location and really good value for what we paid. We had such a lovely break and would happily stay again. ☀️🍹🏖️

The hotel itself is lovely, food was very good plenty of variety, clean in all areas, location good. Couple of downsides though 1 . Lift playing up in floor 3 and 4 days still not fixed 2 . This is a none smoking hotel ,so if your a smoker not ideal 3 . No inflatables in the pool allowed 4 .sunbed towel police was a little extreme, put tickets on your sun lounger even when you ho for lunch for any longer than 30 mins With this in mind I would not go again too many rules and regulations