Parador de Ronda

Housed in what was once Ronda's town hall, Parador de Ronda attracts tourists with its excellent central location. Its situated right on a main plaza area and occupies a two-story, cream-hued building with a row of archways on the ground floor and wrought-iron Juliette balconies overlooking the street. The hotel's classic appeal continues into the lobby, which features exposed red-brick accent walls, polished marble floors, and an enclosed atrium ceiling that creates the illusion of space. The restaurant's gray-marble flooring and white tablecloths create an elegant environment, while the lobby bar's brick walls and cozy tweed couches create a more homey environment. It also has an outdoor terrace with gorgeous views of the bridge and canyon, which many rooms enjoy as well.

As the name suggests, Parador de Ronda is located in Ronda, a small city just inland from the Costa del Sol that's characterized by beautiful old bridges and narrow cobblestone roads. The city once served as a summer residence for the likes of Ernest Hemingway and Rainer Maria Rilke, and its low-key artsy vibe continues to this day. The hotel is right by Puente Nuevo and overlooks Plaza Espana and the El Tajo canyon for stunning vistas. It's also surrounded by restaurants and fast-food joints, with a few shops and other hotels in the immediate vicinity. Alameda del Tajo and its surrounding parkland is just behind the hotel, and it's a two-minute walk to the spacious Plaza de Toros de la Real Maestranza de Caballeria de Ronda, a bullfighting ring dating back to the 18th century. It's a one-hour drive inland from San Pedro de Alcantara, while getting to Malaga and its airport takes around an hour and a half by car.

The Ronda offers a total of 78 rooms, including 42 Doubles, 28 Double Superiors, and eight Duplexes. Contemporary decor and amenities are consistent throughout the units, and many have lovely views of the bridge or valley. The overall look and feel of rooms is modern, with wood floors, wood furniture, upholstered chairs and sofas in hues of beige and gray, and simple art prints on the walls with light-wood frames. Some furnishings, however, are showing wear and tear. All rooms have furnished terraces, and the Duplex terraces are particularly spacious. Amenities include small flat-screen TVs, individually controlled air-conditioning, electronic safes, and minibars. Bathrooms have a simple look and feel, with cream-colored marble vanities and extras such as magnifying mirrors, hairdryers, and solid selections of toiletries. Shower/tub combos come standard, and tubs in the Duplex units have whirlpool jets. Note that there have been some complaints of late-night noise.

The Pardor de Ronda has limited facilities, most notable being that there's no spa or fitness center. However, there is a small outdoor pool surrounded by a grassy lawn area. Other features include a restaurant with room service that offers all sorts of interesting Andalusian dishes, from rabo de toro a la rondena (stewed bull's tail) to almond cheese, plus two bar areas. A well-reviewed breakfast buffet is included in most room rates. The hotel also offers three meeting rooms that are all close to the same size; all come with audiovisual equipment and Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel.