The Maspalomas sand dunes are an amazing site to see. But that is pretty much it. Maspalomas is in the southern part of Gran Canaria, and this part is full of hotels, extended stay units, and apartments. The majority of tourists seem to be German, with a few Brits too. The beach is beautiful, but beyond that there is little else to occupy your time. If you are planning a getaway to do absolutely nothing, then southern GC is fine. That was my plan last November/December, so it was ok with me. The weather then was about 70F (19C) for a high, and 60F (14C) for a low. Very comfortable. Most days were sunny and beautiful. The other days were completely overcast. Very few tourists were in the water, as it was quite cold then. And, yes, a large part of the Maspalomas beach is designated nude.

I much preferred the northern part of GC. You can easily get here by public bus, and the trip is only 1 hour. The locals live here, and you more feel the culture here. The northern part is the "rainy" part and is thus much greener. The southern part of GC (Maspalomas) is more sunny and dry - and touristy.

Tenerife (the island to the west of GC) has a similar set-up. The locals live in the rainy north, and the tourists are in the sunny south.

Lanzarote is another island. I did not get a chance to visit due to the infrequent flight and boat service last November/December. This island is supposed to have a lunar landscape (similar to Iceland) due to volcanic activity.

If you're still set on Maspalomas, then here are some hotel recommendations:
Costa Meloneras: beautiful, and right at the Maspalomas shoreline. Stay here if your budget allows it.
Riu Grand Palace: also beautiful, located at the start of the sand dunes - so this requires a nice little dune hike (20 minutes or so) to get to the beach.
Riu Palace Meloneras: right at the Maspalomas shoreline.
Melia Tamarindos: in the San Augustin area, and this requires a bus ride to Maspalomas. Bus service is frequent and reliable, and thus is not a problem.

But -- if you are looking for some Spanish culture, beautiful beaches, great hikes, history, etc, then I would recommend the island of Mallorca.