We stayed at the Alixares from 06 Sep – 10 Sep and enjoyed our stay. The staff at reception were helpful enough for us, but then we didn’t have any problems that needed dealing with. Most seemed to speak good English, but we wanted to practice our Spanish so were pleased that they responded to us in Spanish rather than switching to English as soon as they hear we’re not Spanish. The décor of the public areas is a bit confused, some modern and some 80’s furnishings mixed with Moorish decorations. But it was okay and everything was clean and tidy. Our room (No. 411) was decorated in a quite modern but slightly outdated style, but again it was all clean and tidy. The window was to the back and we had the view of some trees and fields. This meant we got no noise from the outside. However, we got loads of noise coming from the corridor as there was an echo and people often talked loudly and were slamming the door in the middle of the night. Also, the walls were thin and when somebody next door had a shower, it sounded as if it was in our bathroom, which was a bit spooky when we were both in bed. However, the beds were comfortable, and once we got used to the noises, we reasonably well. The air conditioning worked well, and was one of the quietest I’d ever come across. Breakfast was included in our rate, which was convenient as there weren’t many other options around. The buffet offered standard continental fare as well as some hot options like scrambled egg which didn’t look particularly appetizing. They also had some pastries and Spanish omelette. There was lots of choice and we started the day with a full stomach. The restaurant was also open for lunch and dinner, but we didn’t try it. There was also supposed to be a barbecue at night on the roof terrace, but it wasn’t open when we were there.
The location of the hotel was 5 minutes up the road from the Alhambra, so it was very convenient for that. The walk into town to Plaza Nueva down Cuesta de Gomerez lasted about 15/20 minutes and most of it was through a shady park, so it was a pleasant walk. If you want to get to the Albaicín, you can also walk down the path between the Alhambra and Generalife which starts by the La Mimbre Restaurant. This is a very secluded path and I wouldn’t walk there at night. Again this takes about 15 minutes and takes you to Paseo de los Tristes. From town, we usually took the bus (€1.10) or taxi (€5) back up the hill to the hotel.
As it was quite hot (about 28°C) it was great to be able to lie by the pool (open Jun to Sep) for part of the day. It was on the roof top of the third floor, but felt like a garden pool because of the hill situation and the trees all around the pool area. It was mostly quiet and we usually had no problems getting sun loungers. The pool was a good size and the water was clean and refreshing.
There aren’t many good restaurants in the area and the places near the Alhambra seem to take advantage of the tourists. We ate at La Mimbre (just below the Alhambra entrance) and would not go there again. The food was okay, but you seem to pay a premium for the location and garden setting. The places in town are much better value for money.
Overall we would recommend the Hotel Alixares and loved the city of Granada.