Cristine Bedfor Malaga Review

Cristine Bedfor Malaga is a creatively restored and decorated 1871 mansion, a new boutique 27-room guest house hotel that resonates with an imaginative world of storytelling and elegant hospitality. Opened June 2025 at the corner of Calle Granada and Calle Méndez Núñez in Malaga’s historic old town, this enchanting property is the latest creation from Cristina Lozano. Each Cristine Bedfor property tells a chapter from the fictional life of her alter ego, Cristine Bedfor, and here in Malaga, we discover her childhood adventures on the floating island of Clementine.

The Story

Cristine Bedfor exists in the imagination of founder Cristina Lozano as the daughter of Spanish ambassador Pablo Bedfor and his English wife Victoria Misseden. In Malaga, we encounter the childhood experiences of Cristina on the floating island of Clementine, shaping every detail of this extraordinary guest house, creating an immersive, playful experience.

The original building was designed by Gerónimo Cuervo, the acclaimed architect of Malaga’s emblematic Cervantes Theatre. The property lay dormant for years before Cristina, together with her interior designer Marta de la Rica, realised its potential as a unique hotel.

Originally, this noble house would have contained generously proportioned private apartments on each floor, but in recent years it was left to decay, with the ground floor broken up into different commercial spaces, while the magnificent patio skylight was sealed off.

The two-year restoration focused on revealing the lost character and residential style charm. Original tiles floors were painstakingly restored together with stained glass in the central atrium, which is now a spectacular feature of the building.

The Guest Experience

Once you step over the threshold, you begin the storytelling experience. The elegant entrance is a cosy library, with antique bookcases filled with vintage volumes from across the world, botanical prints and fresh flowers arranged beside table lamps. In the evenings, the space is scented by signature candles.

Handmade striped fabrics from Menorca hang throughout the atrium and continue in the guest rooms, with patterns unique to each space and the character they represent. These stripes reference British textile traditions, childhood memories, and Spanish craftsmanship simultaneously. Porcelain biznagas serve as decorative elements throughout the space, celebrating local Malaga artisanship of the painstakingly prepared ‘flowers’ of jasmine blossoms sold by street vendors in the city centre.

This attention to detail extends throughout the 27 individually designed rooms. Some feature vintage bathtubs and views across Malaga’s rooftops to the Cathedral. Guests seeking tranquillity can choose rooms overlooking the internal patios, away from the street activity.

I chose a top-floor room which was particularly charming. While more compact than the grand high-ceilinged rooms on the noble floors, this elevated position offered magnificent views across Malaga’s rooftops. It was a cosy retreat with painted wall details, embroidered cushions, and charming decorative lighting.

The Dining

La Cocina de Cristine, the hotel’s charming bar restaurant, provides a wonderful introduction to each day. The breakfast experience with Miguel’s friendly service exemplifies the personal attention that defines the property. The menu offers everything from healthy yoghurt bowls with goji berries and seasonal fruit to indulgent Cristine’s Benedicts with salmon or Iberian ham with hollandaise sauce on brioche.

The restaurant is open throughout the day for tapas, and light bites, paired with local wines. The friendly, knowledgeable team with make suggestions for a memorable meal.

The design of the space tells another story from Cristine’s childhood world, inspired by a character who loved competing in equestrian competitions across France and Belgium. This narrative thread appears in subtle equestrian details throughout the space, while the overall aesthetic embraces authentic Andalusian style. Wooden tables paired with traditional Spanish high-back chairs feature upholstered cushions, while handcrafted esparto blinds filter the Mediterranean light. Vintage ceramic jars line shelves, creating an atmosphere that feels genuinely rooted in local tradition.

Also, next door is La Campana, a culinary institution dating to 1905 that remains one of Malaga’s most authentic destinations for traditional pescaíto frito and local specialities.

The Team

This magical property is brought to life by the excellent team, led by General Manager Gonzalo. María and her colleague Briani at reception offer a wealth of insight into both the hotel’s intricate storytelling and the city of Malaga itself, as well as friendly personal service, from meeting guests at the nearby car park to assisting with luggage.

The Cristine Bedfor Collection

Cristine Bedfor began in Mahón, Menorca, where Cristina worked with acclaimed interior designer Lorenzo Castillo to establish the storytelling concept. That property, filled with extraordinary antique pieces discovered in shops and fairs around the world, established the template for how historical authenticity and narrative design could create genuinely unique hospitality experiences.

This autumn, Seville will open. The forthcoming property explores Seville as Europe’s Renaissance port, a meeting point of two worlds and cultures during the Spanish Empire. The design concept looks back at 16th-century Seville as a sophisticated melting pot where Rome and the Islamic Andalusian world existed in harmony, creating a bridge to Italy and the Americas through colours, textures, and patterns that evoke this rich cultural exchange.