Best Kid-friendly Hotels in Nerja, Costa del Sol

The 216-unit Marinas de Nerja Aparthotel is right on the beach, across a beautiful lawn dotted with cabanas and sun beds. The hotel is geared to tourists, especially families with kids, and offers an all inclusive option that attracts Spaniards on long weekends or school holidays. Located a 20-minute walk from central Nerja, this hotel has a big pool with lounge chairs and sea views along with an indoor pool and hot tubs. All rooms have convenient kitchens -- including kettles, mini-fridges, and a small cooktop -- and balconies. Bike rental, tennis, ping pong, scuba diving, a fitness center, kids' club, live music, and kids' disco are some of the hotel's resort-style activities.

The 234-room Riu Monica Hotel Nerja is part of the Riu hotel and resort chain, and the rooms feel like cookie-cutter copies, but the location sets this hotel apart: only a promenade separates the hotel Playa de la Torrecilla. If guests can drag themselves away from pool, lounge chair, or sand, central Nerja is around a 10-minute walk away, making this an ideal spot for a Costa del Sol holiday.

A quiet family-friendly hotel on the Mediterranean, the 197-room Hotel Perla Marina advertises itself as a four-star property, but it's really a three-pearl property in need of a facelift. Still, it has a nice swimming pool and great location on the beach in the coastal town of Nerja. Breakfast is usually included with the cost of the room (some rates include all three meals), but some guests have complained about the quality and variety of food offered. Cleanliness isn't an issue and some rooms have great views of the water from private terraces, but decor is dated and rooms lack charm. 

The three-pearl Apartamentos El Capistrano Villages is an apartment-style hotel that's easy on the budget. Each unit on the property is individually owned so decor varies widely, but all have full kitchens, and some have flat-screen TVs, washing machines, and private terraces with grills. The apartment complex is large with two outdoor swimming pools and a small bar, although the hours change throughout the year. There aren't any traditional hotel facilities such as a fitness center or restaurant, but there is a grocery store on-site. The tourist friendly town of Nerja and the beach are about a 30-minute walk uphill from the apartments, so a car is recommended.