Calle Solarillo de Gracia 1, Granada, Spain | (888) 635-3814
Superb marriage of 19th-century mansion and 21st-century design
Surrounded by lush gardens with Arabian fountains
Walking distance to Granada's commercial center and about a mile from Alhambra
Spacious rooms mix original period elements with contemporary chic
Small but impressive spa with massage rooms, sauna, and thermal pool
Small library and business center
Fine-dining restaurant with alfresco seating
Garden and some rooms get traffic noise
No fitness center
Nineteenth century meets cutting-edge contemporary chic with notable success at the high-end boutique, 40-room Hospes Palacio de los Patos. Its bold architectural meld has garnished much acclaim, and interiors in both the old and the new areas are seriously impressive. Rooms are excellently finished, though some might find the modern minimalism a little cold. The location isn't ideal -- it's a bit of a stroll to get anywhere, and the road outside can be noisy. Rates are a bit high for the area even by luxury hotel standards.
Scene
Beautifully restored 19th-century mansion meets bold 21st century design
The Hospes Palacio de los Patos is a spectacular juxtaposition of a beautifully restored 19th-century mansion and bold 21st-century architecture. Once the home of the Dutch consul, the main building has been immaculately restored to reflect the elegant grandeur of the original, with its grand, polished marble central staircase leading to a serene and lofty atrium with painted ceilings and beautifully rendered cornices. The lobby area blends the two worlds -- an exquisitely carved wooden ceiling stretches above two clinically white reception desks surrounded by Moorish tiling and a contemporary take on traditional seating. A subterranean maze of corridors links the New Wing -- created by Catalan design guru Xavier Claramunt -- with its alabaster-white, minimalist, and relentlessly 21st-century chic interiors. The whole property has been declared a Cultural Heritage Site, and is surrounded by lush gardens with Arabian fountains.
Location
Set away from the tourist center on the western edge of Albaicin
The hotel is situated on the busy Calle Recogidas, on the western edge of Granada's Albaicin District and a mile west of the Alhambra. It's about five minutes' walk to the city's commercial and main retail area, while Granada Cathedral is 10 minutes away on foot. Granada train station is 10 minutes by car, and the nearest airport is Federico Garcia Lorca Airport, a 20-minute drive.
Rooms
Many of the superbly finished rooms include original 19th-century elements
The hotel's 40 spacious rooms are roughly split between Deluxe, in the mansion building, and Dreamers, in the New Wing annex. Deluxe rooms blend contemporary interior design with original features, such as mosaic floors, tall wooden shutters, and ornate cornices, while Dreamers are out-and-out 21st century chic where glass, alabaster, and hardwood floors meet wispy muslin drapery. Beds are topped with Egyptian cotton and in-room tech includes iPod docks, free Wi-Fi, and flat-screen TVs with DVD players and satellite channels. Bathrooms are uber-modern and beautifully finished with quirky lighting and marble cladding.
Features
Subterranean spa with thermal pool
The hotel's subterranean Bodyna Spa provides facial and massage treatments, and sauna and steam baths, and the small thermal pool whose roof is the glass bottom of a garden fountain is a really nice touch. Los Patos Restaurant provides indoor and alfresco dining in the lush terraced gardens. There is an elegant library and business center in the old mansion building. Wi-Fi is free and available throughout the property.