Where to stay in Andalusia: the back story

About Where to stay in Andalusia: the back story

By the ULTIMATE Andalusia Editorial Team

Editor-in-Chief: Jai Michael

Andalusia rewards a little planning about where you sleep. The great cities are best on foot, so a room inside the old quarter of Seville, Córdoba or Granada saves hours; in the countryside, a Parador in a castle, convent or palace turns a night’s stay into part of the trip.

Seville

Santa Cruz and the streets around the cathedral hold the boutique houses: Corral del Rey, Casa 1800 and the Doña María among them. Mercer Sevilla and Palacio de Villapanés are the polished small palaces, and the Hotel Alfonso XIII is the city’s grand hotel beside the Alcázar.

Granada and Córdoba

In Granada, the Parador sits within the Alhambra itself, and Casa Morisca and Casa 1800 are in the Albaicín below. In Córdoba, Hospes Palacio del Bailío and Balcón de Córdoba are steps from the Mosque-Cathedral, and Las Casas de la Judería spreads around its patios.

Spain’s state-run Paradors include a former convent inside the Alhambra precinct, whose guests may drive up to the monument (paradores.es).

The Paradors

Andalusia has fifteen Paradors, from the castle above Jaén to the cliff edge at Ronda and the Renaissance palace at Úbeda. They are an easy way to stay somewhere historic at a fair price, and most have a restaurant serving local dishes.

Coast and countryside

On the Atlantic side, look at Vejer, Tarifa and Cádiz; in the mountains, the Sierra de Aracena and Cazorla. For the Costa del Sol, see our Marbella guide.

Every budget

Each hotel in our list carries a price guide from € to €€€€. Small family hotels such as Hotel Simón in Seville and Casa Museo Mezquita in Córdoba keep you in the centre for less.

Our advice: book well ahead for Holy Week, Seville’s April Fair and Córdoba’s May patios, when the cities fill up.

Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with Where to stay in Andalusia: the back story before you go.