Kristen H.
Yelp
Situated on a sprawling lot amid a bustling avenue lined with shops and office buildings, Hospes Palacio de los Patos is a beautiful hotel reminiscent of a historic 19th-century building...because it is! A careful renovation of an old palace has crafted a charming estate with picturesque balconies, stately fountains, and elegant furnishings, though its amenities are modern, sleek, and state-of-the-art.
We checked into Hospes Palacio de Los Patos on a Thursday afternoon for our one-night stay - the lobby was quiet, and we were immediately greeted by the hotel's concierge, who spoke fluent English as well as Spanish. She pointed out some of the city's popular tourist attractions (namely la Alhambra and the Albaicín neighborhood), and then guided us to our rooms, which were located in a separate building. You can either take an elevator down and walk underground through a tunnel beneath the two buildings, or walk through an outdoor plaza with a bar to access the hotel's restaurant and elevators to the rooms.
We had booked two rooms - one with a queen-sized bed, and another with two full-sized beds. The rooms are bright with natural light and have large windows overlooking the plaza area between the buildings. Everything is very modern, but we found that some of the room's amenities prioritized style over substance - for example, the showers were beautiful, but didn't drain well, as there's no slope for the water to drain into, the bathtubs were oddly shaped and not very functional, and the state-of-the-art door locking system didn't always work, leaving us locked out of our rooms on multiple occasions. However, the complimentary white wine, chocolates, and mixed nuts we were provided were a plus!
We didn't eat at the hotel restaurant, but it looks like an upscale option with a wide variety of dishes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, as well as room service. You also receive a complimentary hour's use of their spa/sauna - I didn't take advantage of this, though the rest of my family members said that it was quite luxurious!
Additionally, when our flight to Barcelona was canceled before we checked out, we were very impressed with how our concierge booked us on a train to Barcelona within fifteen minutes. We were impressed with how efficient and professional she was!
Apart from the minor technical difficulties and the fact that it's definitely on the pricier side, we really enjoyed our stay at Hospes Palacio de Los Patos - the building is beautiful and in a great location, service is absolutely stellar, and I would say that it's worth the splurge if you're looking for an upscale hotel in the area.