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Best hotels in and around Gibraltar: eight places to stay on both sides of the border

The Rock of Gibraltar rises 426 metres straight out of the sea, with apes at the top and a view to Africa on a clear day. Gibraltar is small and has few hotels. That is why we have included hotels on both sides of the border: four in Gibraltar and four on the Spanish side, where you walk across the border from La Línea.

The cliffs of the Rock of Gibraltar seen from above with the sea below

To walk everywhere, stay in Gibraltar, at The Rock Hotel or on the Sunborn hotel ship. For golf, pools and lower prices, stay on the Spanish side in San Roque or near Sotogrande and drive in. To combine with the Costa del Sol, stay in the old town of Estepona.

Picolo picks

The terrace overlooking the bay at sunset at The Rock Hotel.

In Gibraltar

1. The Rock Hotel

The classic on the slope

The Rock Hotel sits on the slope below the Rock and has been Gibraltar's best known hotel since the 1930s. It has a pool in the garden, a bar and Alfred's restaurant, with views over the bay towards Spain and Africa.

This is our pick in Gibraltar, if you want a classic stay with a view. It is a steep walk down to Main Street, but the cable car to the top starts close by. Sit on the terrace at sunset and watch the ships in the Strait of Gibraltar.

Check availability and prices at The Rock Hotel
The Sunborn hotel ship at its berth in Ocean Village in the evening.

In Gibraltar

2. Sunborn Gibraltar

A hotel on a ship

The Sunborn is a luxury hotel on a large ship permanently moored in Ocean Village. On board you find a spa, a casino, two restaurants and terraces looking over the marina and the Rock.

This is our most unusual pick, for couples and anyone who wants something different. The restaurants and bars of Ocean Village are right outside, and the border is close by. Eat at one of the restaurants along the quays in the evening.

Check availability and prices at Sunborn Gibraltar
A bedroom with large windows at West One by Bentley.

In Gibraltar

3. West One by Bentley

Apartments with a pool

West One offers modern holiday apartments near Casemates Square, with kitchens, a seasonal outdoor pool, a gym and parking. The apartments are bright, with large windows.

This is our pick for families and longer stays, when you want to cook for yourself and have more room. Main Street and the marina are within walking distance. Shop for food around Casemates and have dinner at home with a view.

Check availability and prices at West One by Bentley
The terrace at Holiday Inn Express Gibraltar.

In Gibraltar

4. Holiday Inn Express Gibraltar

Simple and central

Holiday Inn Express is a modern hotel in central Gibraltar, with free breakfast, a terrace and Nunos, an Italian restaurant. The rooms are simple and modern.

It suits you if you want an affordable, easy base for a couple of nights. It is not luxury, but guests rate it highly, and the location makes it easy to walk to most things. Spend what you save on the cable car and a guided tour at the top.

Check availability and prices at Holiday Inn Express Gibraltar
The pool at Hotel Admiral Casino and Lodge in the evening.

In Spain

5. Hotel Admiral Casino and Lodge

Close to the border (Spain)

The Admiral is in San Roque in Spain, near the Alcaidesa Links golf course and around fifteen minutes by car from the border. The hotel has a casino, a garden, a bar and a pool.

It suits you if you want a quiet stay on the Spanish side and drive into Gibraltar by day. You get more space and often a lower price than in Gibraltar itself. Play a round at Alcaidesa, with views towards the Rock.

Check availability and prices at Hotel Admiral Casino and Lodge
The pool among the palms at Hotel Inmood San Roque.

In Spain

6. Hotel Inmood San Roque

A golf hotel near Sotogrande (Spain)

Inmood sits by the San Roque Club golf course, close to Sotogrande and the famous Valderrama course, around 25 minutes by car from the border. The hotel has a pool with a swim-up bar, a gym with yoga and a terrace.

This is our golf pick, if you want to play the famous courses in the area and spend a day in Gibraltar. Drive to the marina in Sotogrande for dinner by the water.

Check availability and prices at Hotel Inmood San Roque
The facade of Hotel El Pilar Andalucia in Estepona in the evening.

In Spain

7. Hotel El Pilar Andalucia

In Estepona's old town (Spain)

El Pilar sits in the old town of Estepona, near La Rada beach and the harbour. The hotel has two bars, three restaurants, a bright courtyard and bike hire, and guests rate it very highly.

It suits you if you want to combine the Costa del Sol with a day trip to Gibraltar. Expect around 45 minutes each way to the border. Wander the streets of the old town in the evening and have tapas on one of the squares.

Check availability and prices at Hotel El Pilar Andalucia
The pool in front of the hotel at THE FLAG Hotel near Estepona.

In Spain

8. THE FLAG Hotel

For adults between Estepona and Marbella (Spain)

THE FLAG lies east of Estepona, towards Marbella, near the Selwo wildlife park and with a golf course close by. The hotel is designed for adults, with a spa, a garden, a terrace and a pool in front of the hotel, and has one of the highest guest ratings in the area.

It suits couples and adult travellers who want calm and golf on the Costa del Sol and a day trip to Gibraltar. It is the furthest of our hotels from the border, around 50 minutes by car, so it works best as a Costa del Sol base. Hire a bike and follow the coast, or drive to Puerto Banús one evening.

Check availability and prices at THE FLAG Hotel
How Picolo chooses

Our editors pick every hotel and experience themselves, and most of them we have tried. Nobody can pay to be included or ranked higher. When you book through our links, Picolo earns a small commission. It never changes the price you pay, and it never decides what we write.

Gibraltar is a British Overseas Territory at the southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula, at the entrance to the Mediterranean. It covers less than seven square kilometres, and most of that is the Rock itself. The town lies on the western side, with Main Street, Casemates Square and the Ocean Village marina. At the top is the Upper Rock Nature Reserve, with St Michael's Cave, the Great Siege Tunnels and the famous Barbary macaques.

Gibraltar has few hotels, and only four meet our standards. So we have also included four hotels on the Spanish side, in San Roque, near Sotogrande and around Estepona, from fifteen minutes to around 50 minutes by car from the border. All eight have a guest rating of at least 8.8 out of 10 and more than 50 reviews on Expedia. Our links go there, and the hotel is always chosen before the link. The hotels in Spain are clearly marked (Spain) in their headings.

How to choose the right hotel in and around Gibraltar

  • Gibraltar or Spain: in Gibraltar you can walk to restaurants and the cable car. On the Spanish side you get more space and often lower prices, but you cross the border every time.

  • The border: you walk across the border from La Línea in a few minutes. Bring your passport, as Gibraltar is outside the Schengen area. By car the queue can be long at rush hour.

  • Car: you do not need a car in Gibraltar. If you stay in Spain, a car is easiest, and you can park in La Línea and walk across.

  • Currency: Gibraltar uses pounds, but euros are accepted in most places. On the Spanish side you pay in euros.

  • Flights: Gibraltar has its own airport with flights from London. Many fly to Málaga instead, around an hour and a half's drive away.

The areas

  • In Gibraltar: All the hotels in Gibraltar are on the western side of the Rock, between Main Street, Casemates Square and Ocean Village. You can walk to most things, and the cable car takes you up to the Upper Rock.

  • In Spain: Just north of the border lies La Línea, and behind it the municipality of San Roque, with the golf courses of Alcaidesa and Sotogrande. The hotels here are fifteen minutes to half an hour by car from the border. You park in La Línea and walk across to Gibraltar.

  • In Spain: Estepona lies on the Costa del Sol, around 45 minutes by car north east of Gibraltar. The old town has white houses, flower pots and murals, and the town has a long seafront promenade. Further east, towards Marbella, golf courses and newer hotels sit in the hills above the coast.

Frequently asked questions about hotels in Gibraltar

How many nights do I need in Gibraltar?

Two nights is enough to see the Rock, the cave, the tunnels and the town. Many combine Gibraltar with a few days on the Costa del Sol or in Andalusia, and then the hotels in San Roque and Estepona are a good choice.

Is it cheaper to stay in Spain than in Gibraltar?

Often, yes. The hotels on the Spanish side have more space and lower prices, but you cross the border every day. On foot it takes a few minutes, but by car it can take longer.

How do I walk across the border from La Línea?

Go to the border crossing in La Línea, show your passport and walk on through. After the border you cross the airport runway, and you are in the centre in about fifteen minutes.

How do I get to Gibraltar from Northern Europe?

The easiest route is to fly to Málaga and drive or take a bus from there, around an hour and a half. Gibraltar also has its own airport with flights from London.

Are hotels in Gibraltar expensive?

Hotels in Gibraltar cost more than on the Spanish side, because there are so few of them. Prices are highest in summer and at weekends.

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