The Place
This classy little hotel is a real highlight. It occupies a long, pale-brick mansion, built in the 18th century as the summer residence of the archbishop of Toledo, Cardinal Lorenzana. It is set in beautiful shaded gardens, virtually enclosed by the old city walls, rising in three tiers to an impressive, crested doorway. The lowest tier of the garden incorporates an excellent restaurant, now run independently but used by all the guests.
Every room oozes style and character; the sitting rooms contain well-chosen antiques, the stairway has a beautiful sculpted ceiling, bedrooms have old painted-wood bedheads, and bathrooms have hand-painted tiles and old mirrors. There is a clever mixture of old and new throughout; original Moorish corbels support beams in the upstairs corridor, while modern Moorish sculpture surrounds bedroom doors downstairs. There are two brick courtyards, decorated with ferns, terracotta pots and lilies. This is a great place to enjoy a warm summer evening, however you should book in advance as it can be exteremely popular with British and American tourists.