Room Mate Migueletes, Granada

Walking into the Migueletes Hotel is like walking into a cool oasis in the middle of the bustling centre of old Granada. Located in the middle of a maze of small, winding streets, the hotel itself is a 17th century mansion, slowly and lovingly restored by the owners.

The hotel is accessed by ringing the bell of an unfeasibly large, old wooden door, the sort that could leads into a cathedral, or a fort. Opening this door, you walk into a classic Andalucian courtyard, with a stone flagged floor and a Roman Lion's head fountain which tinkles quietly in the corner amongst tubs of citrus trees. The patio is sheltered from the sun by a large cover which is drawn over during the day, and opened at night for coolness and a lovely view of the black sky and twinkling stars. Original stone steps lead up to a gallery which is enclosed by the original dark wooden balustrades that existed when the mansion was in its prime. I had to do a double take when I walked in - I was surrounded by so much history ... had I accidentally entered yet another museum by mistake?

The small reception is located at the entrance to the courtyard, and we received a very warm welcome from the staff, all of whom spoke excellent English. We were shown to our room, which was reached by walking across the courtyard to the large modern lift, which took us up to the first floor. Walking along the cool, marble-floored corridors took a long time, as every time we passed a window we had to stop and marvel at the fantastic views of the Alhambra ! The corridors were lined with Moroccan pots and ceramics, as well as pots of palms and this, together with the beamed ceilings, maintained the feeling of being in a museum.

The hotel has 25 beautifully restored rooms, and some of these look out onto the patio, their ornate wooden shutters giving the courtyard even more atmosphere. Our room was one of these. It was large and traditionally furnished, with a cool terracotta floor, ornate wooden windows, and dark Spanish furniture. Everything was scrupulously clean, even the dark wooden beams that latticed the ceilings. The bed was large and comfortable, with a very unusual carved dark wooden headboard and pristine cream covers. Unusually, we found a green apple placed on each pillow, which I think may be a trademark of RoomMate Hotels. Our ensuite was large and modern, with a large window, ample soaps, shampoos, etc, luxurious white fluffy towels and bathmat, and a hairdryer. Our room had a TV, air-conditioning, telephone, free Wi-Fi and a mini bar. Massages and beauty treatments could be arranged by request.

The patio contained several small patio-style chairs and tables, and it was a very peaceful place to sit and relax. In the afternoon complimentary sweet wine was served from the hotel's bodega. In the evening, once the patio covers have been drawn back, the patio was a real haven of peace, with the sound of the fountain in the background and the noise of the traffic cut off by the thick walls.

Breakfast was served on the basement level, in a room which perhaps had once been a wine cellar, and retained its herring bone terracotta floor tiles, rough stone walls, and arching alcoves. We enjoyed a very good selection of fresh, typically Spanish food.

This hotel does not have a bar or restaurant, but it is in the middle of the old part of the city, and ample food and drink are available within a few yards. The hotel's lounge is decorated with the same simplicity and quality of the bedrooms. A PC is available for the use of guests, and cream sofas sit beneath the traditional beams to provide a welcome rest. The owners proudly display photo albums of the restoration, so that the guests can see the time and thought that has gone into the recreation of this former headquarters of the famous troop of Migueletes, a kind of rural police of the time.

Two things made this stay outstanding for us; the first was the helpfulness of the staff. Everybody we met was incredibly friendly - the receptionist spent a long time on the hotel phone, trying to book tickets for the Alhambra for us (he was unsuccessful and we had to queue at 8am for tickets instead). Another receptionist volunteered to check our flights home, confirmed our bookings online, and printed out the confirmation for us. This was all done with very good will, and totally unasked.

The second thing that would make me recommend this hotel is the proximity to all of the fabulous tourist attractions that Granada has to offer. It is very central, and the path to walk up to the Alhambra is almost on the doorstep. It is also surrounded by lovely restaurants and bars - all with amazing views up the hill to the Alhambra which is dramatically and beautifully illuminated at night.

Our room was one of the smaller rooms, but there are two rooms which I know are greatly in demand. These are the Suite Alhambra, where you can see the fort from your four poster bed; and the other room is in the tower of the hotel, which again provides spectacular views of the old town.

All rooms in the hotel are non-smoking. There is one room which has been specially adapted for handicapped guests, but all rooms are very accessible thanks to the spacious lift.

We paid about £70 for our room, which included breakfast. We found this to be good value for a 3 star hotel with a very central location.

ADDRESS: Benalua, 11 (Plaza Nueva)18010