What changes for residents during a heatwave?
During an official AEMET heat warning, residents can use a designated hotel space. This applies especially to older people, children and other vulnerable groups, as the Gobierno de Canarias announced on 6 August 2026.
Air-conditioned rooms such as reception halls and communal areas are planned. Shaded outdoor spaces like gardens, courtyards and covered terraces will also be open.
According to the government, the offer is aimed at the public, at “every person”, as long as the hotel is open and activated. It does not mention any rule based on nationality or residence status.
The sources do not rule out tourists either. But they also do not give an explicit guarantee of access for them.
Which hotels are taking part?
In the first phase, Ashotel (not the Gobierno) named hotels in the municipalities of Adeje, Arona, Puerto de la Cruz and Guía de Isora on Tenerife. They include Canarian Hospitality, GF Hoteles, Macaronesian Hotels & Resort and Hotel Tigaiga.
A full list of hotels is still missing from the available government information. Opening times and capacity are also not yet known.
Ashotel represents hotel and holiday accommodation businesses on Tenerife, La Palma, La Gomera and El Hierro. According to the government, the initiative applies to the whole archipelago.
The accommodation providers take part voluntarily. They contribute spaces that have been recorded beforehand and meet the programme's requirements.
What must the hotels provide?
Every participating hotel needs an accessible, air-conditioned indoor space. It must also provide free drinking water, official signage, a responsible person and trained staff.
For the state and municipal climate refuges, the government lists shade, seating, free drinking water, accessibility, generous opening hours and comfortable temperatures as key criteria. The spaces are open to the public free of charge for protection and rest.
The initiative also requires the accommodation providers to calculate their CO2 footprint.
That comes from the Ashotel protocol. The sources do not mention any further conditions.
How does activation work?
Under the Ashotel protocol, the scheme starts as soon as AEMET, the Spanish weather service, issues an official warning for high temperatures. Ashotel then informs the participating hotels.
The hotels keep their spaces ready during the warning and offer water. They also report whether they are available.
The project includes signage and a responsible person. Staff who look after the refuge space receive training.
The aim is for the public to find a suitable place to protect themselves from the heat. The offer only applies during official warnings.
How large is the network already?
The government had already identified more than 750 possible climate refuge spaces in over 70 municipalities. Indoor spaces exist in 49 municipalities, and outdoor areas or adapted green spaces in 50.
Some municipalities have both types. The figures describe places recorded during preparation of the network, not a catalogue of refuges that are already open.
The work covers buildings as well as green spaces. Shared criteria are shade, quiet, water and accessibility.
The environment department also sent a technical guide to municipalities and island governments. It is meant to help them create and adapt green spaces that can take on this role.
What is still open?
The full hotel list, specific opening times, capacity and a binding activation calendar are still open. The available government information confirms this.
The government is working with GRAFCAN on a map viewer and a later app. They are meant to show location, opening times, water provision, toilets, accessibility and access routes.
The planned data sheets record location, opening times, accessibility, drinking water, toilets and other services. This makes it possible to compare the conditions of each space and organise use during extreme heat.
The government has not yet given a binding start date for the hotel initiative. There is also no information on when the app will appear.