Southern Spain has some of Europe’s warmest temperatures. In Andalusia, it also has one of the continent’s most fascinating regions — and lately, most desirable collections of hotels.
Andalusia is known for having Europe’s hottest climate, its most southerly ski resort (Sierra Nevada), and its oldest city (Cadiz). It’s the birthplace of Picasso (Málaga), García Lorca (Granada), tapas, sherry, flamenco, classical guitar, bullfighting (unfortunately), and a whole bunch of jamón ibérico. It’s the planet’s largest producer of olive oil. It’s the home of the spaghetti western. And its horse culture is world renowned.
There are hundreds of miles of coastline and beaches. There are arid deserts and snow-capped mountains. And there is stunning historical architecture, from the mesmerizing designs left behind by eight centuries of Moorish rule (yes, including riads) to the pueblos blancos, Andalusia’s iconic whitewashed mountain villages. One thing Andalusia is not known for, perhaps somewhat ironically, is spicy food. Instead, you’ll find an abundance of fresh seafood and refreshingly cold soups like gazpacho and salmorejo.
Which is all to say, there are a lot great things going on in the eight provinces of this autonomous community in southern Spain (Almería, Cádiz, Córdoba, Granada, Huelva, Jaén, Málaga, Seville). There are a lot of great hotels, too. Below, we highlight a handful of the standouts from our selection, covering a range of styles, prices, and personalities equal to the range of attractions and activities found throughout the region.
Finca La Bobadilla
Archidona, Spain
Surrounded by the hills of the Sierra de Loja, Finca La Bobadilla sprawls over a thousand-acre estate in the manner of a Moorish village, all whitewashed buildings, winding paths and courtyard after courtyard connected by arched walkways. This is one of the finest hotels in the Spanish countryside, a luxe escape with faultless service and the sort of discreet privacy that goes along with it.
Hotel Boutique V
Vejer de La Frontera, Spain
The picturesque little Andalucian village of Vejer de la Frontera is the perfect location for a chic little destination hotel like Boutique Hotel V, a twelve-room converted townhouse that’s a bastion of the cosmopolitan dolce vita. It’s a tour de force of sensitive renovation, with seventeenth-century architectural details woven seamlessly into the stylish mod-luxe picture.
Finca Cortesin
Casares, Spain
Southern Spain is blessed with an array of natural gifts: not just sun, sand and surf, but a climate and a landscape that are ideal for the game of golf. And while golf resorts the world over are a conservative lot, Spanish hotels have been quicker than most to modernize — beneath its traditional red tile roofs, the Finca Cortesín is a contemporary-style luxury resort of the new breed.
Anantara Villa Padierna Palace
Marbella, Spain
Rather than the whitewashed Andalusian style you might expect, Anantara Villa Padierna Palace is a dead ringer for a Tuscan villa. Not only that, but there’s more than a whiff of English country-house style in the hyper-luxe interiors. Safe to say it’s one of a kind — and it’s got the star-studded guestbook to prove it. The accommodations are plush, the service is first-rate, and the beach is a short shuttle ride away.
Plaza 18
Vejer de la Frontera, Spain
You’ll have to plan ahead to score one of the six rooms at Plaza 18, an elegant 19th-century merchant’s house transformed into a chic boutique hotel in the whitewashed hilltop town of Vejer de la Frontera. The brainchild of British interior designer Nicky Dobree and the Califa Group, owners of the larger La Casa del Califa hotel next door, the place has serious design cred and an air of exclusivity.
Vincci Molviedro
Sevilla, Spain
A one-time row of brothels is now home to Vincci Molviedro, a series of connected buildings on a tree-shaded plaza. The location is fantastically central for exploring Seville. Sections of the city’s original Islamic walls are visible in the lobby, and the previously run-down interiors have been thoroughly restored and decorated with traditional Andalusian textiles and hand-painted ceramic tile.
Hospes Palacio de los Patos
Granada, Spain
Somewhere in the middle ground between history worship and idol-smashing avant-gardism lies a place like Palacio de los Patos. In frontal view, it’s a 19th-century palace, utterly authentic, marble staircase and all; behind this, though, stands a modern addition — not the sort of dismal annex that mars an otherwise gorgeous historic hotel, but a stunning and urbane piece of modern-luxe hotel design.
H10 Casa de la Plata
Sevilla, Spain
Right in the heart of Seville’s pedestrianized city center is the H10 Casa de la Plata offers the best of both worlds: the modern functioning of a newly built hotel along with an aesthetic that complements, rather than imitates, the city’s distinctive architectural setting. This means plenty of nods to Andalusian residential architecture, including a central courtyard and a tiled pool.
La Donaira
Montecorto, Spain
Finca La Donaira is a working organic farm, a high-end stable dedicated to Lusitano horses, and a collection of active experiences scattered about its extensive Andalusian grounds — and it’s all firmly eco-conscious. The restored farmhouse shelters nine individually decorated rooms, each furnished with tasteful antiques and an intoxicating medley of weather-worn stone, reclaimed wood, adobe, and luxe textiles.
Vincci Selección Rumaykiyya
Granada, Spain
Claiming the title of one of Europe’s highest hotels, this authentic Alpine lodge delivers ski-in/ski-out luxury directly on the slopes of Spain’s premier winter playground. The intimate mountain retreat embraces its rustic character with exposed wooden beams and stone fireplaces, yet surprises with refined touches throughout its cozy lounges, panoramic restaurant, and opulent rooms.
Hotel Mercer Sevilla
Seville, Spain
Sevilla’s got Moorish roots, just like Marrakech. And if a hotel like the Mercer Hotel Sevilla feels a bit like a riad, it’s not hard to imagine why. Of course the Andalusian style is unique — there’s a certain ornateness to the architecture along with a simplicity to the décor, and more of a willingness to let that bright sunlight stream in and illuminate these white-on-white spaces. But in the end it’s a remarkably similar concept.
La Fonda Heritage Hotel
Marbella, Spain
Occupying a privileged spot on one of the prettiest plazas in Marbella’s Casco Antiguo, La Fonda is a stunner inside and out. The hotel is housed in a trio of 16th-century buildings and their original features, from stately columns and stone archways to ceiling frescoes and tiled courtyards, remain rich with character, even while the interiors have been updated in a crisp modern-classic style.
The Riad – Adults Only
Tarifa, Spain
The Riad Tarifa is the Moroccan riad at its most richly textured, if not its most faithfully traditional — its nine rooms, arranged around a pair of courtyards, combine a bit of Moorish tradition with a bit of contemporary luxury design. A hammam and a rooftop terrace are more or less the extent of the hotel’s public spaces; the location, however, places guests in the heart of old Tarifa, close to a wealth of restaurants and shops as well as the beach.
Hotel Viento 10
Córdoba, Spain
In the sleepy, charming historic center of Córdoba, you’re probably not expecting the sleek, modern, minimalist design paradise that is Hotel Viento 10. But behind the doors of this 16th-century building, that’s exactly what you’ll find — contemporary interior architecture, retro-modern furniture, plentiful splashes of bold color, and lots of concrete and glass, to contrast with the brick and stone of the original structure.
SO/ Sotogrande Spa & Golf Resort
Cádiz, Spain
Costa del Sol is up there with any of the most pleasant places on Earth, and it’s the setting Accor chose for the first Spanish edition of their SO/ hotel brand. In the case of SO/ Sotogrande this means a contemporary interpretation of a classic cortijo, or farmhouse hotel, brought into the 21st century with ultra-modern design and comforts, plus an extensive spa and wellness program as well as 27 holes of golf.
Mark Fedeli is the hotel marketing and editorial director for Tablet and Michelin Guide. He’s been with Tablet since 2006, and he thinks you should subscribe to our newsletter.