Best Independent Style Hotels in Spain

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.

Inspired by traditional Andalusian architecture, this exclusive and luxurious hotel and resort is the perfect summer getaway. Blending the best of traditional Mediterranean lifestyle with contemporary living, the Finca Cortesin offers incredible cuisine, impeccable service and blissful tranquillity. Built around two sunny courtyards the hotel only has 67 rooms and yet feels palatial in style and space. Rooms are spacious and filled with light – a notable feature is their beautifully high ceilings. Spaces in the hotel manage to be both elegant and luxurious whilst still offering a lot of comfort. We adore the statement printed textiles which stand out against the warmly neutral décor. Surrounding the hotel is 23,000 sqm of landscaped gardens, a luxurious Thai spa, an incredible 4 swimming pools (our favourite is the heated indoor pool with views of the coast), tennis courts, and a spectacular beach club. The hotel is not lacking in dining options either – choose between the relaxed terrace restaurant El Jardin de Lutz, the Michelin-starred Kabuki Raw serving up Japanese-Mediterranean fusions, the traditional Italian brasserie from Sicilian chef Andrea Tumbarello, Don Giovanni, or casual tapas and drinks from The Blue Bar.

Every one of the 44 exterior bedrooms at the Gran Hotel La Perla has balconies looking onto Estafeta Street and Plaza del Castillo. There are also attic bedrooms and suites dedicated to former notable guests (including Ernest Hemingway, Orson Welles, Julián Gayarre and Víctor Eusa). Other famous names to have graced its corridors since its opening in 1881, are Charles Chaplin, Julio Iglesias and  Woody Allen. The hotel, the first five-star in the city, is set on Plaza del Castillo and has a breakfast room, as well as several meeting spaces.

The seaside Gran Hotel Bahía del Duque Resort has been stylishly designed to capture the essence of a traditional 19th-century, Canarian colonial villa. With tremendous views of the Atlantic Ocean, the hotel boasts 386 beautifully decorated rooms, 58 suites and 40 private villas, including the Presidential Suite and the luxurious Suite Imelda with a private outdoor jacuzzi. The stunning Casas Ducales feature deluxe rooms and suites, including a lavish Presidential Suite, and exclusive services. Each villa is built into volcanic stone and offers a private plunge pool & solarium terrace. There are 9 dining venues serving local and international cuisine including Michelin-starred Nub Restaurant in addition to 14 bars & lounges. There is an award-winning Spa with immersive treatments at Bahía Wellness Retreat as well as a fitness centre with personalised physiotherapy options and a beauty studio. There is a tranquil outdoor Vitality pool with a Thalassotherapy circuit, complete with a Hammam, and outdoor solarium.

Elisabeth by the Sea offers much more than a tranquil stay by the Mediterranean. Housed in a beautiful 1930s building, this luxurious hotel invites guests to enjoy an exclusive getaway in Tossa de Mar. There are 132 guestrooms, the majority boasting sea views, in this picturesque setting, ideal for relaxation. The Patio Restaurant and Pique Nique Rooftop Bar offer on-site dining while the full-service Boutique Spa provides serenity and an opportunity to unwind and recharge. There are 24-hour fitness facilities and wellness amenities including swimming pools massage rooms, and many more amenities for complete relaxation.

Founded in the 1950s by Prince Alfonso Hohenlohe, this was once the hotspot of various figures of European royalty during the summer but has since had a bit of a revival. Now renowned as an amazing health and well-being retreat as well as retaining some of the old-school glamour which had attracted the likes of Brigitte Bardot, Audrey Hepburn, and Grace Kelly to return again and again. The 35 guestrooms and 80 suites are set amongst lush subtropical gardens and many include private outdoor terraces. With white timbered roofs and a coastal-inspired pastel palette, Deluxe Beachfront rooms compliment their views of the Strait of Gibraltar; whilst private villas ooze contemporary Andalusian chic dressed nearly all in white and boasting private pools. When you aren’t lazing around in verdant walled courtyards or around one of the three pools, you can learn meditation from a master, work with a naturopath, nutritionist or fitness expert to improve your lifestyle, or enjoy a Thalassotherapy treatment or ritual at the award-winning spa – holistic wellbeing is at the core of the Marbella Club’s ethos. When you get hungry The Grill is an old-school restaurant with knowledgeable sommeliers and French fare presented under silver cloches, whilst The Beach Club has a renowned buffet of vibrant seafood, paella, pasta salads and cold meat for more casual dining. Alternatively, the Chiringuito MC Beach serves up barbequed sacks and smaller bites, perfect for poolside dining.

The kind of resort hotel where the hydrotherapy plunge pool is lit from aloft by a Baroque crystal chandelier and flanked by a gilt-topped oversized mirror. It’s a castle with a modern annexe, surrounded by extensive grounds that incorporate an 18-hole golf course. Yet Castillo de Gorraiz is just a ten-minute taxi ride into town (or you can jump on the hotel shuttle). The public areas are opulent, with heavy velvet drapes and Gothis furnishings, while 47 bedrooms take on a simpler aesthetic. Dine indoors, or take in the views with a meal on the terrace.

Mas de Torrent captivates as an elegant, timeless sanctuary in the Empordà countryside of Costa Brava. This distinguished Relais & Châteaux property centres around an 18th-century Catalan masía (farmhouse) that has been restored while preserving its authentic character and soul. The estate encompasses sophisticated suites distributed between the historic main building, garden bungalows and two signature suites, some featuring private pools and secluded terraces with sweeping views across the golden landscape.

There’s the signature Mas de Torrent restaurant showcasing Catalan culinary heritage, to rejuvenating treatments at the spectacular 600m² standalone Mas Spa with its heated indoor pool.

This large and lavish resort has been attracting major celebrities from all over the world for many years and is the perfect place to rub shoulders with the rich and famous. Nature lovers are sure to be in their element here as in addition to being right on the edge of the sands of Maspalomas the enchanting lagoon and nature reserve of Charca is just a short stroll away. Guests should make sure that they select one of the spacious upper-floor suites so that they can take in the vistas of the dunes below from the serenity of their balcony.

A 14th-century Dominican monastery, this hotel has historic river view rooms (singles through to suites) in its Casa Grande and minimalist self-catering villas overlooking the vineyards. Christopher Colombus once stayed in the Tuscan inspired property, which is located in the lush Duero Valley, just 10 minutes from the city centre. It incorporates a winemaking hacienda – frequent guided tours are offered – and from which the hotel’s wine cellar is stocked. Produce from the onsite organic farm is also served in gourmet restaurants. Hacienda Zorita exudes understated luxury, with two pools, a terrace and open-air movie nights in the summer.