Holiday rental management in Málaga, with nothing to worry about
We look after your holiday let in Málaga and on the Costa del Sol: guests, pricing, cleaning, maintenance and paperwork. You receive the income and a report every month.
On what you receive, not on what the guest pays.
- No tie-in
- No upfront fee
- Tailored to your property
Málaga: year-round demand, stiff competition
Málaga draws guests almost all year round: weekend breaks, travellers arriving through the airport or by high-speed train, cruise passengers, Holy Week, the August Feria and the beach months. That demand comes at a price: a great many flats compete for the same guest.
That is why the nightly price, the photos, response times and reviews make the difference here. In our city-centre flat the average stay is 3.5 nights: plenty of check-ins and check-outs to coordinate without a slip.
The INE (Spain’s statistics office) counted 8,288 holiday lets in the municipality in May 2026, 3.17 % of all its homes, and the city’s moratorium stops new ones from entering the market. If yours is already registered, you start with an advantage.
Málaga in figures
- Holiday lets in Málaga
- 8,288INE, May 2026
- Bed places in holiday lets
- 34,724INE, May 2026
- Share of all homes
- 3.17 %INE, based on the 2021 Census
- Population
- 599,063Municipal register, 1 January 2025
- Málaga-Costa del Sol Airport
- ≈13 kmfrom the centre, by car
- Stays we have managed
- 74in our city-centre flat
Sources: INE, experimental statistics on holiday lets (May 2026) and municipal register at 1 January 2025. Approximate road distances.
Tourist licence in Málaga: the rules in 2026
Reviewed in October 2026. The rules change often: before you take any step, we go through your specific case with you.
- 1
Moratorium in Málaga city
Since 23 August 2025 the City Council has not accepted new tourist-use dwellings in the city, for up to three years or until the planning rules are amended. Homes that were already registered may carry on operating.
- 2
If you already hold a licence, you hold something scarce
With the moratorium in place, a registered holiday let in Málaga city is an asset that cannot be replicated. It deserves management that gets the most out of it and keeps it compliant.
- 3
Requirements in Andalusia
Outside the city, Decreto 28/2016 (regional decree), as amended by Decreto 31/2024, requires planning compatibility, climate control (air conditioning and heating depending on the months the property is let), a minimum floor area per guest and registration in the Andalusian Tourism Registry.
- 4
Your community of owners
Since 3 April 2025, opening a new holiday let in a building with a community of owners requires its express approval by three fifths of the owners, who must also hold three fifths of the ownership shares. The community can also restrict the activity or raise the property’s share of common costs by up to 20 %. Homes that were already operating before that date can carry on.
- 5
National registry and guest registration
In May 2026 the Supreme Court annulled the national single registry for short-term rentals: the number that counts is the one issued by the Andalusian Tourism Registry. What has not changed is guest registration: each guest’s details must be reported to the Interior Ministry within 24 hours. At Opal we do this for you, at no extra cost.
General information, not legal advice. Sources: Decreto 31/2024 (BOJA, Andalusian official gazette), Málaga City Council moratorium (COPE), Horizontal Property Act (BOE), Supreme Court ruling on the single registry (BOE) and Real Decreto 933/2021 (BOE).
Managing holiday lets in Málaga: what we do for you
We run your Airbnb and Booking listings in Málaga from start to finish, so all you see is the income.
Nightly pricing
We adjust the nightly rate to demand: Holy Week, the Feria, summer, bank-holiday weekends and cruise calls.
Guest care
Messages before, during and after the stay, in several languages and at any hour.
Check-in without waiting
Arrivals at any hour, late flights included, with nobody left waiting.
Cleaning and inspection
After every check-out, so the next guest finds the home spotless and any damage is spotted in time.
Licence and registrations
We check that your property meets Andalusian regulations and file the guest registration.
Monthly report
Income, occupancy and average nightly rate for your property, with concrete proposals to improve them.
How much holiday rental management costs in Málaga
We charge a standard commission of 18 % + VAT on what you receive: what guests pay for the nights, after the Airbnb or Booking commission. Guests pay for the cleaning through a surcharge on their booking, and Opal takes no commission on it.
No tie-in and no upfront fee: we only charge when your property earns, and if one day you want to leave our management, you can. The commission is adapted to each property.
Example figures. Guests pay for the cleaning separately; it is not part of the commission.
Properties we manage in Málaga and on the Costa del Sol
Three-bedroom flat in the centre of Málaga
Balcony with city views. 74 stays managed, averaging 3.5 nights.
See the listing on Airbnb ↗
Beach studio in Benalmádena
Its owner used it for a few weeks each summer. Now she enjoys it in July and it earns income the rest of the year.
Read the full case study →What guests say about our homes in Málaga
Real reviews, copied word for word from our listings. Where we have shortened one, we mark it with […].
A very nice place to stay close to the centre of Málaga and very easy to reach from the railway station; a very pleasant, clean and spacious place that matched all the photos and the description, and I was also able to check in a few hours early, which helped me a lot on my trip […]
A very pretty, clean and well-kept Airbnb! The centre is about a 20-minute walk away, which is very convenient. Communication was also smooth and friendly. Highly recommended! 😊
It is in a strategic spot close to the beach and is very well fitted out.
Holiday rentals in Málaga: frequently asked questions
Can you get a tourist licence in Málaga city in 2026?
Not for new properties: since 23 August 2025 Málaga City Council has not accepted new tourist-use dwellings in the city, for up to three years or until the planning rules are amended. Outside the city, each municipality on the Costa del Sol has its own rules.
I already have a licence in Málaga. Can I keep letting?
Yes. Homes that were registered before the moratorium may carry on operating. We help you keep it compliant and get the most out of it.
How much does a holiday rental management company charge in Málaga?
In Spain the usual range is 15 % to 25 % of income, depending on the services included and the amount it is calculated on. At Opal the standard commission is 18 % + VAT on what the owner receives after the Airbnb or Booking commission, with no tie-in and no upfront fee. Cleaning is paid by the guest and we take no commission on it.
Do I need my community of owners’ permission?
To open a new holiday let, since April 2025 you need the approval of three fifths of the community of owners. If the building’s statutes expressly prohibit it, the property cannot be used for tourist lets.
Which months are busiest in Málaga?
Summer is the high season, but Málaga has demand almost all year: Holy Week, the August Feria, bank-holiday weekends, weekend breaks and cruise calls. That is why dynamic pricing is key.
Do you also manage properties on the Costa del Sol?
Yes. Besides Málaga city, we manage properties along the Costa del Sol. Tell us where yours is and we will tell you how we can help.
Do you own a property in Málaga?
Tell us where it is and what it is like. We will tell you how much it could earn and what it would take to get started, including whether your licence is in order.
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