Spain’s magnifico seven
The sizzlingly stylish hotels that are making the country such a hotspot for hedonists
Spain is heating up. New super-stylish hotels are set to welcome their first guests, while more established places have sprinkled stardust over their rooms, restaurants and spas for the new season. Here are seven red-hot hotels that show Spain will sizzle this summer.
Nobu Hotel, Marbella
Sizzle factor: Billed as the sexiest new hotel in Europe, it reflects all the glamour, glitz and grownup vibe of Marbella. Expect a ‘see and be seen’ atmosphere under palm trees and ‘beat the line’ access to the adjoining La Suite nightclub.
Hot tip: Signature Nobu dishes in the La Plaza restaurant, so enjoy rockfish tempura and the iconic black cod miso. Call the concierge to get the ‘roving mixology cart’ brought to your room.
The deal: Ryanair/Aer Lingus fly to Malaga. Two nights for two in June costs from €840. nobuhotels. com/marbella
Motel One, Barcelona
Sizzle factor: With Spanish artists, designers and artisans behind everything from the floor tiles to light fittings, this is a high-style, low-cost option set between the city centre and the beach.
Hot tips: Enjoy a siesta on an oversized sofa, hidden by thick ferns, in the lobby. Then head up to the rooftop bar to sip a sunset cocktail. The most popular? A Spanish vermouth.
The deal: Ryanair/Aer Lingus fly to Barcelona. A two-night stay for two people in June costs from €370. motel-one.com
PuroHotel, Palma
Sizzle factor: This boutique hotel, carved out of a 17th-century palace in Palma’s Old Quarter, is a destination for foodies, with a new restaurant fusing ‘flavours, spices and passion’ from the Med to Asia.
Hot tips: Book the new PuroBeach Pack to get sunloungers (and trays with fruit, chilled mineral water, sun lotion and a smoothie) at the hotel’s beach club. Or splash out on the VIP ‘private wing’, where chefs will cook in your personal kitchen.
The deal: Ryanair/Aer Lingus fly to Palma. Threenight min. stay for two in June costs from €1,000. purohotel.com VP Plaza Espana Design, Madrid
Sizzle factor: New and achingly modern, this hotel aims to be a ‘social hub for international hipsters’ – and for any guests drawn to minimalist architecture, bespoke local art and ginormous beds. Pack your dancing shoes – there’s a soundproofed private club on the roof with live music and DJs.
Hot tips: The rooftop bar offers panoramic views of Madrid and a glass-bottom pool. A ‘guest-only’ deal from the concierge can include renting a Ferrari for the day.
The deal: Ryanair/Aer Lingus fly to Madrid. Two nights for two from €430. plazaespanahotel.com Las Caldas Villa Termal, Oviedo Sizzle factor: It opened 250 years ago as one of Europe’s Grand Hotels and the gloriously restored old building is like a Spanish Downton Abbey. But the new bit? Management have spent €40m on an ultramodern spa built into the hillside like a Bond villain’s high-tech lair.
Hot tips: Breakfast in the stunning ‘fin de siecle’ Hall of Mirrors. Float in the pool for the nightly light-and-music show.
The deal: Fly to Asturias via Barcelona or Madrid. Two nights for two €260. lascaldasvillatermal.com
Finca Cortesin, near Marbella
Sizzle factor: Pack your designer clothes and your golf clubs for a trip to this super-stylish and newly renovated hotel. It’s an all-suite affair which offers a modern twist on country-house chic. Don’t play golf? Wander down to the private beach or float in one of four hotel pools instead.
Hot tips: Book a treatment in the VIP cabin of the spa – then brave the ‘snow cave’ to chill out, before dining under the stars.
The deal: Fly to Malaga (as before). A two-night stay for two costs from €1560. fincacortesin.com
Bless Collection, Ibiza
Sizzle factor: The interiors are inspired by Coco Chanel and the doors open in June to a rolling programme of fashion shows, performance art and photography exhibitions. And the food promises to be spectacular – Basque chef Martin Berasategui has 10 Michelin stars to his name.
Hot tips: Gaze out across the Med from a sunbed alongside one of two infinity pools.
The deal: Ryanair flies to Ibiza. Two nights for two costs from €915.