Hospes Palacio de los Patos

"With the 2006 opening of the dual identity 42 room Palacio de los Patos in the heart of the city, Granada moves beyond its Alahambra-centric reputation and shows the world what an interesting city it is aside from all things Moorish. The Palacio, a winsome turn of the century villa on a busy intersection and an edgy annex with a curtain façade of marble squares hung on stainless steel wire, is a superb choice for anyone who doesn’t want to channel Washington Irving (Conquest of Granada, 1829; Alahambra, 1832), since the story it tells is that of edgy, boldly innovative modern Spain. Though the center city location is a little noisy, all of Spain is a little noisy, and it’s a treat to take a dip in the indoor pool, steep in the sauna, have a massage or sit in the gardens after a long day’s touring. Aside from wall-mounted Sony flat-screen TVs, the signature of rooms in the annex—more fun than the retro ones in the main villa—are their marble sinks and marble bath tubs, which are found in a spacious wet room with a slate floor that also has a pie-plate shower. Senzone, the hotel’s restaurant has immediately become the best table in town, and the dish not to miss is the rack of suckling pig served with apple puree and green-pepper stuffed potatoes. Aside from making a major design statement, what’s really memorable here is the friendly, sincere, fun attitude of the delightful young staff."