437 Best Hotels in Spain

Constructed and furnished in stone and wood, this mountain retreat is an ideal base camp for hiking and cross-country skiing. Rooms are simple, and the restaurant serves classical Pyrenean fare in a dining room flooded with natural light.

Once the summer home of a wealthy family, this Moderniste hotel has a grand stone stairway and medieval-style tower, as well as a garden and a lawn where you can relax by the two pools. Rooms are modestly furnished with just the basic amenities, though a few have ornate antique headboards and private balconies.

The pièce de résistance at this simple, pleasant hotel, located at the highest point of Altea's historic center, is the roof terrace with its stunning view; from here, you look out over the church's distinctive blue-tiled cupola and the surrounding tangle of streets, with a Mediterranean backdrop.

Travelers on tight budgets will appreciate this basic yet impeccable lodging, set in a former nunnery and located on a central pedestrian street in the historic quarter just steps from the Town Hall. The rooms are nothing fancy, but the price is right.

Housed in a monastery atop a 9th-century hermitage, this rural hotel run by a Benedictine community is an ideal base for hiking. Rooms here are simple, and the restaurant offers local dishes at unbeatable prices.

While on the property, you can view the carving of the Virgin of Valvanera, patroness of the grape harvest and barren couples. She is portrayed with a pomegranate (symbolizing fertility) and vines.

The longtime residents and civic boosters Toni and Tanya Molio, who are credited with the idea of dredging sand from the bay to create the beach at Santa Eulària, run this simple lodging on the little promenade in the heart of town. Rooms are fairly spacious, with tile floors and twin or double beds; rooms in back have private terraces overlooking a small garden, while those in front have narrow balconies with views of the sea. Windows are double-glazed for a modicum of quiet. A comfortable lounge, off the bar-café, has an extensive library of left-behind books, sorted by language.

This magnificent inn, under new management and with renovated public areas, occupies a wing of the historic Monasterio de Yuso. Heavy medieval stone walls conceal old-fashioned guest rooms, and there's a long baronial dining room on the ground floor that serves international fare as well as regional dishes.

On a mountaintop in the heart of Basque country’s “little Switzerland,” 20 minutes north of Vitoria-Gasteiz and 40 minutes south of Bilbao, this relaxing retreat features breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains and an excellent restaurant and spa. Etxegana is an ideal base from which to enjoy the region's natural splendor: hiking, fishing, cycling, and more. Rooms are adorned with rustic woodcarvings and furniture imported from Thailand; numbers 25 and 26 are particularly spectacular.

Get a taste of historic life in La Laguna at this 18th-century palace that became a hotel in 1885. The hotel has a colonial air: rooms are set around a central patio with original marble pillars and a green-tiled floor. The comparatively spartan rooms have high ceilings, parquet floors, and antique furniture.

What began as a small hostel in the 1920s is now a sprawling luxury hotel, run by the fourth generation of the same family.

One of the best-value hotels in the area, this pleasant hotel in the rustic spa town of Lanjarón makes a good base for exploring the lower part of the Alpujarras. The comfortable rooms have been recently refurbished and are complemented by a good-size pool and easily the best restaurant in the area. The top rooms enjoy views of a 14th-century castle. A few two-bedroom suites are ideal for families.

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.

Business travelers from the mainland favor this comfortable, central hotel, and it's an excellent choice for vacationers as well. Rooms have pebbled white walls, with furniture and color schemes in soothing tones of brown, cream, and orange, and, though the rooms are mostly singles and doubles, there are also a few family-friendly ones for three or four guests. Open year-round, the Almudaina has just three of its own parking spaces, which are understandably hard to reserve. You might want to pay a little more for the "Double Star" Room 804: the hotel's rooftop terrace-solarium is right next door, with wonderful views of the cathedral, the old town, and the harbor.

The only four-star hotel in the area, the Aneto is handy to central Benasque and just a few minutes by car to mountain trails and skiing. It's also the most favorable for families, who appreciate the gardens and indoor pool. The design integrates the look of a classic mountain chalet with modern interior features, which may not be to everyone's taste. Its light and airy café-bar looks out over the mountains, and there are two restaurants, one serving traditional dishes, the other with fusion cuisine.

This small family-run hotel in the historic center of town combines traditional style and modern amenities. Each of the three floors in the 19th-century mansion has been decorated in a different style: Andalusian (first), French colonial (second), and simple rustic colonial (third). All rooms have generous mosaic-tiled bathrooms and balconies, some facing the patio rather than the street, and the six rooms in the most recent addition are larger than the others. Breakfast is abundant, with hot options available on request.

This luxurious Ritz-Carlton-owned, 44-story hotel is just steps from the beach and the buzz of the newly remodeled Port Olímpic. Elegant, modern rooms offer sweeping sea and city views, and plush amenities include two large outdoor pools, a spa overlooking the Mediterranean, and a two-Michelin-starred restaurant.

Three blocks west of Rambla Catalunya, near the upper middle of the Eixample, this renovated classic property is a treasure for the budget-minded. Guest rooms are bright and spacious, with dark polished hardwood floors, nice lighting, and a choice of twin or double beds. Bathrooms have long single vanities and good-size stall showers with rain heads. There's a rooftop terrace with a small plunge pool, a bar, and panoramic views; the suites on the floor just below have small private terraces of their own, though no particular view. The ornate marble lobby boasts a remarkable collection of drawings by the Catalan artist Ricard Opisso, a pal of Picasso's and one of the original members of the Four Cats salon. The hotel's Astor Restaurant, decorated in Parisian bistro style with Art Nouveau posters, is a very pleasant venue for lunch.

In the heart of the more fashionable Esquerra (west or "left" side) of the Eixample, this recently expanded and renovated hotel caters primarily to gay travelers in an area dubbed by locals the "Gayxample." The spacious rooms are soundproof and well lighted, with comfortable contemporary furniture and decor in white-on-white punctuated by hints of black, red, and chrome; most have queen-size beds. Suites are truly spacious, but have only a glass wall separating the bedroom from the bath: privacy sacrificed for romance. The hotel's Bench restaurant is up to par, and the rooftop deck and pool (with pool, bar, cascade, and Jacuzzi, open April–October) has good views over the city.

The luxury of the Eixample has worked its way down to La Rambla, as this boutique gem (formerly the shop and atelier of the well-known Art Nouveau jeweler of the same name) bears ample witness. The interior is all textured concrete, hammered metal, frosted glass, recessed lighting—modern chic, but remarkably comfortable. The meeting room on the first floor houses the Bagués-Masriera museum collection of Art Nouveau jewelry and design. Rooms have leather love seats, dark wood paneling and headboards, hardwood floors, huge flat-screen TVs, and iPod docks. The bathrooms have top-tier amenities, bud vases, and big picture-frame mirrors. The Bagués is an exclusive (and pricey) retreat in an unexpected setting.

One of Santander's best-rated hotels is this plush, traditional standby overlooking the water and the cathedral. While the exterior feels corporate and cold, rooms are spacious and newly refurbished with wood floors. Elegant built-in, bunk-style beds make ideal stays for families. Many rooms have floor-to-ceiling windows and views of the water or cathedral.

Just a few steps from the Plaza de los Fueros in downtown Gernika, the Boliña is a pleasant and modern base camp for exploring the Vizcayan coast. Rooms are simple and small but comfy, and the food is a great value.

Housed in a beautifully restored historic mansion, this family-run hotel offers cozy accommodations off a stunning central patio. The period rooms come with lofty ceilings, traditional beams, and eclectic furnishings. Rooms with exterior balconies are lighter and airier than those facing the patio and look out across the town center. The location could not be more convenient with Estepona’s charming old quarter and the beach on the doorstep. Guests have access to complimentary refreshments, snacks, and Nespresso coffee.

The thoughtfully curated lobby with work by local artists sets the tone at this stylish boutique hotel. Downstairs, there’s a 24/7 honesty bar, gift boutique, and a buzzy Andalusian-Catalan restaurant, Palo Cortao; head upstairs for a plunge pool, sauna, and herb garden. The top-floor penthouse brings the bragging rights: its secluded terrace even has an outdoor soaker tub.

This ultramodern eco-hotel in the woods is an architectural marvel with its grass-topped roof, sinuous walls, full-length windows, and polished-cement ceiling. The five guest rooms, which look out onto the adjoining gardens, are austere and airy, and each is adorned with a unique art piece painted by the proprietor.  

Located on the beach, this hotel is in hailing distance of the old quarter in the medieval fortress; rooms are simple, and those with sea views have private terraces. Proprietor Maria-Eugènia Serrat, a native Tossan, lavishes warm personal attention on every guest. The restaurant has canopied seating on the promenade and specializes in traditional fish stews, with ingredients fresh off the boat.

Steps from restaurants, shops, and lively tapas bars is this city-center hotel with smartly decorated rooms that exude an urban sensibility—think crisp white bedding and polished wooden floors. The lobby extends into a bustling café-bar, and there is a small restaurant serving regional cuisine.

A stone’s throw from the Paseo de los Tristes, this restored 17th-century mansion has a fine tiered patio. The spacious rooms have a romantic air to them, and it's worth paying extra (around €50) for the deluxe suite, whose balcony has exceptional views of the Alhambra, or splurging on a Jacuzzi suite. Don't miss the complimentary afternoon tea.

This luxury hotel offers one of two chances (the other is the Hotel España) to stay in a Moderniste masterpiece designed by Lluís Domènech i Montaner, architect of the iconic Palau de la Música Catalana. Its sumptuous public spaces are a feast for the eyes, notably at Café Vienés, with its marble and stone pillars supporting gilded vaulted ceilings.

This centrally located and gracious hotel has well-priced rooms that are small but functional, with double glazing to block out any late-night street revelry—those facing the side street or the interior patio are the quietest. Family rooms are available. The owners are friendly, although they don't speak a lot of English.