The Hospes chain that runs the Casas specializes in luxury boutique hotels in Spain. As well as here, I've stayed at the chain's properties in Granada and Cordoba, and for me they have the formula almost 100 percent right. All the properties blend the old and the new with style and panache, retaining original features like stone floors and carved wooded ceilings while adding ultra-modern designer fixtures and fittings. The good-sized bedrooms are arranged around a peaceful central courtyard and are decorated in calming cream and pastel blue hues, with dark wood floors and antique furniture. All have bathtubs as well as showers. One room can have an extra bed put in it to convert it to a triple and the junior suite can double up as two adjoining rooms for families. There's a decent- sized pool on the roof and a small, but luxurious spa, too. For me, though, the service is what really counts here. The bright young things that run the place are friendly and helpful, and genuinely keen to make your stay as pleasurable as possible. Another plus is that the hotel is relatively easy to reach by car, with limited parking available on site (book ahead if possible). A minor downside is that the hotels is a 10- to 15-minute walk from the main tourist sites.