Casa Morisca Hotel Boutique

Victor was the highlight for us. He gave us excellent local tapas tips, and we tried all three places he mentioned, including the one that serves the world’s second best snails, since his mother makes the best. It was worth it! The hotel is charming and beautiful, in a very handy location, though it’s on a slope, so expect some walking. There’s a bus stop around the corner if you get tired. From our toilet we could see the Alhambra. Our room was quite small and a little warm. There was a slight smell, but opening the windows helped clear the air. It was a memorable stay.

What place could better suit these thoughts than a hotel whose name drew me in while I was deciding whether to stay in the Albaicín? I suspect that was why I chose it. “Morisca” refers to the former Moors who were forced to convert to Christianity. I was Catholic as a child, likely because faith was spread alongside foreign aid, as often happened in the Third World. As an adult I became an atheist masquerading as an agnostic. Still, I’ve walked the Camino de Santiago four times, and it gave me strength to endure. That same path is, in reality, propaganda for war. I was born in a land where Buddhism once became powerful enough to ruin a nation, then was rejected by the next dynasty, and where people killed one another over theoretical disputes in Confucianism. I was baptized there and studied at a university founded by the Jesuits, yet became an atheist who walks the Camino. From the window of Room 15, I stare at the illuminated Alhambra and sip an Alhambra beer from a nearby Asian supermarket. Damn, I should’ve chosen an Estrella Galicia. My thoughts go nowhere. At two in the morning, the palace lights go out. That’s a line neither Moorish architecture, Christian valor nor modern Spanish tourism could cross, probably because of energy conservation. Seeing stars over the dark Alhambra, I feel how transient it all is. The universe was here long before us and will remain long after. Those impressions came from Room 15, which lets you observe the Alhambra so closely. The room is cramped but clean, cold but with working air conditioning. There’s no complimentary water, though the minibar is full of alcohol. The towels are damp, but the bathroom is enormous. It’s the highest room in the hotel, yet feels as though you’re at the Alhambra’s feet. It would be a fine place to heave a Moor’s last sigh. Instead, I’m listening to Mercedes Sosa and hoping to fall asleep soon so I don’t miss tomorrow morning’s train. How could I not love a place like this?

The staff were very welcoming, and it’s just a short walk to everything. Parking was good, too. We had a special break in this beautiful, romantic hotel. Our room was spotless and warm, with a comfortable bed. There was even a kettle for a much-needed morning cuppa, and the shower got super hot. The bath towels were nice as well.

The staff