Hotel Palacio De Santa Paula, Autograph Collection

The AC Palacio de Santa Paula, Autograph Collection offers a quietly stylish getaway in Granada's historic district. Tourists -- including couples, solo travelers, and families -- come here for the sophisticated ambiance and central location. Standard Rooms and Suites are in a five-story building facing the street, while Superior Rooms and Junior Suites are inside the 12th-century Casa Morisca and 16th-century Santa Paula Convent, which face two stone courtyards. 

Throughout, the hotel balances the rusticity of its original buildings with touches of bright color, leafy plants in oversized clay pots, and clean-lined modern furnishings. In the lobby, soft gray couches and wood floors sit below a glass ceiling, while antique wood carvings decorate the walls. Open-air hallways, with clay-colored tiling and wood railings draped in ivy, surround two stunning courtyards with original stonework and graceful archways. Frescos dating back 500 years and centuries-old gravestones can be found on the property, and the unobtrusive staff can lead guests on informal tours. The history, style, and quiet atmosphere all combine to create a romantic property.

The hotel sits on elegant Gran Via, one of the city's main avenues, with plenty of restaurants, bars, and coffee shops lining the surrounding streets. Popular Plaza Nueva, the center of the action, is just over five minutes away on foot, and other sights are easily walkable. The Albaicin, the city's old Muslim quarter, is a 20-minute walk away, and the Sacro Monte area is about 25 minutes away on foot. Nearer to the hotel are the Cathedral of Granada and the Royal Chapel, both about a five minutes' walk, and the Gardens of the Triumph, which are about eight minutes' walk. The famed Alhambra, an UNESCO site with 11th-century Moorish architecture, is a 20-minute walk away. 

Rooms keep with the hotel's cozy combination of dark wood furniture and floors, warm brownish-cream walls, and clean-lined accessories. All of the romantic, atmospheric rooms have air-conditioning, flat-screen TVs, electric kettles, minibars, safes, and bathrooms with shower/tub combos and bidets. Superior Rooms have small seating areas with brown couches and glass tables, and bathrooms with beautiful, orange mosaic tiling. Junior Suites are in the Moorish house, and their lounge areas are not separated by doors. Suites in the newer building on Gran Via are a bit larger, and have doors between their living rooms and bedrooms. The rooms' wood-shuttered windows are soundproofed and can be opened. The Bishop's Suite faces a courtyard, and is the largest in the hotel. Wi-Fi is free throughout. 

El Claustro restaurant, which occupies what was once the Santa Paula convent's refectory, serves traditional Andalusian dishes with modern flair in a warmly lit space with dark wood beams and creamy stone walls. The Terrace serves appetizers and cocktails, and has outdoor seating around the romantic courtyard. There's a small gym with wood floors and just a few cardio machines. The Turkish bath has beige mosaic tiling, and there's a wood sauna for guests as well, but there's no full spa.

Guests can use either the laptop or desktop computer -- atop an antique wood table -- in the business center. There are four meeting rooms, with space for up to 200 people and audiovisual capabilities; the ballroom occupies a stunning 16th-century chapel. Parking and breakfast are available, for a fee, though there's a coffee shop with pastries just next door. Wi-Fi is free.