Rooms, too, tread the line between heritage and modern. The entry-level options are a vision of contemporary élan, surrounded by glass and dressed in alabaster and hardwood flooring. Many also feature exclusive views of the Arabic gardens, while pillow menu and daily newspapers are welcome little extras. Alternatively, for the most evocative stay, book into the 19th-century palace, where upgrades feature everything from mosaic floors to ceiling frescoes. You’ll also have a choice with the suites, with the modern wing options featuring private terraces and their historic palace counterparts host to great cathedral ceilings, marble floors and sun-lounger terraces.
Given the hotel’s heritage, it’s appropriate, then, that it’s just a short stroll from Granada’s historic wonders – the Renaissance cathedral, 500-year-old Royal Chapel and, yes, that great palace fortress, the Alhambra. Although there are also plenty of great restaurants within easy reach, the Hospes Palacio features its very own fine-dining offering. Combining culinary innovations with the freshest in season ingredients, you can expect everything from suckling lamb racks to scallop salads and red tuna fillet, served with wasabi cream. The wine-paired tasting menu is particularly good.
While you’ll want to relax in the hotel’s gorgeous gardens, taking advantage of the Andalucian sun, the hotel also features an excellent spa. The facilities are superb, with a dry sauna, Turkish bath and thermal swimming pool to choose from. For something more considered, perhaps book onto a massage or beauty treatment.
