Staying at a Parador has been on our Spanish travel wish list for some time. Paradores are Spain’s state-owned collection of luxury hotels, often occupying historic buildings or enjoying spectacular settings, so we were particularly looking forward to experiencing one for ourselves. The Parador de Córdoba certainly didn’t disappoint.
The hotel enjoys a fantastic elevated position overlooking Córdoba, with impressive views across the city. The setting is one of its greatest strengths, with beautifully maintained private gardens providing a peaceful contrast to the intense heat and bustle of the city below. Everywhere was exceptionally clean and well maintained, while the staff were friendly, welcoming and accommodating throughout our 3-night stay.
The star attraction for us was undoubtedly the swimming pool. It is exceptionally large and set within the attractive gardens at the front of the hotel. Having a lifeguard on duty was an added reassurance, while the plentiful sun loungers meant there was never a problem finding somewhere to relax.
The hotel even provides a dedicated changing, toilet and shower block alongside the pool, as well as complimentary beach towels. With Córdoba temperatures exceeding 40°C during our stay, the pool was an absolute godsend and somewhere we spent a considerable amount of time!
Our fourth-floor room was large, quiet and very comfortable, with the elevated position adding to the feeling of peace and privacy. The room was spotless and provided everything we needed for our stay. Our only reservation was the bathroom. The bath/shower arrangement was perfectly functional, but we would have preferred a modern walk-in shower, as getting in and out of the bath to use the shower was a little awkward.
We also enjoyed dinner in the hotel’s impressive, spacious restaurant on our first evening. It was a very pleasant way to end the day without having to venture back into the city, particularly given the extreme temperatures.
There were only a couple of things we felt could have been improved. The main one was the absence of complimentary bottled water in the room. With temperatures above 40°C, having chilled drinking water readily available would have been greatly appreciated. We have also found that similarly rated hotels elsewhere in Europe often provide a water cooler or dispenser in reception, which would have been a particularly welcome facility here.
The hotel’s location does mean that walking into central Córdoba isn’t especially practical in the summer heat, but this wasn’t a problem for us. We didn’t use our car at all during the stay, leaving it safely in the hotel’s free car park. Taxis into the city centre were generally under €10, and there are also bus stops reasonably close to the hotel.
Overall, the Parador de Córdoba was a memorable and enjoyable experience and lived up to our expectations of what staying in a Parador should be. The spectacular setting, beautiful gardens, superb swimming pool, spacious room, friendly staff and free parking all combined to make it an excellent base for exploring Córdoba.
If, like us, you’ve always fancied experiencing the Paradores concept, the Parador de Córdoba is certainly a very good place to start. Just make sure you allow plenty of time to enjoy that magnificent pool!
