Best Independent Style Hotels in Spain

Just off Passeig de Gràcia, a stone’s throw from Gaudí’s Casa Milà and close to Avinguda Diagonal, home to most of Barcelona’s designer boutiques, sits Barcelona’s the Sir Victor Hotel. Its ever-evolving design has kept its cutting edge since it opened in 2003 and the hotel’s restaurant Moo is one of Barcelona’s best. The communal areas are a work of art, with the 91 rooms taking a crisp and fresh design and featuring original artworks, Bose sound systems, Nespresso machines and rainfall showers The hotel’s rooftop terrace and plunge swimming pool are the pinnacles of urban living.

Located on the sun-soaked Playa El Camisón, Hotel Sir Anthony offers guests from across the globe a luxurious escape. This boutique seafront haven boasts 70 spacious rooms and suites and features deluxe suites with exclusive services including access to the restaurants in the Mare Nostrum Resort. The hotel itself offers sublime Mediterranean cuisine and a lively atmosphere in Windsor Gastronomic Palace thanks to the weekly live music and entertainment. Guests can unwind in the lush Sir Anthony Oasis Wellness facilities and choose from a host of treatments or enjoy the unique jacuzzi cabin for couples’ treatments. This stunning hotel is centred around a 200m2 swimming pool with a hammock and Balinese bad area. There are also fitness facilities in the Mediterranean Palace which guests have unlimited access to. The hotel is also conveniently close to the popular shopping area of the ‘Golden Mile’.

The traditional Majorcan patio with magnificent arches and lush plants welcomes you to the Can Cera hotel. The layout of this hotel hints to its past as a family home and although the building has been renovated, there are still plenty of original features. There are lots of common spaces in the hotel including the Recibidor meeting room, the intimate Salon Dorado, the comfortable Bibliotecca or reading room, and the top floor Terraza with views over the old city rooves. With only 14 rooms this hotel is small and elegant. The rooms are spacious and bright with traditional Majorcan influences. French doors lead out onto Juliette balconies and the bathrooms are simple and modern in muted tones. Each room has a different character much like the rooms of a house, adding to the feeling of comfortable luxury. The hotel is also home to a spa which includes a Finnish sauna, Hamman sauna and a Jacuzzi.

Encapsulating the image of Baleriac bliss, Ca Na Xica is a vision of secluded loveliness. Drawing its inspiration from the heart of historic Ibiza, Ca Na Xica is set apart from the bustle of Ibizan nightlife in the sanctuary of the countryside. Ca Na Xica has a tick for every box, meaning that the hotel provides a one-stop retreat for those who want to do nothing more than relax. A particular architectural theme of the hotel is to blend the indoors with nature, which is achieved by open glass panels and quiet enclaves, allowing the natural sounds and scents to flood the lightly enclosed spaces.

The Lodge Mallorca offers that rare and perfect balance – a serene retreat that still embraces discovery and adventure. This boutique sanctuary, with signature lavender fields, in the UNESCO-protected Sierra de Tramuntana welcomes guests with elegantly appointed suites, between the historic farmhouse and standalone buildings across the 157-hectare estate. Days unfold at your preferred pace – perhaps lounging by the stylish infinity pool, indulging in fire-cooked Mediterranean cuisine at ‘Singular’ restaurant, rejuvenating in the wellness area with its pool and wooden barrel sauna, or exploring over 20km of private trails.

Superbly situated in the historic Jewish Quarter of Santa Cruz, with the Giralda as a backdrop, this family-friendly converted mansion is an ideal starting point for flamenco clubs, tapas bars and the main shopping drag. The Flamenco Dance Museum is a must-see before you take in a show at La Casa del Flamenco. The Casa 1800 Sevilla has individually decorated rooms that sport hand-carved furniture, marbled bathrooms, and all facilities, while suites have terraces and outdoor Jacuzzis. Chandeliers light up the elegant public areas and the central patio. The rooftop salt-water pool carries a reflection of the bell tower and boasts amazing vistas.

Overlooking the Atlantic Ocean sits the H10 Playa Meloneras Horizons Collection in Gran Canaria’s scenic Meloneras area. The hotel is comprised of a lush selection of comfortable and contemporary guestrooms and suites with options from the Privilege Service which offers exclusive rooms and amenities including the Doble Privilege Terrace with views out to sea or over the pool from its expansive terrace. There are five à la carte dining venues featuring Il Trastevere and Sakura, serving Italian and Teppanyaki Japanese cuisine respectively, as well as a buffet restaurant with show cooking. The hotel’s four bars include the poolside Naturalia and the Lobby Bar with live music. Guests are invited to take full advantage of the Despacio Spa Centre with bithermal shower and other wellness facilities. The hotel also provides guests with fitness facilities including a fully equipped gym and tennis courts. There are heated outdoor swimming pools including a gorgeous infinity pool and a children’s pool. The H10 Playa Meloneras Horizons Collection entertainment programme is sure to suit guests of all ages throughout your stay.

Hotel Cort is truly unique in its style. The hotel is reminiscent of seaside retreats with subtle nods towards traditional Spanish abodes whilst retaining a luxurious feel. It is obvious that when designing the hotel, they aimed to keep it feeling homey and comfortable. The rooms themselves have a relaxing ambience and each room is unique in design, from the lemon tree-filled suite, to the Hamptons-like room with sailing-inspired pieces. As for exploring the rest of the hotel that is an adventure for each visitor to partake in – there are multiple bars and terraces tucked away in corners and up staircases that are just waiting to be discovered!

Follow the labyrinth-like streets upwards until you’re high above the UNESCO-listed city of Dalt Vila. Here you’ll find a collection of three 16th-century buildings, comprising secret passageways and old watchtowers, that make up the historic Hotel La Torre del Canónigo. On its grounds are a pool and solarium and the Corsair Restaurant & Terrace, set in a 10th-century building. Guest bedrooms are simple but very fashionable in terms of decor, sporting original features such as exposed stone walls and wooden beamed ceilings.

The Urso Hotel is found in the Chueca district, neighbouring the Chamberi and Tribunal areas. The Urso is a 20th-century building which incorporates modern décor and architectural designs. It’s a stylish boutique property and is close to embassy buildings, restaurants, and bars. It has over 78 rooms and offers amenities such as a spa, swimming pool, lounge bar, and fitness centre. Enjoy top-class tapas and wine at Urso’s on-site eatery Media Ración, or dine in The Conservatory, where the outdoors is brought elegantly indoors.

Said to be the birthplace of the poet Ximinez de Enciso, this boutique hotel in the Barrio de Santa Cruz is a short walk from the Gothic cathedral and the Alcázar palace. The seventeenth-century building has been carefully restored and retains the typical architectural style of a central courtyard with a fountain. Guests can look forward to daily live guitar music and can enjoy an art gallery and a roof terrace with views to the cathedral and its baroque bell tower, the Giralda. Rooms vary in size, with suites and duplexes available, and there is also a luxury apartment.

This charming family-run establishment is set right on the main pedestrian promenade and boasts a private strip of golden sand for guests to sun themselves on. Hotel Miramar is famous for its dining opportunities and the main restaurant takes full advantage of the abundance of freshly caught seafood while blending classic Mediterranean and Mallorcan flavours. The Miramar Sea Lounge is the perfect place to unwind in the evening while having a gin and tonic or a glass of locally produced wine while watching the world go by. While there are five different categories of rooms to choose from, luxury lovers will want to make sure that they book one of the spacious suites so that they can take advantage of stunning ocean views from their private balcony.