My partner & I recently returned from a 3 week trip to Spain, and as usual, I had looked up each hotel on TripAdvisor before booking the room. On previous trips I already knew where we would stay, and used TripAdvisor merely for updates on properties, to ensure that construction, fires, etc. had not recently occurred. This trip was different. I actually based many of the hotel selections on TripAdvisor reviews, and now that I have returned, I find myself comparing my experience with the reviews, and am hoping that I can add some insights that others might find helpful. None of the hotels we selected (all costing $180 to $280/night...thank you terrible dollar) were bad or particularly problematic, but I realize that my criteria is very subjective, very specific to me. So I will try to explain both what I thought of the various hotels, and what about me explains that particular prejudice.

With that as a preamble, of the 7 hotels in Spain we where recently stayed, this was our least favorite. Considerable attention to detail was obviously lavished on the renovation of this Moorish building, with an overall successful architectural integrity that speaks to classical elements of Moorish residential architecture. Since all guests in the hotel visit that most famous of Moorish architecture, the Alhambra, there is a nice harmony between a day spent wandering around Granada and the architecture of the hotel.

The room is an average size for a European 3 star hotel, and the bathroom is modern with expected features for this class of hotel. We never eat breakfast in hotels, so have no comments on this.

The problems were a general lack of professionalism and quality service. I felt as though I was staying in someone's home, someone who was doing their best to provide what I wanted, but was simply not terribly qualified. The air conditioning was extremely noisy unless set at the highest level. I realize that makes little sense, but at low and middle speed there was a loud metallic sound. The man on the desk in the evening was unable to explain to us how to walk to the Alhambra. Again, I realize this sound improbable, but was true. He merely motioned up the street, and when we returned after several attempts to find someone to explain exactly which of the 4 dirt/paved roads actually went up the back side of the Alhambra, he admitted that he didn't know and suggested we take a cab. The next day we asked to have our boarding passes printed and instead he printed out the reservations. When we asked again we were told that was impossible because the printer had been broken for 24 hours (even though another employee had printed the reservations an hour previously). During this time an understandably upset guest was demanding that unless the air conditioning in his room was fixed within the hour, after apparently several previous time limits had passed, he intended to move out.

The hotel's response to each such problem was an extreme desire to help, to remedy the problem. But their somewhat clueless and less than professional ability to provide adequate responses wore very thin.

There are a couple of small sitting areas (with weird, highly uncomfortable "moorish" chairs that are also found in the rooms) outside the various rooms and a small sitting area on the first floor which has a few books. But none of these areas are very conducive to relaxing, or feeling any sense of privacy, so once you enter the hotel you have little choice but to retire to your room, and once in the room your choices are the weird and completely uncomfortable moorish chair or the bed. Lights for bed reading are poor. I was forced to read in the bathtub one night.


And a general Granada suggestion: DON'T DRIVE! During the 2 nights and days that we stayed at this hotel we saw probably 5 couples, all from the US, arrive at the hotel, and in each case they had driven, and were near tears. For each, getting to the hotel had been a very difficult experience, despite what all agreed were very good instructions provided by the hotel. The problem is that Granada is a city with old, narrow streets and way too many cars with a casual attitude of where and how to drive. We took cabs, and were very impressed with the ability of the drivers to jump curbs, dart around objects (including buses), and arrive at the desired destination. But why anyone would want to be on the road with them is a mystery to me. I discussed this with one of the hotel employees who said she avoids driving in Granada whenever possible.

I wouldn't stay in this hotel again, but I somewhat blame myself. This hotel is for those who count the romantic as a higher priority than the practical, and I should have known that this was not a particularly good match for me, so that while in my personal opinion this hotel deserves a rating of 3, I believe 4 is a fairer and more objective score.

This was a good choice of hotels for my wife and I. Beautiful open courtyard inside with a canopy cover. Only a 5-10 minute walk from Plaza Nueva and San Nicholas lookout.

Anna was VERY friendly and helpful at the front desk.

The Alhambra was in sight from our bathroom. I would stay here again.

Booked this hotel for 2 nights based on the trip advisor reviews .The hotel itself is very charming and has a wonderful Moorish feel. We booked the Tower room ( 15 ) which had a magnificent view of the Alhambra , particularly at night , all lit up."Wonderful " .. The negatives were minor ..The hotel lost water supply for a day ?? .....Difficult to find , (suggest following a cab not a bad idea.)..Breakfast was reasonable for a 3 star ( not 4 ) and help with luggage is not on their agenda ..Nonetheless we enjoyed our stay .

It’s hard to imagine a hotel more charming than Casa Morisca, located at the base of the Alhambra and just a 10-minute walk from the summit. Stepping inside the hotel’s intricately carved wooden doors is like stepping into 15th century Moorish Spain, with an open courtyard, trickling fountain and Oriental rugs. Our cozy split-level room on the hotel’s top floor featured a tranquil blue interior, rustic dark wood furniture, tiled bathroom, and best of all, breathtaking views of the Alhambra. It was tempting to lounge in the hotel all day, but the location – bordering the lovely narrow streets and whitewashed buildings of the Albaicin – made sight-seeing convenient.

Hotel amenities include free parking, mini-bar, English language news channels and limited room service (drinks and plates of ham and cheese). Breakfast is served in a stone cellar decorated with antique farming implements (or something similarly rustic and quaint), and at 12 EUR per person is a good value, with fruit, hard-boiled eggs, ham, cheese, breads and yogurt. In addition to the breakfast room, the hotel offers a small reading nook with newspapers.

Service was professional but perfunctory, as I found to be the case throughout Spain. The hotel booked Alhambra tickets for us in advance, which saved about two hours of waiting in line.

One note of caution: If you are driving to the hotel, map your route on-line, as something is lost in translation in the hotel’s directions.

Overall, my stay at Casa Morisca was one of my favorite hotel experiences. I’ll definitely return.