When we entered the vicinity of Granada we hadn’t bargained on how commercialised, urban and ugly the outskirts are. We had a (wrong and under researched) idea of somewhere far lovelier. The difficulty was that on arrival at the hotel – which is on the edge of the new and old town – the impression hadn’t lifted so initial feelings were pretty mixed.
The frontage isn’t 5 star . It does have some parking bays sealed off for guests so valet parking is recommended if you are driving. Odd gates you have to buzz into and a strange fake swan pond at the front don’t make the hotel the most welcoming we have encountered. On entering it is a strange mix of old and new which somehow doesn’t quite work.
We had booked a junior suite in the old palace but on early arrival were offered an upgrade to a full suite – i.e. completely separate living room and bedroom. Having been on a cruise for 10 days this was appreciated. It is however a relatively characterless space in the basement with very modern fixtures so no sense of being somewhere historic.
Once we ventured out however we found that we were indeed on the edge of the better looking (much) part of the city and settled down to enjoy our two day stay very much.
From then on in the hotel redeemed itself entirely. All staff were charming. The room service service (!) was simply brilliant – super fast, super friendly and exactly what we needed after cruise ship food. The breakfast was one of the best European offerings we have ever encountered with delicious fresh pastries, breads and a generous array of fruits, meats, cheeses etc. brilliantly presented.
So the message is that first impressions are not universally correct.
