14 Best Hotels in Andalusia, Spain

Once home to Jerez’s gentlemen’s club (known as the Casino) and a symbol of the city’s sherry heyday, this restored 19th-century mansion is the most comfortable luxury hotel and the only five-star grand-luxe hotel in town. Liveried staff greet you at the entrance to elegant communal rooms centered on the fine patio. Original features combine to perfection with modern lighting, fresh flowers, exquisite wallpapers, and the occasional very clever trompe l’oeil. Each of the rooms has its own style but originality, comfort, and little touches provide a common theme. The outside terrace offers peace and quiet; there’s a small garden where a giant jacaranda tree reigns supreme, while the roof terrace has a small plunge pool. Breakfast comes à la carte, and Restaurante T22 pays homage to traditional local cuisine.

One of the city's top lodging options, this tastefully renovated 17th-century mansion is built over the ruins of a Roman house (visible beneath glass floors) in the historic center of town. Archaeological remains combine with contemporary features, with glimpses of Roman ruins below one of the patios (ask for a guided tour during your stay) and under the dining room floor; clever lighting and a complimentary spa complete the mélange of old and new. The spacious rooms have parquet floors, exposed brick walls, and many original architectural features. Splurge on the blue Gran Capitán or the pink Don Quijote suite. The restaurant offers a fusion of modern and traditional Córdoba cuisine, and there's also a tapas bar.

Inaugurated by King Alfonso XIII in 1929 when he visited the Ibero-American Exposition world's fair, this grand hotel next to the university is a splendid, historic, Mudejar-style palace, built around a central patio and surrounded by ornate brick arches. Classic meets modern throughout the hotel, which has been graciously restored over the years. Public rooms have marble floors, wood-panel ceilings, heavy Moorish lamps, stained glass, and ceramic tiles in typical Seville colors. The hotel has three restaurants and the elegant Bar Alfonso. If you can't afford a room in Seville's most emblematic hotel, you can still enjoy the sumptuous surroundings while sipping an ice-cold fino from the bar that overlooks the fabulous Moorish-style courtyard.

In a tastefully restored 17th-century convent, this boutique hotel has spacious quiet rooms, and the mezquita is almost within arm's reach from the rooftop terrace. Original features include a marble staircase and a delightful patio with tinkling fountain. The bright and airy rooms are styled with modern furnishings and have generously sized seating areas. All have an original feature, such as an alcove or vaulted ceiling. Treat yourself to the Anahita Suite, complete with turret and private terrace overlooking the mezquita.

This classy boutique hotel, located in a refurbished 19th-century mansion, is a refuge in bustling Santa Cruz. Rooms are tastefully decorated in subdued colors, have high ceilings, exposed wooden beams, wood floors, antique furniture, and large and modern bathrooms. The superior rooms on the terrace have their own patio and private hot tub. The staff are lovely, and the hotel offers complimentary afternoon tea and snacks, which can be taken on the rooftop terrace with a small pool and views of La Giralda. The buffet breakfast is generous.

Housed in a 19th-century mansion, Mercer is one of the city's top boutique hotels, featuring a lofty patio with a fountain, a stunning marble staircase, and a striking geometric chandelier atop a glass gallery. The 11 spacious rooms have walk-in closets, complimentary coffee and tea, afternoon cakes, and luxury amenities. Deluxe rooms face onto a bright patio with vertical gardens, while suites overlook the street. Breakfast includes a standard buffet and many à la carte options. Guests can make use of the plunge pool and lounger area on the rooftop terrace. Downstairs by the entrance, the cozy bar offers an extensive menu of spirits and cocktails popular among locals.

This 18th-century palace with elegant updates and stylish contemporary furnishings, marble-columned patios, high ceilings, and a rooftop with terra-cotta-rooftop views, a pool, and bar is one of the most chic converted-palace accommodations in Seville. Situated within walking distance of sights (15 minutes to the cathedral and alcázar) but still far enough away to be quiet and untouristy, this elegant retreat begs you to linger a while, under the shade of orange trees in the courtyard or in the plunge pool on the rooftop overlooking the city. Rooms are lofty and equipped with luxurious touches and amenities. Service is top-notch, with staff in sharp and stylish uniforms. There's a small spa and gym, a restaurant in the palace's former wine bodega, and breakfast is served in a cozy, whitewashed basement or outside on a quiet patio.

This is Spain's most expensive and most popular parador, right within the walls of the Alhambra. It occupies the gorgeous building of a former Franciscan monastery, built in the 15th century by the Catholic Monarchs after they captured Granada. Try to get a room in the old section, which has views of the Generalife and beautiful antiques, woven curtains, and bedspreads. Rooms in the newer wing are also charming but more simply decorated. Gardens surround the building.

Up a narrow alleyway, behind an ordinary facade, a 17th-century palace that was the haunt of Seville's poets at the end of the 19th century is now an oasis of calm. Centered on a marble-arch patio with walls in the city's hallmark red and ocher and permeated by the scent of jasmine, the palace has been restored to its former glory, preserving all its original elements. Guest rooms are light and airy, and some have intimate views of roofs and gardens. Dark wood features heavily, in keeping with the hotel's past, and the rooftop terrace takes in the lovely dome of Santa Cruz church as well as a good view of La Giralda. Breakfast is included in the room rate if you book direct. 

Behind the striking white-and-ocher facade lies what was once a humble 18th-century corrala (corridor house), now a pretty hotel combining original features such as teal verandas with modern comforts and fine cuisine. Five verdant patios link the cozy communal areas, and gentle fountains provide the soundtrack. The rooms come generously sized—those on the upper floors have the most natural light, some on the first floor look out onto the patios, and the street-facing rooms have frontline views of the procession leaving the next-door church on the Monday of Holy Week. The rooftop terrace has a bar and refreshing pool, and the in-house restaurant, Azahar, provides reputable local fare for lunch and dinner.

Built by a local duke in 1910, this neo-Moorish hotel is on leafy grounds at the back of the Alhambra hill and has a very Arabian Nights interior (think orange-and-brown overtones, multicolor tiles, and Moorish-style arches and pillars). The rooms are large and warmly decorated, with mosaic-tiled bathrooms, and all have views—the ones overlooking the city are particularly majestic. The terrace also has wonderful views and is a perfect place to watch the sun set while enjoying a cocktail or dinner. Ask to see the Golden Book, signed by the hotel's famous guests.

Originally opened for 1929's Ibero-American Exposition, this classic hotel retains many original features, including a marble staircase leading up to a central lobby crowned by a magnificent stained-glass dome and crystal chandelier. Each floor celebrates a different Spanish artist, with reproduction paintings set against an artful combination of period and contemporary design. Downstairs is the toreador-theme Burladero tapas bar and restaurant, which is packed midday with local business executives. The luxurious spa on the seventh floor offers a range of treatments.

With a privileged position overlooking the bay, this parador has spacious public areas and large modern rooms, most with balconies facing the sea. It combines wood, steel, and marble with black and white furniture for a modern edgy look. The pool, with panoramic ocean views, is one of the highlights.

This peaceful, modern parador stands on a cliff surrounded by pine groves (gradually recovering from a large wildfire in 2017), overlooking a sandy blue-flag beach 3 km (2 miles) southeast of Mazagón. The hotel was renovated in 2019. Most of the spacious and comfortable rooms have balconies overlooking the garden (second-floor rooms have sea views), and the restaurant serves Andalusian dishes and local seafood specialties, such as fried cuttlefish and white shrimp.