Carmen de la Alcubilla del Caracol

Converted from a traditional Granada house dating back to Spain's Moorish period, the Carmen de la Alcubilla is quiet and relaxed, geared toward the culturally inclined traveler, with plenty of areas set up for reading or enjoying panoramic city views from the terraced gardens. The hotel's centerpiece lobby, or "living room," is furnished with inviting armchairs, rockers, and sofas, and stocked with books as well as an honor bar with fine wines. Fruit and cypress trees offset bright plants and flowers perched along whitewashed walls to create lovely shaded arbors throughout the grounds. The hotel feels like someone's house -- laid-back and comfortable -- with furniture and art that have been in the owners' family for generations.

The Carmen del la Alcubilla clings to the slopes surrounding the world-famous Alhambra castle, with unobstructed views of Granada's rooftops as well as the Sierra Nevada mountains. Narrow neighboring streets are cobbled and traffic-free, lending an old world atmosphere to the area. (Due to steepness, it’s not an easy walk from the nearest taxi drop-off point, so travelers with mobility issues may wish to stay elsewhere.) Surrounding buildings are predominately upscale private residences, and it’s a 10- to 15-minute walk downhill to the city center where restaurants, bars, and shops are clustered. Plaza Campo del Principe is a five-minute stroll away.

All rooms in the Carmen de la Alcubilla have stunning views. Some have private verandahs or exits to the terraced gardens. Guestrooms are immaculately kept and individually named. Most of the spaces have white bedding and green or purple walls, with airy white woodwork and shutters for the windows. Lovely antique writing desks are on hand as well. Simple but modernized bathrooms have tiled shower stalls and no tubs. There are also flat-screen TVs, hairdryers, and in-room safes, but the latter aren't large enough to hold a laptop.

The Carmen de la Alcubilla lacks amenities available in a larger, more modern hotel, although navigating the winding narrow streets up and down the slopes of the Alhambra could easily replace gym time. The continental breakfast is served in the lobby on iron and mosaic tables and includes jamon serrano, cheeses, and Spanish olive oil. The hotel's extensive library of guidebooks, art books, and literature is to be enjoyed from a comfortable seat while looking across Granada's rooftops, high up, out of the fray, perhaps with a bottle of Spanish red from the honor bar.