Hotel Hospes Palacio del Bailío, Cordoba
Booking/Pre-Arrival
We booked a Virtuoso rate (this is the only Virtuoso property in town) that included the usual amenities, as well as a tapas lunch in their courtyard (set menu, alcohol not included). The “welcome drink” was actually a full bottle of Cava waiting in our room.
I emailed the hotel a few times to help with on-the-ground arrangements, and emails took a few days to get answered (when they were answered at all). Email communication wasn’t a strong suit here, though on-site service was very good.
Room
We booked a junior suite and received a generous upgrade to (naturally) “The Don Quixote Suite.”
This signature suite was quite unique, with scenes from the book painted on the walls, and lots of old-world charm.
With that charm, however, came a couple of quirks:
- The bathroom door didn't stay closed. While the shower and toilet had separate (glass) doors, they afforded no privacy, and this was annoying. We ended up using the bathroom trash can to hold the door closed.
- The windows opened into a courtyard that was accessible by other hotel guests. So when the shades were open, people can see inside your suite (and bathroom!).
Property
The grounds of the hotel were peaceful. We enjoyed the Virtuoso-included lunch in the tranquil courtyard very much. The roman baths in the spa (which you need to make an appointment for, so you have them all to yourself) were also a nice way to relax, though the spa itself was quite small. The breakfast dining room is really interesting, as the tables all sit on a glass floor that overlooks the roman ruins beneath the hotel....a fun way to start the day!
Service
Service here was...solid. The staff were all nice and friendly. The upgrade they gave us was generous. We felt welcome. But it was missing the empathy and anticipation of needs that truly make some of our favorite hotels great. And really, we found this to be true at all of the hotels we stayed in. I doubt you’ll find Aman-level service anywhere in Andalucia, though that’s not reason not to visit this wonderful part of the world. Our expectations were set properly, and we were very pleased with the service that we got.
Dining
Breakfast was a reasonably sized buffet spread of various fruits, meats, cheeses, breads and other Spanish items, along with a menu of cooked-to-order egg dishes. Nothing fancy or special here, but tasty nonetheless.
The lunch we had was quite good; it was a set menu of Andalucian specialties like salmorejo and eggplant fritters with honey. The salmorejo was among the best we tried on our trip (and we tried A LOT
).
Overall
A very good hotel that has a few things holding it back from being “great.” Still, it’s probably the best game in town, in an excellent location (easy walk to the center, but far enough to escape the daytime tour groups and crowds), and I’d happily return if we were in Cordoba again.
Cordoba Meal Tips: We loved our meals at Taberna Luque (a charming small restaurant run by a husband-and-wife team, traditional Andalucian cooking) and Regadera (a more modern take on classics, but very well-executed and not forced like this style can often be).