"We stayed at the Áurea Washington Irving in Granada, and the location is hands down the best thing about it. It’s right by the Alhambra, an easy walk with no problems. We pushed a stroller from the hotel to the Alhambra, and even though the cobblestone streets aren’t exactly stroller friendly, it absolutely made sense to have it. Most areas of the Alhambra allow strollers, and the only two spots where they aren’t permitted are the Nasrid Palaces and the Alcazaba, specifically the Torre de la Vela, the tower on the west side. We were able to stroll everywhere else, all the way through the Generalife gardens and back to the hotel. Our two year old never would have lasted that long on foot, and we couldn’t have carried him the whole way, so the stroller was a lifesaver. It really is a top location for visiting.
We had a suite that worked really well for a family with small children. It had a separate bedroom with a door and a king bed, then the bathroom in the middle, and a living area with a sofa bed on the other side. That living area was a corner space with windows on both sides facing the Alhambra, so it was nice and bright. Honestly the only dark spot was the bathroom in the middle. They also offered us a connecting room with another bedroom, which was great for giving the kids more space.
As for the hotel itself, it wasn’t brand new, and honestly it looked a touch brighter and newer in the photos. It’s not dated as such, just a little darker in some areas than I expected rather than bright and airy. The bathroom area was on the dark side, and we had a drain issue with the smell. Reception was apologetic and tried to fix it, though nothing really resolved it, but they were kind enough to offer us an adjoining room. Overall it was clean with no major issues, and the hallways were a little dark and carpeted. Still, it’s a solid, well maintained hotel.
We ate lunch at the restaurant, which was good, and breakfast was great too. You can eat outside in a little courtyard overlooking a fountain with little birds, which was lovely. I used the gym, which was decent, on the small side but bright with large windows. There’s also a nice cozy pool by the gym.
A note on getting around: the hotel sits up by the Alhambra rather than down in the historic center, so we took taxis to and from the Albaicín, the old quarter. It’s a bit of a walk with children and it was really hot, so I didn’t mind paying for a taxi at all. They’re easy to find and not overly expensive. The Albaicín is a must visit, absolutely beautiful. We walked along the Darro river and spent time around Plaza Nueva, the main square, where there were even performers at night. It was so lively and pretty, with a really lovely atmosphere in the evenings especially.
We arrived by car, and while parking isn’t exactly obvious, it wasn’t too difficult in the end. When we pulled up there were quite a few cars waiting for the valet, and it was busy since several arrived at once with just one person handling them. It’s not entirely clear where to leave your car, as there’s no real drop off area and it’s quite tight, so we ended up leaving it on the side of the street, unsure at first. But the staff came out to direct us, took the car, and brought it back whenever we needed. So it was never actually an issue, just not obvious at first.
All in all, a good choice, especially since there aren’t tons of options in the area. I just expected something a little brighter, but it’s perfectly fine and I can’t fault how it’s kept."
