Hotel Rector

Another day, another gorgeous ancient Spanish city, another stunning landmark building turned into a clever, stylish little boutique hotel. Not that we’re complaining. The Hotel Rector in Salamanca is the sort of thing that keeps one coming back again and again. You can only do the major capitals so many times before a certain sameness sets in — a wealth of attractions in secondary and tertiary markets is what makes Spain a perennial destination (see also: Italy).

Enough abstraction. The Rector, after all, is remarkable not for what it represents, but for its specific physical charms. An object, not a concept. It’s located within the old town, which is a must in this picturesque city, and it’s a marvelous aristocratic residence, converted into a hotel of just thirteen rooms. And while the building itself has been quite well preserved, the interiors have kept pace with the times — in the rooms you’ll find a contemporary, if rather conservative, luxury-boutique look.

At this scale it just wouldn’t pay to throw in a three-star restaurant and an indoor pool. High-maintenance guests might opt for a more traditional business hotel. But with anyone who’s got an eye towards an idiosyncratic and quietly chic experience in old-town Salamanca, the Rector is an easy choice.

How to get there:
Hotel Rector can be reached from Salamanca Airport(SLM) in approximately 20 minutes by car; from the central rail station it takes just 5 minutes. Driving to Hotel Rector from Madrid is a 2.5 hours trip, from Valladolid 1.5 hours.