Apartamentos Elvira 21

The terrace views are breathtaking, with Alhambra palace visible from up there. In the evening, we could sit on the balcony and watch things go by, and the terrace washing machine was handy with the kids getting through clothes so fast. Our stay was lovely. If there were only three of us, I'd stay again, but our family needs somewhere bigger. We had five people, two adults and three kids all under eight, and the apartment felt too small. The owner was so friendly and went out of his way for the kids. He offered us a bigger place farther away, but we didn't want to give up this location. The flat is on a busy street, but with the windows shut you don't hear much, and with air con there wasn't really a need to leave them open. It's perfectly placed near the main sights and transport. Alhambra is uphill, so wherever you stay you'll need the local bus. The C3 takes six minutes from here, and its stop is by Isabella fountain. The C1 goes to San Nicholas, where there's also a beautiful Mosque, the only Mosque in Granada. That was the most peaceful part of my holiday. There's a bakery about a two-minute walk away, I think it's called "sano y natural", with the most delicious moist croissants I've ever had, topped with caramel or chocolate. Great for breakfast. There are lots of halal restaurants around and plenty of places for ice cream, smoothies, and snacks. In the local Arab quarter you can try authentic Arab food and get henna done on your hands. One thing to watch: the supermarket on your right as you leave the apartment is extortionate, and the service isn't friendly. Turn left instead and walk four minutes to Conviran. They're friendly there, milk costs less, and a 5L bottle of water is 75cent, compared with €1 for a small bottle at the other shop and €2.25 for 1.5L of milk. We learned this late, but for cash withdrawals use BBVA bank on the main road, a seven-minute walk away. All banks charge for withdrawing local currency. I was charged £4.98 each time, then later found BBVA charged £1.87. There's also a money exchange bureau if you're carrying cash. There's a beautiful Hamam here. I was really looking forward to going, but turned around quickly when I learned it was mixed for men and women.

Everything was perfect.

We stayed last weekend. The host was really kind and friendly, and the apartments are renovated, clean, and have what you need, including towels and a hairdryer. Air conditioning and double-glazed windows kept out the noise and heat, and there's an elevator. There are two bedrooms with double beds, one quite small, but that's still better than a sofa bed. No smells, despite what I'd read in older reviews. The location is excellent, just steps from tapas bars, the cathedral, Gran Vía Colón, and more. We were out all day and came back mainly to shower and sleep a bit, haha. After a long day, we recharged on the rooftop terrace, with white armchairs, artificial grass, and views of the Alhambra. Highly recommend it, and we'll come back.

The TV, hot water, and elevator weren't working.