Belmond Casa de Sierra Nevada
Lots of hotels promise to help guests feel like a local, but Belmond Casa de Sierra Nevada delivers based on its very setup. The 37 accommodations are scattered across various buildings in the UNESCO World Heritage historic old town—including a former nobleman’s manor and a 17th-century fortress—so instead of accessing rooms through a main lobby, guests are given keys to what look like private homes. Some overlook gardens, pools, or rooftops, while others have perks like outdoor spaces, copper bathtubs, and original architectural details. Following a $3.5 million renovation, rooms now also feature a pastel color palette, Mexican art, and tapestries that complement the authentic clay floors, Talavera bathroom tiles, and hand-carved wood furnishings. Your butler can book botanical-infused treatments at the spa, a table at the colonial-style Andanza restaurant, and cooking classes in an 18th-century mansion at the Sazón cooking school, but don’t miss the view of La Parroquia’s pink spires from the rooftop bar.
