Hotel Palacio de Santa Paula, Autograph Collection

“Beautiful hotel, good location, but breakfast service can be improved”

I stayed here for 2-nights, it's a very charming boutique hotel that located in historical sites which are Santa Paula Monastery and the Casa Morisca, which existed in the XVI and XII centuries. My detailed reviews below: 1) Location: Great location, it's at the heart of Granada. Easy walk to the … more

I stayed here for 2-nights, it's a very charming boutique hotel that located in historical sites which are Santa Paula Monastery and the Casa Morisca, which existed in the XVI and XII centuries. My detailed reviews below: 1) Location: Great location, it's at the heart of Granada. Easy walk to the central town. In theory you could walk up to Alhambra for 30 minutes but I think it's more like a climb, definitely worth 10-minutes taxi ride up. Walking down from Alhambra when the sun down is more bearable. One annoying thing is if you bring your own car here, do NOT trust Google Maps. It's easy to get lost as most streets are one-way. There is no on-site parking, only valet which is a bit expensive. 2) Lobby/Reception: Lobby is small, beautiful, yet practical. I can definitely feel the charm of the place. Lobby has enough seating. Front desk department was very helpful explaining all the features in the hotel, answering all my inquiries, and the check-in process was smooth and pleasant. 3) Room: My room is located in a newly refurbished building that looks very modern from outside, however, from inside, it does has the "old" charm. The room is small but it's very nice, practical, and got a nice view of Alhambra in the distance. Room is facing the street but surprisingly it's quiet. The bed is super comfy. The bathrom is surprisingly has decent size, complete with tub and shower combination, and toilet with an actual door for privacy (which is a rarity these days!). Standard amenities like complimentary bottled water, coffee maker, tea, are pretty much expected. Anyway, room is pretty solid! 4) El Claustro Restaurant & Bar: The on-site restaurant is located in the courtyard area. There are indoor area as well outdoor area which is a beautiful courtyard. The bar area looks very interesting but they could've use a bit more lighting especially around the stairs which can be a bit dangerous for clumsy people like me. Breakfast is served a mix of ala carte for hot food and buffet for cold food. I like having a peaceful morning breakfast in the courtyard area. If you're in a rush, I think it's better just to have the buffet as the hot food can take awhile. I also feel the service can be improved especially on the consistency. The first morning I came, service was excellent, the associate was very attentive. However, the second morning, we decided to come early and service was downgraded: no one in the front, took awhile to be seated to the point I just pick my own table, also everything just slower. The weird thing was, the restaurant was still dead quiet and only a few table occupied. I tried the drinks from the bar in the afternoon, I think the drink price was pretty expensive for what it's worth. 5) Other aspects: I went around the hotel area and I'd say it's pretty charming. Passed through a gym, it's tiny but seems alright. Housekeeping team done a great job, I always find the room refreshed when I came back after exploring the town. Valet service also great. All the associates are very nice, friendly, and welcoming. Definitely one of the key highlights of this hotel. I do still hope they can improve their breakfast service. Overall, it was a great stay.

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