Hotel La Gran Francia

Setting the benchmark in Granada's fine hotel scene, the Gran Francia's elegance is diminished slightly by over-decoration. It's a gorgeous building, though, and the attention to detail is exquisite. Across the road, the restaurant, bar and lounge are equally impressive.

Still considered the city's most classy address, the Gran Francia occupies two restored colonial buildings. The main building holds three restaurants and a bar and is a fabulously restored colonial gem with broad overhanging eaves and wide, romantic, balconies. What the hotel keeps naughtily quiet in their publicity is that the rooms are actually in another building across the street, which offers comfort without the same character. The rooms have solid furniture, including high, sturdy beds; there's a slightly different stylistic approach in each section, but all have business-hotel-level facilities and carefully selected artworks. The upgrade to a junior suite brings with it a significant increase in space and is worthwhile. The major disappointment is perhaps the pool, which seems to have been added as an afterthought; it's not especially inviting.