IF you want a winter sun holiday that’s worth the money, where should you ACTUALLY go?
I look at cheap holiday deals every day, and certain destinations become automatic recommendations based on my experience alone.
But I also love checking whether the numbers agree with me.
So I’ve dug deep into the booking data at On The Beach to rank the official top ten winter sun destinations – down to the exact resort – by what holidaymakers paid per person, per night to stay.
The result takes us through the Canaries, Egypt and Morocco, with holiday deals for as little as £170 each.
Here’s the countdown, starting at number ten.
10. Costa Teguise, Lanzarote
Costa Teguise earns its place by giving you plenty of ways to spend the week – Las Cucharas is the beach to stick on your list if you fancy trying a water sport, while Pueblo Marinero brings restaurants, markets and live music into the mix.
And that’s what I like about it – there’s enough going on to give each day a bit of variety, with plenty of opportunity to settle into a favourite spot and stay there.
Holidaymakers paid £93 per person per night on average, putting Costa Teguise in tenth place on this shortlist.
Personally, I’d look for a hotel or apartment that makes it easy to enjoy the resort, because when you’ve got beaches, places to eat and activities nearby, the location factors into the value.
The best deal I found is five nights’ Self Catering at Tabaiba Center from £205pp, including direct return flights from East Midlands on January 9, 2027.
There’s a pool for those afternoons lazing near your accommodation, while self-catering gives you the freedom to decide which meals to sort yourself and when to head out.
9. Los Cristianos, Tenerife
Los Cristianos is one I’d recommend when someone wants a holiday with plenty on the doorstep.
You’ve got beaches, obviously, but also a working harbour and the option of taking a ferry to La Gomera for a completely different day out.
It gives you the choice between staying happily put and adding a little island-hopping to the itinerary.
For me, the appeal is being able to have a full holiday without having to organise a big excursion every morning.
The booking data puts Los Cristianos at £87 per person per night on average.
I’d consider it for couples, friends or anyone who likes having a choice of places to eat and somewhere to go after dinner.
The deal I found is five nights’ Self Catering at Coral Los Alisios from £280pp, including direct return flights from London Gatwick on January 8, 2027.
The four-star complex has a pool and sun terrace, giving you somewhere to relax between outings. And with self-catering, you can keep breakfast simple before heading out to enjoy Tenerife.
8. Maspalomas, Gran Canaria
Maspalomas gives you holiday views that make getting on a plane feel immediately worthwhile.
The dunes are stunning here: a protected landscape of sand, palms and a lagoon beside the Atlantic.
I’d make time for the viewpoints, the beach and an evening around the lighthouse.
But the beauty of the resort is you don’t need to fill every day with paid attractions when the surroundings provide so much of the entertainment.
At £85 per person per night on average, Maspalomas takes eighth place.
And here, I’d choose a base that suits how you want to spend the days, so I went looking for a decent apartment set up in a great location.
The deal I found is five nights’ Self Catering at Apartamentos Koala Garden LIVVO Home Collection from £255pp, including direct return flights from Manchester on January 18, 2027.
The hotel gives you a pool and space to enjoy the sunshine, with the flexibility of sorting some meals yourself.
7. Hurghada, Egypt
Hurghada is one I regularly check when someone wants the hotel to be a big part of the holiday.
My instinct here is to go all inclusive and book a hotel you’re excited to spend time in, your main meals sorted with drinks included.
Then you’ve got the Red Sea to explore, plus the marina and traditional markets when you fancy getting out.
Hurghada offers plenty of scope for combining resort time with something more adventurous.
And British holidaymakers paid £84 per person per night on average in the booking data.
For a deal in the wider Hurghada area, I found five nights’ all inclusive at Lemon & Soul Makadi Garden in Makadi Bay from £295pp, including direct return flights from London Luton on January 20, 2027.
This hotel is in Makadi Bay and it’s a great option with a generous pool area, and the hotel even boasts a whopping 4.5/5 Tripadvisor score from more than 2,500 reviews.
Flights, five nights’ accommodation, main meals and selected drinks for £590 for two people? That’s a lot of the holiday sorted before you even arrive.
6. Naama Bay, Sharm El Sheikh
Naama Bay is where I’d look for a Sharm holiday with a lively centre.
Beach time comes with the option of bars, restaurants and shopping, giving you somewhere to head when you fancy an evening beyond the hotel.
It’s a good fit for anyone who enjoys having a resort to get involved in.
The average amount paid was £83 per person per night, putting it just ahead of Hurghada.
I’d choose it for a perfect winter sun combination: time to relax during the day, then the freedom to go out and see what takes your fancy.
The deal I found is five nights’ all inclusive at Sharm Holiday Resort from £270pp, including direct return flights from London Gatwick on January 26, 2027.
The four-star hotel has a massive pool area, giving you somewhere to spend those slower days.
And with your meals and drinks included, you can budget separately for any evenings out if you fancy a drink outside of the resort.
5. Puerto del Carmen, Lanzarote
Puerto del Carmen makes the top five, and I can see why it deserves a place on the shortlist.
Its old harbour gives you a flavour of the fishing village the resort grew from, alongside the beaches and holiday facilities that make it such an established Lanzarote choice.
I like somewhere that gives you options without requiring much planning – a beach afternoon, an evening around the harbour, somewhere different for dinner, and enough variety to keep things interesting while still feeling like a proper break.
Holidaymakers paid £80 per person per night on average according to the booking data.
For this one, I’d compare self-catering and B&B packages, because having a place to prepare your own breakfast can work well when you’re keen to try different restaurants during the trip.
The deal I found is five nights’ Self Catering at San Francisco Park – Adults Only from £240pp, including direct return flights from Dublin on January 17, 2027.
The adults-only complex has a pool surrounded by apartments, giving you a relaxed base for a trip built around enjoying Puerto del Carmen.
For £480 for two people, including flights, you can keep things flexible: breakfast in, dinner out and the rest decided as you go.
4. Om El Sid, Sharm El Sheikh
Om El Sid is a lesser known area of Sharm El Sheikh.
But this is the name I’d look for if getting swimming in the sea is high on your holiday wish list.
The Ras Um Sid area is known for its reef and diving, giving you the opportunity to make the underwater scenery a memorable part of the trip.
That’s where I’d focus my hotel search: what beach access it offers, how you reach the water and whether it suits the kind of swimming or snorkelling you want to do.
The booking data puts Om El Sid at £77 per person per night on average, making it the highest-placed Egyptian destination on this shortlist.
The deal I found is five nights’ Bed & Breakfast at Falcon Hills from £250pp, including direct return flights from London Luton on January 18, 2027.
Breakfast included takes the pressure our of finding somewhere to eat when you’ve just woken up, while leaving the rest of the itinerary open.
I’d use it as a base for a mix of hotel time, exploring and taking a dip in the sea as often as possible.
3. Nuevo Horizonte, Fuerteventura
Nuevo Horizonte is a useful name to have up your sleeve when you’re searching for an affordable Canary Islands holiday.
It sits around two kilometres north of Caleta de Fuste, and I’d consider it for a relaxed base.
Yet you still havethe option of heading into the neighbouring resort when you fancy a change.
At £74 per person per night on average, it takes third place in this ranking.
And for me, I’d be looking for an apartment hotel here – having your own space, a fridge and somewhere to sort breakfast can help you shape the spending around what matters to you.
The deal I found is five nights’ Self Catering at Elba Lucia Sport & Suite Hotel from £210pp, including direct return flights from Bristol on 11 January 2027.
There’s a large pool area, so you’ve got somewhere to settle on those afternoons when the diary is deliberately empty.
And the self-catering basis also leaves you in charge of how often you eat in or head out.
2. Caleta de Fuste, Fuerteventura
Fuerteventura takes silver as well as bronze, with Caleta de Fuste coming in at an average of just £73 per person per night on average.
It’s a particularly useful option for families because the resort has sheltered beaches, a marina and activities including diving excursions and golf, giving different members of the group something to get excited about.
It’s also only around seven kilometres from the airport and this is a practical advantage worth having.
I’m very much in favour of spending more of the holiday enjoying the destination.
I’d look for accommodation that makes the most of the resort’s convenience – somewhere with the facilities you’ll use, easy access to the places you want to visit and a board basis that fits your budget.
The deal I found is five nights’ Self Catering at Fuertesol from £185pp, including direct return flights from Bristol on January 11, 2027.
The accommodation is arranged around a pool, giving you a holiday base with somewhere to enjoy the sunshine between outings.
For £370 for two people, including flights, this is the sort of starting price that gets my attention.
1. Agadir, Morocco
And the lowest average on this shortlist belongs to Agadir – at £71 per person per night, Morocco’s Atlantic beach city takes the top spot.
What I like about Agadir is that you can combine a beach holiday with experiences that give the trip a completely different flavour.
Spend time browsing Souk El Had, try Moroccan dishes and visit the Agadir Oufella kasbah for history and views over the city.
The winning combination here is the price and the variety – you can relax, explore, shop and eat well, with a beach to return to whenever the mood takes you.
The deal I found is five nights’ Bed & Breakfast at Tildi Hotel & Spa from £170pp, including direct return flights from Edinburgh on January 11, 2027.
It’s a four-star hotel with a pool and gardens, giving you somewhere to unwind between exploring Agadir.
Breakfast included means you can start each day fed and ready to go, with the rest of the meals left open for trying different places.
That’s £340 for two people, including flights and breakfast, so for someone asking where I’d start the search for an affordable winter escape, I’d happily recommend Agadir.