30 December 2025
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In their settings across the most distinctive cities, towns and rural hamlets in southern Spain, the best hotels in Andalusia reveal traces of the intricate history of this long beloved, sun-drenched region.
It seems there is a story behind every archway and tree-dappled courtyard at the twelve hotels below — each distinguished with at least One Key from Inspectors in their latest global reveal. The same might be said of the dishes served on-site or at MICHELIN-selected restaurants nearby.
But whether you've come to learn the deep backstory of the region or simply to escape the bleakest days of winter, you'll do well to begin with the spots below.
Hospes Palacio del Bailio
Cordoba, SpainA hotel that takes guests on a journey back to an era of Córdoba’s Roman past, long before even the Moorish rule that began in the 8th century. A glass floor in the atrium looks down into the ruins of an actual Roman villa, while contemporary Roman baths welcome guests in today's underground spa. Centuries-old stonework is present throughout the hotel, while 51 dreamlike rooms are dressed in velvet and hand-painted stucco.
The hotel, complete with fruit trees and aromatic plants along its patios, is right in the heart of this fascinating historic city — one of the undisputed must-visits of Andalusia.
Restaurants Nearby: La Cuchara de San Lorenzo,
La Taberna de Almodóvar,
La Casa de Manolete Bistró
Seda Club Hotel
Granada, SpainAnother quintessential city in Andalusia, Granada is world-renowned for the Alhambra, the 13th-century palace complex built by the last Muslim dynasty in Spain. About 1 mile to its west is the Seda Club Hotel, a contemporary accommodation overlooking the historic Plaza de la Trinidad, a picturesque square centered on a graceful Baroque fountain and a lush floral garden.
Each room features carefully curated works of art by renowned international artists, while the outstanding views from the rooftop are among the city's best.
Restaurants Nearby: Albidaya,
Faralá,
Le Bistró by El Conjuro
Hotel Cortijo del Marqués
Granada, SpainSet in a striking landscape surrounded by olive groves, Hotel Cortijo del Marqués occupies a beautiful former country estate that now houses 15 rooms spread across the main building, the old granary and the former stables. Each room is distinct and full of character, imbued with a sense of history heightened by the attentive, thoughtful service.
A quintessentially Andalusian cortijo, or farmhouse estate, come for tranquility and nature in equal measure, with opportunities for mountain biking and horseback riding all a few short miles from Granada.
Restaurants Nearby: Restaurante FM
La Almunia del Valle
Granada, SpainAnother traditional mountain cortijo, this one has been restored as a charming boutique hotel set within the protected natural landscape of the Sierra Nevada, just around 5 miles from the center of Granada. Warm and welcoming in atmosphere, the mountain-fed swimming pool is a particular highlight, while the library deserves special mention for its outstanding collection of photography and travel books.
Presiding over the 15 rooms are José Manuel and Patricia, consummate hosts in pursuit of perfection over every detail. In spring, the landscape comes alive — streams fed by melting snow reflect the deep blue of the sky above.
Restaurants Nearby: La Cantina de Diego, Asador de la Reina
Anantara Villa Padierna Palace Benahavís Marbella Resort
Marbella, SpainIt's perhaps the rare Costa del Sol hotel of this caliber not located directly on the beach, but 10 minutes inland means space for palatial living: 125 elegant accommodations include the 495-square-meter villa once occupied by Michelle Obama. Surrounding the estate are three 18-hole golf courses and a tennis club, and though not located directly on the coast, a private transfer service takes guests to Puro Beach Club on the Mediterranean in 10 minutes.
All in all, the feel is at times more of a Tuscan villa than anything else, while rooms center around several central courtyards and overlook a Roman-style pool, gardens, mountains, or a serene lake. Completing the picture is an impressive amphitheater home to exclusive performances, a thermal spa and a collection of more than 1,000 original works of art.
Restaurants Nearby: La Milla, Leña
Finca Cortesín
Marbella, SpainThis modern resort has much to recommend it, including the hundreds of hectares of nature surrounding it. But at its core, this may be the pinnacle of the golf resort. Thirty of those hundreds of hectares are dedicated to the game, and the hotel has its own golf academy.
Besides the gentlemen's pursuit, there is a 25-meter indoor pool, two outdoor pools, and an atmosphere of total calm that spans 67 suites and traditional Andalusian architecture that unfolds across its vast gardens. Guests can end the day by the sea, cocktail in hand, enjoying one of the finest views on the Costa del Sol, or at the spa that specializes in Eastern treatments.
Restaurants Nearby: Sarmiento Brasa Andaluza
Finca La Bobadilla
Málaga, SpainSet in the Sierra de Loja, a mountain range spanning more than 75 square miles and located about an hour from Granada, La Bobadilla feels like a picturesque Andalusian village in its own right, thanks to its large acreage, whitewashed buildings and winding paths across the estate. Activities include pool swims, garden walks, yoga classes and drinking and dining in four restaurants and bars.
La Zambra Resort
Málaga, SpainThe legendary Hotel Byblos, founded in 1986 and once a favorite of royalty and rock stars — Rolling Stones included — has been reborn as La Zambra, preserving a treasure of Andalusia in all its glorious golden light. Among the 196 rooms are private terraces arranged around a central cloister, pristine patios, fountains, arches and tree-lined walkways.
Three swimming pools and a setting midway between sea and mountains complete the picture for most, while a lucky few will experience the La Zambra Penthouse Suite — nearly 4,000 square feet, with golf course views, high-end furnishings and its own private wine cellar.
Restaurants Nearby: Charolais
Marbella Club Hotel
Marbella, SpainThe Inspectors' only Two-MICHELIN-Key hotel in Andalusia, this storied property has long been favored by the well-heeled — unsurprising, given it was founded in 1954 by none other than Prince Alfonso von Hohenlohe, the Spanish-German aristocrat often credited with bringing Marbella to international prominence. Despite offering over 100 rooms, the Marbella Club Hotel still feels more like a royal residence than a major hotel, with subtropical gardens and a maze-like layout of villas, all with their own private entrances.
Spend luxurious days eating freshly caught fish by the pool, sailing a 20-meter yacht or enjoying treatments from a comprehensive wellness program.
Restaurants Nearby: Leña, La Milla
CoolRooms Palacio Villapanés
Seville, SpainIn a historically significant, 18th-century Sevillian palace house that preserves much of its original architecture, there's hardly a better base for exploring Andalusia's gorgeous capital city. The neighborhood, Santa Cruz, is the city's former Jewish quarter and old town, and the hotel's 50 modern rooms are topped by one of the most special rooftops in the city — where a traditional pool takes center stage.
Restaurants Nearby: Trádévo Centro, Abantal
Hotel Mercer Sevilla
Seville, SpainIn El Arenal, another historic Seville neighborhood, the Hotel Mercer is closely watched over by two local landmarks: the Torre del Oro and the Maestranza Bullring. Itself a piece of history, this elegant palace was built in 1880 in neoclassical style, centered around a beautiful Andalusian courtyard flooded with sunlight. In just four rooms and eight suites, interiors showcase a refined modern design, underscored by an exclusive collection of expressionist paintings by contemporary Spanish painter Agustí Puig.
Restaurants Nearby: Chicarreros, Yo, Cocina Contemporánea
Hotel Vincci Selección Unuk GL
Seville, SpainMost hotels in European capitals are either proudly historic or unabashedly modern. This one, just outside Seville’s old town, pulls off the rare feat of being both at once: this boutique hotel comprises two adjoining houses, one proudly traditional and the other unmistakably industrial.
Marble staircases and wrought-iron railings evoke the past, but the romantic Andalusian patio has a retractable roof, and guest rooms come with wood-beamed ceilings and parquet floors as well as futuristic bathrooms. Public spaces include a series of open-air terraces, including one with a saltwater pool, and a rooftop with a stylish bar and restaurant.
Restaurants Nearby:
Trádévo Centro,
La Barra de Cañabota
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Hero image: An indoor pool at Anantara Villa Padierna. © Anantara Villa Padierna Palace Benahavís Marbella Resort Suites
