Sierra Nevada has one real base: Pradollano, the resort village at about 2,100 m, where the gondolas start. A handful of hotels sit higher up, right on the slopes, and Granada is the alternative for anyone who’d rather stay in the city and travel up each day. Cetursa, the company that runs the resort, has its own hotel and apartment hotel in the village.
Best areas to stay in Sierra Nevada
Pradollano: Plaza de Andalucía
The heart of the resort. The Al-Ándalus and Borreguiles gondolas leave from here, the covered car park is underneath, and the Cole de la Nieve childcare centre is next to the Al-Ándalus gondola. If you want to walk to the lifts with small children or lots of kit, this is the place.
Pradollano village
The rest of Pradollano climbs the hill north of the pistes, with hotels, apartments, shops, bars and restaurants. The Plaza de Pradollano, with the taxi rank and the two Meliá hotels, is the other main square. The bottom of the El Río piste and the Mirlo Blanco activity park are here too, and a village bus links the main square, the car parks and the hotels.
On the slopes
A few hotels are above the village, with direct access to the pistes. They’re the closest you’ll get to ski-in/ski-out in Sierra Nevada, and they include the resort’s most upmarket hotels.
Granada
The city is about 30 km from the resort and has a huge choice of hotels, plus the Alhambra and the Albaicín. Buses run to Pradollano several times a day in winter. It’s a good base for a city-and-ski break, or if the snow is uncertain, but expect a daily trip of around 45 minutes each way.
Best ski-in/ski-out hotels in Sierra Nevada
- El Lodge: an alpine-style boutique hotel that offers what it calls an exclusive ski-in/ski-out experience. It has rooms and suites, including a family suite, a kids’ club, equipment hire, ski guides and a ski school, wellness facilities, and restaurants including a Sun Deck terrace.
- Vincci Selección Rumaykiyya: a five-star mountain hotel on the slopes with a chairlift at the door. It has a spa with a pool, family rooms and equipment rental.
- Hotel Telecabina: the resort’s own hotel, on the Plaza de Andalucía a few metres from the lifts. Not ski-in/ski-out, but you can walk to the gondolas in minutes.
Best family hotels in Sierra Nevada
| Hotel | Area | Why families like it |
|---|---|---|
| Hotel Telecabina | Plaza de Andalucía | A few metres from the lifts, quadruple rooms with bunk beds, adapted for guests with disabilities |
| Apartahotel Trevenque | Plaza de Andalucía | 50 m from the Al-Ándalus gondola, apartments for up to 6, free ski lockers, direct access from the car park |
| El Lodge | On the slopes | Family suite, kids’ club, ski school and equipment hire on site |
| Vincci Selección Rumaykiyya | On the slopes | Family rooms, a spa with a pool, chairlift at the door |
For childcare, ski schools and beginner areas, see Sierra Nevada with kids.
Luxury hotels in Sierra Nevada
Vincci Selección Rumaykiyya is the five-star choice, with direct access to the slopes, a spa, a pool and premium services, and a rustic mountain style in its rooms.
El Lodge is the other high-end option: a boutique hotel aiming for a luxury mountain retreat feel, with suites up to a Royal Suite and a cabin, plus a Sun Deck terrace that it calls the resort’s most exclusive.
The two Meliá hotels on the Plaza de Pradollano, Meliá Sierra Nevada and Meliá Sol y Nieve, are right in the centre of the village, by the taxi rank. Check their facilities and opening dates directly with the hotels.
Good-value places to stay in Sierra Nevada
- Apartahotel Trevenque: the resort’s own apartment hotel, with 72 apartments, from studios for 2 to two-bedroom apartments for 6, all with a kitchenette. There’s a laundry service, a café with views over the valley to Granada, and free ski lockers under the Al-Ándalus gondola.
- Hotel Telecabina: 47 rooms, from singles to quadruples with bunk beds and a junior suite, all with a private bathroom. Good value for its position.
- Apartments: the resort lists many more apartments in Pradollano, including Apartamentos Boabdil, GHM Gorbea and Sabica, and a hostel, the Albergue Universitario. Self-catering is usually the cheapest option for families and groups.
- Granada: staying in the city and taking the bus up can be cheaper, especially at weekends.
Tips for booking a last-minute stay in Sierra Nevada
- Check the snow and the wind. If the high lifts are closed by wind or the cover is thin, a city stay in Granada keeps your options open.
- Go midweek if you can. Sierra Nevada is busiest at weekends and in Spanish holidays: the early-December bridge, Christmas to 6 January, and Easter.
- Check opening dates. The resort’s Hotel Telecabina and Apartahotel Trevenque take bookings from 4 December 2026, and other hotels may open after the lifts.
- Think about parking. The covered car park under the Plaza de Andalucía has 2,644 spaces, and the Apartahotel Trevenque has direct access from it. Check winter rates.
- No car? Stay in Pradollano and use the Granada bus, the village bus and the taxis based in the resort.
Read the full Sierra Nevada ski resort guide for the skiing, snow and getting there.
