Spain Smart Splurges

One of the region’s more exclusive properties, each of the six rooms and three suites here comes with a terrace and a sea view. The individual décor ranges from Asian-inspired to minimalist.

This adorable boutique hotel on secluded Plaza Sant Felip Neri was once an 18thcentury palace (some parts of the building date to the 12th century). The 22 eclectic rooms all have bold and original paintings over the beds, craftsman-fi nished ceilings and stonework, and velvet draping, as well as plasma-screen TVs and WiFi. The rooftop terrace affords great neighborhood views, while the restaurant offers classic Spanish, Egyptian, and North African cuisine.

Housed in one of the city’s tallest buildings, the Hotel Arts has the best views in all of Barcelona. The Ritz-Carlton–owned property recently refurbished its 483 rooms (even though it’s only 17 years old, built for the 1992 Olympics). Rooms are sleek, with modular, dark-wood furnishings and large pink marble bathrooms. Floors 42 and 43 host a Six Senses Spa, and downstairs, Adrià-trained chef Sergi Arola’s eponymous restaurant serves up inventive tapas. And the big fi sh sculpture outside? A Frank Gehry original.

This Mudejar-style building (now a Westin Hotel) was built and named for the king's visit to the 1929 World’s Fair. The 147 rooms are decked in hand-painted tiles and antique furniture. Extras include the outdoor pool, tennis courts, car rental,

San Fernando 2; Seville; 011-34-954-91-70-00; www.hotel-alfonsoxiii.com

For design hawks, a sojourn at Hotel Marqués de Riscal in Spain’s Rioja wine region is an absolute must, especially in harvest season. With its eight terraces offering views of Elciego and its vineyards, this two-wing structure is the brainchild of world-renowned architect Frank O. Gehry, who also helmed Bilbao’s Guggenheim.

2008 SMART LUXURY WINNER
Wined and Designed

This ultra-modern stone and glass structure includes multi-hued titanium canopies and a glass suspension footbridge. The interior also pops with cream colored walls featuring wooden accents and bold flashes of color (think rich reds). Stellar Basque-Riojan cuisine is served at two onsite restaurants, while the hotel's Caudalíe Vinothérapie Spa features an indoor swimming pool and 14 treatment rooms that offer "wine therapy" massages and treatments. See more Smart Luxury Award winners

 

Wooden-beamed ceilings, all white rooms, and rustic touches define this rural retreat’s ten rooms and public spaces. The renowned, onsite restaurant serves traditional, local cuisine with Italian and Asian touches.

Although Ibiza’s reputation may rest on its raucous summer party scene, this Mediterranean island—part of Spain’s Balearic chain—has a quieter side for much of the year. The new Aguas de Ibiza resort taps into that sensibility with its design-centric hotel and spa in the seaside town of Santa Eulalia del Rio, a few miles outside Ibiza Town. The emphasis here is definitely on chilling out: Rooms and suites come with canopy beds and Bang & Olufsen TVs; most have balconies with harbor views. The resort also offers a hydrotherapy spa, two outdoor pools, and a relaxed rooftop lounge.

In addition to its smart rooms, the glam glass bar, and the rooftop terrace with a pool, this cool boutique also houses a small Egyptian museum stocked with the owner’s treasures.

Occupying a palatial former pied-à-terre of Marquis of Santo Mauro, this French-inspired hideaway houses 51 sleek rooms, a walled garden, an indoor pool, and a gourmet restaurant in its library.

The unforgettable bird’s-eye view of the city and the coast is worth the steep price of these helicopter rides, ranging from a five-minute flight ($67) and a 10-minute flight along the coast ($118) to a 35-minute flight to Montserrat ($355).