Casa Morisca

Granada & Sierra Nevada, Spain
Book from GBP Book from £87 per night

A small, stylish, historic residence with a Moorish-style inner court, in the quieter reaches of the medieval Albaicin quarter

A small, stylish, historic residence with a Moorish-style inner court, in the quieter reaches of the medieval Albaicin quarter

Morisca means ‘Moorish in style’ and, like many of the historic residences in Granada’s Albaicin district, this grand town house has a distinctly north-African feel. A studded wooden gate leads into a cool courtyard with a tiled pool and trickling fountain surrounded by marble columns and stuccoed archways. Overhead are 3 circuits of wooden landings, off which lie the bedrooms and suites, and a retractable canopy at the top to shield you from rain and sun alike. It's so Moorish it could be Marrakesh.

But, to make the obvious pun, it is also a very more-ish hotel. Many guests who we met were on their second or third visit, and said they would not book anywhere else in Granada. It’s not that the rooms are particularly large or better equipped than the handful of other Casa hotels in the Albaicin. But that the prize winning makeover of the building was executed with great care and style - architect Carlos Sanchez has a passion for Morocco and a reputation for perfectionism. The staff are attentive, the rooms spotlessly clean. And it is a quiet neighbourhood, just far enough from the late-night revellers and barking dogs that spill off the Plaza Nueva.

Highs

  • Wonderful Alhambra views from some of the rooms
  • We found it to be very well maintained and run on our most recent visit
  • There's a cosy salon, a wafer-bricked breakfast room and a beautiful central courtyard
  • Perfect for romantic couples and discerning visitors
  • You get a fabulously central yet unusually quiet city location
  • There are several parking spaces right outside the hotel, a rarity in this area

Lows

  • Bedrooms are quite small (except the Deluxe Room)
  • Breakfast is the only meal on offer, but you're a hop way from dozens of restaurants and bars
  • Not cheap, but a good night’s sleep is priceless
  • Driving to the hotel is a bit of an ordeal, involving drop-down bollards and a narrow access road along the north bank of the river

Best time to go

Granada is busy from April to September, and getting more so year on year. If you want to avoid the crowds go in March or October. If you want to join them go in midsummer - but be aware that it will be hot!

Our top tips

Granada has plenty of material for 3-4 days of solid sightseeing - you could happily spend a whole day in the Alhambra, and another in the Albaicin, without allowing for time browsing through its variety of shops. Those who only come for a day invariably leave wishing they’d stayed longer.

Great for...

City Style
Family
Romantic
  • Boutique Hotel
  • 14 rooms
  • Breakfast only (walk to restaurants)
  • All ages welcome
  • Open all year
  • Pool
  • Spa Treatments
  • Beach Nearby
  • Pet Friendly
  • Disabled Access
  • Car not necessary
  • Parking
  • Restaurants Nearby
  • WiFi
  • Air Conditioning
  • Guest Lounge
  • Terrace
  • Garden
  • Gym
  • Courtyard
Room:

Rooms

Most of the guest rooms lie off the landing that runs around the interior courtyard, with a couple more perched up in the corner ‘towers’. They are fairly small but neatly decorated, with tiled floors, muted colour schemes, beamed ceilings (in most cases), and dark-wood furniture including a wardrobe, a TV-cum-minibar cabinet and a small desk in all but the smallest rooms. Individual air-conditioning/heating means you can keep the windows closed at night to keep street noise out. Most have twin beds backed by upholstered headboards which can be pushed together create kingsize doubles.

The ensuite bathrooms are vividly tiled, and have a bathtub with a very satisfactory shower attachment and screen (except the Suite - see below). Expect Damana gel, shampoo and body cream in big chunky bottles and fluffy white towels embroidered with the hotel's CM logo.

The Deluxe Room is the largest, a long thin room running the length of one side of the first floor. It has a proper sitting area with a sofa and a coffee table, a beamed ceiling with Arabic wood-painting, and also the best equipped bathroom (twin basins, a Jacuzzi bathtub and a separate shower).

The most panoramic room is, not surprisingly, the tower-top Mirador (every Granada residence had to have one!), whose windows line the 2 sides facing the Alhambra. But, despite the blinds, it does get hot in summer. Another charming room, also situated a few steps above the rest, is the Blue Room (#14), whose walls and ceiling beams are painted pale lilac. Though small, it is probably the most special of the Standard Rooms. The remaining rooms are all pretty similar, except that the Superior Room has a minuscule balcony and a little more floor space. Some Standard Rooms have no exterior views, the smallest (#7) is worth avoiding if possible. There is a lift, incidentally.

Features include:

  • Hairdryer
  • Minibar
  • WiFi

Eating

A buffet breakfast is served to the strains of Baroque music. This consists of cereals, fruit (including melon in summer), potato omelette and hard-boiled eggs, hams, cheese, bread / toast, croissants, yoghurt, freshly squeezed orange juice and hot drinks. There's also olive oil and tomato in case you fancy a properly Andalusian tostada. It’s served in a vaulted and wafer-bricked subterranean room, once used for storage; but there’s also an open, plant-shaded patio at the rear where you can have a cold drink during the day.

For dinner there’s a variety of tapas bars and restaurants within walking distance. As well as a line of restaurants just around the first corner from Casa Morisca - all look straight up to the Alhambra - there are heaps of great eateries within easy striking distance. Our favourites are the Bodega Castaneda, though you’ll need to arrive early if you want a seat; and the typically Andalucian Casa Torcuata, though it’s a good 10 minutes away on foot.

For a slightly less ethnic dining experience, though one which will be droolingly romantic, climb up to the Plaza de San Nicolás and splash out at either the Mirador de Aixa or Las Tomasas. Both have alfresco dining on Alhambra-facing terraces.

Features include:

  • Breakfast
  • Restaurants nearby
Eating:
Activity:

Activities

  • Visit the Alhambra, even if you’ve been before. There's so much to see in this world-famous Moorish castle and its extensive gardens, that it'd take a lifetime to get bored!
  • Wander on from the Albaicin to the Sacromonte district and buy a ticket to one of the flamenco shows which are staged in its subterranean peñas. These may be a tad touristy but can offer an exciting first encounter with flamenco music and dance
  • There's a good chance that there will be some kind of musical or theatrical event happening whilst you're here. In summer, concerts and plays are often are staged in the grounds of the Alhambra
  • Granada’s late Gothic Capilla Real (royal chapel) contains the tombs of those great Catholic liberators, Isabel and Fernando; the cathedral is also worth a quick tour
  • Wander through the cobbled lanes of the Albaicin and Sacramonte districts, rich in Christian churches, Moorish architecture, Moroccan gift shops and Bohemian atmosphere
  • From Granada you can ski at Solynieve, southern Spain’s best resort with snow cover lingering until May
  • Or you can head off to the Alpujarras villages on the far side of the Sierra Nevada for some walking, horse-riding or a high peak traverse on skis (or on foot)

Activities on site or nearby include:

  • Horse riding
  • Museums / galleries
  • Shopping / markets
  • Traditional cultures
  • Trekking

Kids

Children of all ages are welcome.

Family friendly accommodation:

An extra bed or baby cot can be made up in some of the Standard Rooms and the Superior Room, but the Deluxe Room (with its sofabed) is the best option for families.

Cots Available, Extra Beds Available

Kid Friendly:

Location

Casa Morisca is situated in the historic district of the lower Albayzin at the end of the Carrera del Darro street, next to the Paseo de los Tristes and opposite the Alhambra, Granada.

By Air:
Granada (22km) is the closest airport. Alternatively you could fly into Malaga (133km), Almeria (160km), Seville (251km), Gibraltar (253km) or Jerez (305km). Click on the links below for a list of airlines.

From the Airport
You can get a taxi from Granada Airport or you could hire a car (see below). If you prefer not to drive, there are buses and trains between Granada and major cities including Malaga.

By Car:
For hire cars see our car rental recommendations.

When you book, the hotel will give you a pass allowing you to drive past the automatic bollards into the pedestrian area in which it is situated. We will also provide detailed directions and a map.

More on getting to Andalucia and getting around

Airports:

  • Granada 22.0 km GRX
  • Malaga Pablo Ruiz Picasso 133.0 km AGP

Other:

  • Beach 65.0 km
  • Shops 0.2 km
  • Restaurant 0.3 km

Our guests' ratings...

Based on 4 independent reviews from i-escape guests

10/10
Room
7/10
Food
9/10
Service
9/10
Value
9/10
Overall

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Rates for Casa Morisca

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