Hotel Santa Isabel la Real

An immensely friendly and perfectly manicured small hotel at the heart of Granada's enchanting Albaicín

The Albaicín quarter of Granada rises steeply up a hillside directly opposite the Alhambra: the views from its leafy squares across the Darro gorge to the exquisite Nasrid palaces have long been a magnet for travellers, romantics and dreamers. Hotel Santa Isabel lies at the heart of its plexus of narrow alleyways, and nudges up to the convent of the same name: arriving in its sheltered patio you get that same sense of cloistered retreat.

The creation and management of the hotel is very much a family affair: managed by the friendliest trio of brother and sisters - Rafael, Elena and Lola - the hotel was created by their father after 3 years of inspired and meticulous restoration. The building turns around its columned patio where a trickling fountain and a double tier of balconies evoke its 16th-century origins. The 11 guest rooms are exceptionally pretty and very spick and span: those at the top of the building grab a slice of that narcotic Alhambra vista. Santa Isabel really proves the rule that small is beautiful, and the Castillo family treat you as a guest of honour.

Highs

• There's a real sense of inner sanctum, of being far removed from the cut and thrust of the city
• A cosy sitting room with plenty of comfy sofas to slump into after a day of sightseeing
• You're just around the corner from the lively bars and restaurants of Plaza San Miguel Bajo
• The Castillo family's gentle, ever helpful manner will make your stay here doubly memorable
• You're at the heart of the Albaicín, one of Europe's most fascinating medieval quarters

Lows

• Apart from breakfast, only light snacks are available. But with so many bars and restaurants virtually next door, this is hardly a problem
• If you walk up from the Darro gorge be prepared for a steep haul, albeit through a fascinating labyrinth of narrow alleys