# 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.
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> Topic: Before you start · Reviewed: 2026-09-22 · URL: https://mipisoturistico.app/en/guides/which-flats-work-best-as-tourist-homes-on-the-costa-del-sol
> Published by Mi Piso Turístico (Torremolinos Gestión Vacacional), a holiday-rental management company on the Costa del Sol.

**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:

1. **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.
2. **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.
3. **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.
4. **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.
5. **The communal pool.** Highly valued from June to September; irrelevant in winter.
6. **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.
7. **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?](/guias/cuanto-gana-un-piso-turistico) for the figures by type.

## Sources

- [Revenue, occupancy and operating data for tourist homes on the Costa del Sol confirmed by Torremolinos Gestión Vacacional (2025-2026 season)](https://www.gestion-apartamentos-turisticos-torremolinos.com)