Best Independent Style Hotels in Spain

A boutique ski-season hotel, El Lodge’s architecture is modelled on the traditional chalet, but with a chic personality infused by its owners, Marbella Club. Inside the Finnish wood building, you’ll find 20 bedrooms with Natura Bissé bath products, iPads, iPod docks and Nespresso machines, decorated with cowhide rugs, fur cushions and antler chandeliers, plus a Smeg fridge on every floor with refreshments. Outside is a pool and wooden hot tub (from which steam rises invitingly on a cold day) and a sauna with impressive views. The main restaurant, bar, lounge and terrace all serve dishes crafted with low-mileage ingredients and there’s a games room to keep the kids busy.

Lloret de Mar is one of Costa Brava’s premier destinations and it’s here that Hotel Santa Marta is found. Yet this property is hidden away, in an exclusive forested location beside Santa Cristina beach (this is accessed via a woodland path). The 76 room hotel is within reach of the town, yet provides plenty of activities on-site, such as tennis courts, beachside yoga, a waterfront pool with jacuzzi, supervised kids activities and an Ayurvedic spa. Guests can also bring their pets along when holidaying here. Fine dining is available at Hotel Santa Marta and there are two bars – one indoor, one alfresco.

Opened in 2024 as Formentera’s first ‘eco-resort’, Dunas de Formentera is pure escapism in the Mediterranean. This beachside hotel offers barefoot luxury in a spectacular sea view location surrounded by nature, just steps from a sandy beach. 45 rooms and suites are found within standalone bungalows and duplex buildings, set amongst the sand dunes of Migjorn beach, shaded by juniper and pine trees. The property’s restaurant, Caliu offers Mediterranean dishes, with views of the infinity pool and the azure and aquamarine waters of Formentera.

This sleek venue was born in the 1970s as a restaurant. Enjoying spectacular success, it held two Michelin stars for 25 years, before securing a third in 2007, which it retained. Of course, the food is a massive draw, but in 2017, the arrival of rooms and a spa, made it the complete boutique dine and stay experience. Circular wooden terraces take advantage of the panoramic seaside views, as do private indoor/outdoor heated plunge pools in exclusive suites. Cantabrian multi-sensory cuisine is served in the top-class restaurants, Akelarre and Espazio Oteiza, with chef Pedro Subijana at the helm.

Welcoming guests for a quarter of a century, this hotel is housed in a Renaissance palace. The vibe is discrete and classy, rather than glitzy, with excellent, unobtrusive service. It’s small and intimate; there are 13 classically decorated bedrooms (replete with Bulgari toiletries and coffee makers), plus there’s a private lounge, but no restaurant. But as the Rector is right in the heart of the city, there’s a wealth of culinary options on the doorstep and staff will gladly provide recommendations to suit your preferences. The lounge is the place to relax post-sightseeing, drink in hand — its stained glass window and oriental rugs are stunning.

Take a heritage vacation by staying in this magical castle dating back to the turn of the 14th century. This Catalan ruin – said to have been inhabited by Christopher Columbus at one point – has been completely refurbished to create boutique hotel accommodation comprising 57 bedrooms. Here guests will find exposed stonework, global artefacts, patchwork rugs, stained glass windows, Tibetan textiles and Victorian bathtubs, all contributing to an antique, yet exotic feel. There are two pools, one proffering stunning views and a bar, the other tiled and nestled in the castle’s gardens. Hotel Castell d’Empordà’s restaurants serve Spanish and Asian dishes and a cellar bar provides an atmospheric spot for a drink. 

A region popular for wine tourism, Rioja Alavesa (specifically the village of Samaniego) is home to this boutique two-storey establishment, part of the Edmond de Rothschild Heritage portfolio. The stunning front elevation features wrought iron balconies and with just 9 rooms, it feels more like you’re a mansion guest as you climb the 17th-century original stone staircase to bed. Suites are named after wines, designed using natural regional materials and filled with local crafts and artworks. Chef Bruno Coelho blends French and Basque flavours with farm-to-table dishes at Tierra y Vino Restaurant. Two terraces accommodate a charming spot for drinks and a stone-clad pool.

Don’t be fooled by the name, this is no ‘hostel’. This retreat, dating back to the 1920s, has hosted a plethora of Hollywood’s icons as well as real-life royalty. Hostal de la Gavina sits on an area of land jutting out toward the sea. This provides panoramic views from most of its sides, with an excellent beach just five minutes on foot via a coastal path. The interiors here follow a palatial traditional style with gleaming parquet flooring, silk wallpaper, Grecian pillars, flamboyant flower arrangements, marble surfaces and antique furniture. Three restaurants (the main dining room offers piano accompaniment at dinner) a spa and a ship-themed bar are available for guests’ enjoyment. Outside there’s a large, glamorous pool terrace, a kids’ play area and tennis courts. 

Located in the stunning, scenic surrounds of La Mancha, Hotel La Caminera Club de Campo offers a luxurious, 5-star retreat to guests from all over the world. This lavish golf and spa resort can be found on the tranquil outskirts of Torrenueva, 70km from Ciudad Real, a spectacular Spanish region, famed for remarkable wines and classic literature, elegance and serenity.

As soon as you arrive in the building, the connection with wine is made clear, as an impressive bottle installation greets guests in the lobby. Pay a visit to the spa and you can book treatments which use wine-based products (guestroom toiletries are also infused with vino), or you can just drink it, in the restaurant, bar, or via a wine tasting arranged by staff. Golf is another draw for guests coming here; bedrooms and a dining terrace overlook the course with its pretty mountain views. And the gourmet offer is enticing, with its signature eatery, L’Olivera, cooking up Catalan favourites showcasing the local catch.

Standing proudly on a hilltop overlooking the city (just a ten-minute stroll to the centre), this grande dame with a terracotta facade is both aristocratic and elegant. Conceived in 1910, the building was inspired by the Nasrid Palace, paying detailed homage to local architecture and culture in its design. It received a full refurbishment in 2017 for maximum modern comfort that retains the traditional elements and regal Moorish features. The hotel’s à la carte restaurant, Principe, serves a range of Mediterranean and international food inside and on the terrace, with far-reaching views. Single rooms through to two-bedroom suites are offered at the Hotel Alhambra Palace.

Embodying the elegance of Seville past and present, the impeccable, Casa Palacio Don Ramón 5* GL, Seville takes a city hotel stay in Southern Spain to new heights of ultra-luxury. A hotel has emerged that celebrates Seville’s refined approach to life, the Hotel Casa Palacio Don Ramón 5* GL, a property that should be at the top of your list if you’re looking for a sophisticated experience. Casa Palacio Don Ramón focuses on the finer things in life, the comforts of a noble house, where you can indulge with a cocktail or two, dine well, relax in elegant surroundings, and retire to a fabulous room. There’s also a delightful roof terrace with bar and pool for those sultry Seville days when really you just want to sip a chilled manzanilla and snooze in the sun. Here the accommodation is truly luxurious. Attention to detail is everywhere. Bespoke wallcoverings, handmade carpets, custom furniture, and lighting as well as curated art and book collections make for a sophisticated experience. Then wake up to one of the most elegant breakfasts in the city, with table service. Each item is brought to the table, so you don’t have to lift a finger, just relish a leisurely start your day in the capital.