15 Best Hotels in Extremadura, Spain

This 16th-century palace, which spans the length of Plaza San Juan on the edge of the old quarter, is now an NH Collection hotel that rivals the city's parador—at much lower rates. The modern and antique intertwine in the hotel's design, which is defined by stone-domed ceilings and well-lighted common areas. 

An excellent and considerably cheaper alternative to the town parador, this inn was built around the 16th-century Gothic cloister of the monastery itself. The simple, traditional rooms with wood-beam ceilings are handsome and comfortable. 

This hotel occupies a 16th-century stagecoach inn on a quiet pedestrian street uphill from the Plaza Mayor. Rooms are decorated in traditional Spanish colonial style with stone arches, lots of wrought iron, and dark wood furniture. Guests can enjoy breakfast on the delightful patio with columns and leafy plants or at the hotel restaurant, which serves classic Extremeño cuisine with contemporary innovations as well as vegetarian dishes for those who want a break from the typical hefty stuff. The menú del día is a great value.

Dominating the Plaza de España, this five-star luxury hotel has a rooftop pool deck, Roman- and Moorish-theme design elements, and a twinkly central courtyard. Enormous bathrooms with powerful showers are a plus. Parking can be arranged for €25 per day.

There are five charming, rustic rooms in this rural hotel housed in a 16th-century convent house. Tucked along a quiet side street in the village of Jarandilla de la Vera, its quarters have exposed white-brick walls and basic countrified furnishings. The property is a good jumping-off point for excursions to the Monastery of Yuste as well as hikes and outdoor adventures in Monfragüe park.   

In another of the region's 16th-century convents, this parador offers tranquility and comfort in cheery restored rooms awash with wall art and patterned textiles. The spectacular building has two full cloisters that shine light onto the thick stone walls of common areas. Even if you're not staying here, it's worth a visit to have a drink in the candlelighted courtyard by night.

This restored 150-year-old stone mill and farmhouse makes an ideal base for enjoying the area's great outdoors. The best rooms have fireplaces, sitting areas, and separate entrances, though entry-level rooms are perfectly pleasant with canopy beds and direct access to the grassy yard. The restaurant has wood beams and a cozy, rustic feel as well as a reasonably priced set menu. The friendly owners can help arrange hikes, horseback riding, or rafting trips.

The halls of this budget hotel—confusingly not on the Plaza Mayor but rather 100 yards down a quiet side street—are adorned with old etchings of Cáceres scenes and baroque finishings. The doubles, triples, and quads are appointed with dark wood antique furniture, and breakfast is included. 

Once a 16th-century convent, this dependable four-star hotel is a five-minute walk from the Plaza Mayor. Rooms and suites come in various sizes—making this a good option for families—and are comfortable in a grandmotherly sort of way. There's a pleasant outdoor swimming pool surrounded by wrought-iron furniture. The restaurant in the former refectory serves regional dishes such as wild boar, free-range pork, and, during the October–January hunting season, red-leg partridge stewed with broad beans.

One of Extremadura's first rural guesthouses, this rambling home 10 km (6 miles) southeast of Jerte is on a spectacular 120-acre working farm, once a 16th-century Franciscan convent. This is a place for animal lovers as the household keeps dogs, cats, and horses. In addition to the six rooms in the main lodge, there are three cottages, and you can also rent out the entire main house (€560). Activities such as horseback riding, mountain biking, and paragliding can be arranged. It's wise to reserve in advance. Slow down as you approach—the sign is easy to miss.

This rustic estate with spectacular views of the Gredos mountains has six cozy rooms in the main house and six log-cabin bungalows. The main house, made of stone, is surrounded by a huge terrace and gardens and has a wood-burning stove. Bungalows have wraparound porches; three have whirlpool baths. Owners Miriam and Sergio are terrific cooks; let them overserve you house specialties like goat and lamb stew, migas, and suckling pig. Breakfast, an assortment of cured meats and homemade pastries, is a steal at €5. With a paddle tennis court, outdoor pool, and farm animals, this is a lovely spot for a family. Horseback riding, hiking, fishing, cycling, and canoeing can also be arranged.

This 14th-century palace in the old town boasts elegant public spaces filled with antiques. Guest rooms are surprisingly austere and basic, though the building's bones—stone walls, arcaded ceilings, and heavy wood beams—are stunning. The restaurant is overpriced for the area, but it's worth a visit for an afternoon coffee or glass of wine in the idyllic outdoor garden.

This exquisite estate, once the 15th-century palace of the Marquis de la Romana, now houses one of Spain's finest paradores. The sprawling building combines Mudejar architecture, exotic vegetation, and Moorish-style rooms, the best of which look out onto the monastery. There's a secluded swimming pool and a cozy fireplace room—a perfect place to enjoy an evening glass of wine. The restaurant serves simple local dishes such as bacalao monacal ("monastic" codfish, with spinach and potatoes) and grilled lamb chops.

This spacious hotel exudes Andalusian cheerfulness with hints at its Roman and Moorish past—it was built over the remains of a Roman temple, later became a baroque convent, and then served as a prison. The whitewashed building has bright guest rooms with traditional dark wood furniture, and the brilliant white interior of the convent's former church has been turned into a restful lounge.

In a 15th-century Gothic convent, this parador truly feels medieval with majestic and somber common areas and spacious guest rooms decorated with monastic motifs and heavy wood furniture. But there are plenty of modern comforts such as well-appointed bathrooms, room service, and on-site parking. The airy restaurant—housed in the former convent refectory—is almost intimidating in its architectural magnificence.