Which flats work best as tourist homes on the Costa del Sol?
Distance to the beach, places, terrace, pool, parking and lift: what really adds to the nightly price and occupancy, judging by the flats that work on the Costa del Sol.
Reviewed on 22 September 2026 · By the team at Torremolinos Gestión Vacacional, more than ten years managing holiday rentals · Markdown version · Versión en español
Short answer: the flat that works best is less than a kilometre from the beach, has 4 to 6 places, a terrace and a lift, and is in a lively area (bars, supermarket, transport). A pool and parking raise the price but are not essential. An interior studio two kilometres from the sea also rents, but at another price and with more effort.
What weighs most?
In this order, from what we see every season:
- Distance to the beach. It is the criterion the guest filters by. In Torremolinos, La Carihuela, El Bajondillo, Playamar and Los Álamos take most of the demand; in Benalmádena, the coast and the marina; in Fuengirola, the promenade and Los Boliches.
- Places. The 4-place flat (two bedrooms) is the most sought after: families with two children and two couples of friends. The 6-place one charges more per night and fills up in summer; the 2-place studio fills well all year but at lower prices.
- The terrace. On the coast, eating outside is part of the trip. A flat with a terrace rents sooner and somewhat dearer than the same one without.
- The lift. Without a lift, from the second floor up, you lose families with pushchairs and older guests, who are a very loyal audience out of season.
- The communal pool. Highly valued from June to September; irrelevant in winter.
- Parking. For those driving from Andalusia or Madrid it is decisive. In the centre of Torremolinos, where parking is hard, it clearly raises the price.
- Sea views. They sell in the photos and allow a higher price, but on their own they do not fill a calendar.
Which flats have it harder?
- Interior ones without light or with windows onto a courtyard.
- Without a lift above the second floor.
- Far from any services: if you have to take the car to buy bread, the guest notices.
- In developments with very restrictive rules for visitors (pool keys, strict access control).
- With broken furniture or old installations: they can be rented, but reviews sink them in two seasons.
None of these is a "no": it is a lower price and more work to fill it.
Is a big flat or two small ones better?
For the same money, two well-located studios usually take in more than a large interior flat, and spread the risk. But they double the work, licences, associations and fixed costs. If you are going to manage it yourself, one flat; if someone else is going to manage it, two can make sense.
What if my flat is not a "beach" flat?
Torremolinos and Benalmádena have demand all year because of the airport, temporary work and winter stays by pensioners from northern Europe. A normal, clean, well-equipped flat 1.5 km from the sea is not a July-and-August business but it is a reasonable income if the price is right. What does not work is charging as if it were on the seafront.
How do I know where mine stands?
Ask us with the address: we compare it with the most similar flats we know and tell you what range it would move in. And see How much would my flat really earn? for the figures by type.