NH Collection Amistad Cordoba

The NH Amistad Cordoba surrounds two peaceful patio courtyards with fragments of the ancient city wall. Guests enter through a courtyard of the centuries-old mansion, but the front desk and marble lobby inside are contemporary. There are modern velvet sofas and square poufs throughout the lobby area, and large contemporary paintings that add color and visual interest. Off the lobby, the restaurant buffet has a large vaulted skylight over elegantly set tables decorated with individual floating water lilies. Patio Mudejar is the quintessential Cordoba courtyard, open to the elements, with restored columns and stone arches, a grand sail-like sunshade, and clusters of wrought iron cafe tables surrounding a fountain. The atmosphere is peaceful and charming.

The NH Amistad Cordoba is set on a narrow, cobblestone street in the city's old Jewish quarter, a five-minute walk from the famed Mosque. Directly behind the hotel are the 10th century Arab baths and Los Banos Califales, and there is an early 14th century synagogue next door. There are plenty of restaurants, bars, and shops in the immediate area. The train station is half a mile away and the airport is 70 miles door-to-door. The hotel is accessible by car and there is parking available for a surcharge.

Rooms at the NH Amistad Cordoba are handsome and contemporary, decorated in light greens and creams, with luxe bedspreads and dark wood in the older rooms, lighter wood and leather headboards in New Style Rooms. Lighting is atmospheric, with chrome reading lamps by beds and on writing desks. Some rooms overlook the old city walls, some the outdoor patios. Bathrooms are modern white and gray marble. Rooms have Nespresso machines, large flat-screen TVs, safes, and well-stocked minibars. Junior Suites incorporate stone walls for a romantic vibe.

The NH Amistad Cordoba offers an outdoor pool on the roof, with sunbeds, but no sunbrellas or shade in which to take a break from the Spanish sun. The view overlooks Cordoba's tiled roofs with the famous Mosque in the near distance. The hotel fitness room holds a treadmill, an elliptical, and a weight machine. There is a breakfast buffet, and a dedicated kids' corner buffet. The hotel includes 12 event/conference rooms with audio visual equipment that can hold up to 450 guests. The Jardin de Petra Cafe and Snack Bar is like the setting for a pretty garden party, with white wrought-iron tables and chairs with sherbet-colored cushions, and orange trees overhead.