Many travellers visit Malaga as part of their road trip to Andalusia. It’s often an opportunity to relax by the sea and enjoy the beautiful beaches of southern Spain. But the city also offers some very attractive cultural activities, including the Picasso Museum and the Pompidou Center. But where to stay in Malaga?
To get the most out of Malaga, it’s important to choose the right place to stay. Depending on whether you’re looking for culture, the beach or nightlife, there are several choices of neighborhoods in which to stay, and these can change completely.
This accommodation guide will show you the best places to stay in Malaga, along with their appeal, their location in relation to the city’s major attractions, and the budget you need to allow for your stay. We will also suggest a selection of places to stay in these different districts
Things you need to know
Before going into detail on each area to help you decide where to stay in Malaga, here are some key things you need to know about the city. This’ll give you a better idea of the city.
Our favorite places to stay
If you’re in a hurry, here are our top places to stay in Malaga:
- $ this Ibis Budget not far from the center and seafront
- $$ this establishment, located in the historic heart of the city
- $$$ cet hôtel de luxe, on Malagueta beach
Map of different areas to stay in Malaga
Here’s a map which includes our picks of hotels and flats. You can also use this map to pinpoint the different areas we’ll cover in this guide.
We’ve used the following colour code: green for budget hotels, blue for mid-range hotels and red for luxury hotels.
Where to stay in and around Malaga
Let’s get down to the nitty-gritty with a review of the main areas where we recommend staying in Malaga.
Staying in the historic center: culture and entertainment
Malaga's historic center lives up to its name and remains the hub of Malaga's lively culture. Most of the city's cultural attractions can be found here, and its central location provides easy access on foot to other parts of the city.
Among the must-see places to visit during your stay are
- the richly documented Picasso Museum, housed in the artist's birthplace
- the Cathedral of the Incarnation, a magnificent example of Renaissance architecture in Andalusia
- theAlcazaba, an ancient palace overlooking the surrounding area
- and, quite simply, stroll the pretty old streets
By choosing to stay in this area, you can easily enjoy these attractions. What's more, with accommodation in the center, the rest of the places of interest can be reached in less than 20 minutes on foot. As for the beach, it's not too far away either: count on a maximum of 30 minutes to reach it on foot if you've chosen to stay more to the north.
Staying in the heart of Malaga is also a good option for enjoying thecity's lively atmosphere. The old streets are also the main shopping thoroughfares, and you'll find a good number of restaurants and cafés.
Last but not least, the area is home to most of the city's tourist accommodation and hotels, so you'll be spoilt for choice, depending on your budget. Of course, the area remains one of the most expensive due to its attractiveness.
The historic center, and in particular the southern part, is therefore theideal place to stay in Malaga, unless you plan to spend a lot of time at the beach.
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Ideally located in the heart of Malaga, this establishment offers a number of beautiful, well-equipped and recently renovated apartments for rent. You can even get an apartment with a view of the Alcazba. Several apartments are spacious enough for families. A very good choice.
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Very decent, well-located hotel. The rooms are new, as are the bathrooms, and the building is quiet. Very good value for money, given the location.
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This 5-star hotel is ideally located right on the edge of the city center. In addition to all the benefits you'd expect from an establishment of this standing, you can enjoy the magnificent rooftop swimming pool, with its exceptional view of the cathedral. Contemporary decor, impeccable comfort, all services available: nothing to complain about.
Lodging near Malagueta beach
Malagueta is Malaga's emblematic beach. It's undoubtedly the best place to stay to enjoy the sea and swimming, while remaining close to cultural activities.
Just cross the Parque de Malaga (itself worth a visit) and you're within easy reach of the city center and its cultural attractions. The cathedral, for example, is just a 20-minute walk from the beach, and therefore from your accommodation. What's more, if you plan to stay by the sea, you'll be even closer to the Centre Pompidou, for example, and the restaurants and shops of the modern pier.
There are plenty of small beach restaurants and a few convenience stores nearby, so it's easy to stay in the area in the evening. However, if you're looking for a little more excitement, the city center is a better choice.
Accommodation is readily available in the area, from large hotels with sea views to tourist apartments in the adjacent streets. Rates are generally reasonable. However, once again, the high season can hold surprises. The destination is very popular with Spaniards and foreign tourists alike, and tourist accommodation can be fully booked or at prices inflated by demand. So if you want to stay in one of the most popular hotels, make sure you book well in advance!
There's another, more affordable way to enjoy a seaside hotel or rental: Caleta beach. It follows on from Malagueta, further east. There are a few places to stay here, but you're getting pretty far away: something to bear in mind if you're planning to spend a lot of time on cultural visits.
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Very nice little rental apartment right on the seafront. Good value for money for a few days' stay in the peace and quiet of a roadtrip stopover.
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Just across from the Malagueta, this large beach hotel offers all the benefits of this type of establishment, with well-decorated, modern rooms, a large swimming pool, quick access to the beach and a small bar. Everything is within walking distance.
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The quintessential 5-star beach hotel, this establishment has it all: ideal seafront location not far from the center, splendid sea views, luxurious rooms, pool and spa, all set in a beautiful garden surrounding an imposing classical building. The best choice for staying overlooking the Malagueta.
Trinidad, Soho and the seafront to stay on the edge of Malaga's city center
The historic heart is bordered to the west and south by neighborhoods that are also of interest to tourists. These aren't necessarily where you'll be able to find a place to stay, but it's important to keep these parts of the city in mind, as you're bound to visit them during your stay:
- the seafront, just south of the Parque de Malaga, is a pleasant place to stroll, with its modern cafés and sea air. The main attraction is the Centre Pompidou, an extension of the Parisian Museum of Modern Art, whose collections and temporary exhibitions are often well worth a visit. It's also a good way to get to the beach from the center.
- Soho, the arts district, rich in street art and graffitied building facades, on the western side of the waterfront
- Trinidad, the historic district to the west, on the other side of the river running through Malaga, visited for its pretty streets and typical buildings
Although these areas are generally less lively than the city center, there are plenty of restaurants, cafés and souvenir stores. The atmosphere is calmer in the evenings: if you stay in these parts of Malaga, you may want to leave the area in the evening to seek a little more entertainment in the city center.
As for the location of your accommodation, unless you're staying in one of its nooks and crannies, these districts are relatively well placed for reaching other tourist attractions on foot. The beach, further to the east, is a little further away, at least 30 minutes' walk.
Finally, as already mentioned, accommodation is more scarce. The exception is Trinidad's east side, by the river. Right on the edge of the heart of the city, a number of hotels have been set up here, at prices that are on average more attractive than in the historic center.
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It's hard to beat the quality/price ratio in the budget range of the famous French chain. The attraction of this one is its location in the Trinidad district, not far from the center. As always, the accommodation is clean and the bed comfortable. The rest of the services are very basic, but the price encourages concessions.
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Very friendly, recently opened 3-star hotel with modern, designer rooms. Good location in Soho, not far from the center.
Is it possible to stay in other areas of Malaga?
In this guide, we've only mentioned the most interesting areas to stay in. Of course, Malaga is a much larger city. So it's possible to stay in areas far from the centers of interest. However, we don't recommend it, for several reasons.
Firstly, choosing accommodation outside the areas mentioned will inevitably mean longer journeys, or even the need to use your car. As in most tourist cities in Spain and Europe, access to historic centers is increasingly difficult for motorists, whether due to parking prices or traffic jams. So it's best to choose accommodation that allows you to enjoy Malaga on foot, above all.
Secondly, it has to be said thataccommodation is scarce in these remote locations. However, there are always a few exceptions and special cases, such as
- the railway station district, to the south-west, which offers quite a few hotels. It's a good option for travelers taking the train across Andalusia.
- el Palo beach, a few kilometers to the east, for a lazy holiday
- the Cadiz district, after the train station, with the Huelin garden, is more residential but has good transport links and is by the sea
Summary
This concludes our guide to accommodation in Malaga. As you may have gathered, the city is not very large. If you choose a hotel or rental in the center of Malaga, you’ll have no trouble visiting all 4 corners on foot, or accessing other places of interest. There’s plenty to choose from in this tourist city, and you’ll easily find where to stay without making too many concessions.
The other option, to enjoy the beach in this beautiful seaside town, is also fairly straightforward. Simply choose a hotel along the Malagueta if finances and availability allow, or head a little further east.
In either case, book your accommodation in advance to avoid unpleasant surprises during your visit to Andalusia. Malaga is the most popular seaside stopover on a road trip to this region of southern Spain