THE FACTS ABOUT HOSPES PALACIO DEL BAILIO

Spain

This is the latest hotel from the Hospes group, which is rapidly expanding across Spain and also owns The Lancaster hotel in Paris. Young, hip and utterly 21st-century in concept, Hospes emphasises unfettered luxury and wonderfully contemporary interiors in beautifully restored buildings, of which the Palacio del Bailío is a perfect example. Behind the listed façade lie 53 rooms and suites with huge beds made up in the finest Egyptian cotton; there are simple wooden floorboards, crushed-velvet headboards, wooden shutters and textured wall-panels of copper or silver the colours of Córdoba. The hotel's signature accent on 'purity' is reflected in the natural-ingredient tonics in the mini-bars and phials of Korres citrus body milk and vanilla-cinnamon shower gel in the sleek, glass-and-tile bathrooms. The lighting in the exposed-brick corridors is sensational, a warm glow emanating from oversized silver balls or fabric 'clouds'. The patio, with Roman archaeological remains visible beneath, serves as a cocktail bar, and there is also a tapas bar and a gourmet restaurant where the young local chef, Periko Ortega, dazzles with his take on regional dishes. There is a courtyard swimming pool, Roman baths and a signature Bodyna spa. WHEN TO GO Spring for the orange blossom; Holy Week (leading up to Easter) for the procession. ROOM TO BOOK Room 202 for its glass-wall views onto the garden. CONTACT Ramírez de las Casas Deza 1012, Córdoba, Spain (00 34 957 498993; www.hospes.es). COST Doubles from 172 euros; Room 202 from 225 euros