Hotel Viento 10

In the sleepy, charming historic center of Córdoba, you’re probably expecting more or less anything but the sleek, modern, minimalist design paradise that is the seven-room 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 archways and thick stone walls of the original structure.

It’s more than a little bit like a Moroccan riad, arranged around a lovely central courtyard ringed with stone columns, and complete with a gorgeous rooftop terrace. And like a riad, it’s a place to escape for rest, relaxation and rejuvenation — to which end the jacuzzi, sauna, and solarium are more than a little bit helpful.

Hotel Viento 10 is small and often fully booked. That’s not only because it’s stylish in a way that feels refreshing in this part of Spain. It’s also because it’s located close to everything you’d want to see and do in Córdoba. You could rent a bike and pedal along the riverfront, but you don’t even need it. You can walk to the Jewish quarter, to the museums, and to the mosque/cathedral that really puts Córdoba on the map — it’s the third-largest mosque in the world, and is famous for its interior forest of striped columns. Massive landmark, meet small hotel. Past, meet future: bienvenidos a Viento 10.