Hospes Palau de la Mar

Stylish mansion makeover in Valencia's boutique shopping district of L'Eixample

The merging of a pair of 19th-century mansions has created one of Valencia’s coolest, most contemporary hotels: the Palau de la Mar is an elegant airy palace of soft crème-caramel furnishings and sleek parquet floors. Enter the grand doors to opposite sets of gleaming white marble stairs leading to 7 storeys of rooms. Walk through the lofty lobby, lightly fragranced with the scent of Valencian orange blossom, to a new wing with rooms facing an interior wooden-decked and plant-filled patio.

Set in the swish L'Eixample shopping district (several designer stores are nearby) and with its own upscale restaurant and spa, this is a boutique hotel meant for indulging in retail, gourmet and body therapy. Not far from the crowded cobblestone plazas of the centro histórico and even closer to the tranquil green of the Turia Gardens, this is a chic base for a break in this upcoming city de la mar.

Highs

• Excellent central location on the edge of the old town - a 5-minute walk to shops, restaurants and parks
• Stylish design hotel with good facilities that's bigger than it seems, so it's not always full and has special weekend packages
• Friendly, professional staff happy to help with any requirements, as well as restaurant recommendations (although the hotel's own is top-notch)
• Fabulous underground pool and Jacuzzi for cooling off after hot city days

Lows

• Given the price tag it's a shame more isn't included in the room rate (breakfast/tea/coffee/water etc)
• The Dreamer's Rooms facing the internal courtyard can be a little dark and lack privacy
• The hotel's location means it's a 20-minute metro ride to the beach