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Hotel Madinat

Beautifully restored 18th-century house featuring an incredible rooftop terrace and onsite Hammam

Overview

You'll feel like a friend at Hotel Madinat, welcomed by one of the five passionate owners who saved this 18th-century house from ruin. Today, it emulates its past with so many unique details that you have to experience the hotel to understand its full story. Besides cozy rooms, you can also enjoy an onsite Hammam with a salt bath and some of the city's best views from the rooftop terrace.

Pros

This restored building is a true labor of love, a project by five friends who wanted to channel the city's authentic past into a boutique hotel where travelers feel like friends.
You'll find many nods to the building's past, as the group tried to use as much of the old material as possible, including restoring columns, cutting the old bar into tables in the restaurant, repurposing window and door frames, and moving mosaic tiles to other parts of the property.
Relax in the original inner courtyard with a fountain or grab a drink and tapas at the onsite bar.
Reserve time to spend in the Hammam, with a salt bath and aromatherapy, plus opportunities for massage.
Enjoy some of the best views of Córdoba's ancient skyline on one of the two terraces—a great spot for a drink at sunset.
The rooms have surprisingly spacious bathrooms.

Cons

Per the building's design, some rooms only have windows opening to the inner courtyard.

Kimkim's Take

Ash Merscher

kimkim staff

Based on kimkim staff visit, June 2022 (Learn more)

Authenticity

Hotel Madinat comes with the story of five friends restoring a nearly derelict 18th-century building in the city's Jewish Quarter. The owners will greet you warmly, striving to make guests feel like part of Córdoba, and are happy to tell you all about the restoration process. Enjoy discovering all the refurbished details that may surprise you, such as tables made from the building's old bar when it was a popular spot for university students in the 1980s.

Location

The hotel sits just slightly out of the busy touristic zone, so you get the history without the noise. A five-minute walk takes you right to the Mezquita-Catedral, and you'll be within walking distance of many other significant sites, including the Puente Romano, Alcázar Andalusí, and Plaza de la Corredera.

Rooms & Bathrooms

If you can, we recommend booking early to secure the hotel's only suite, which is worth the extra expense. Once the house's old loft where doves lived, you'll be on the top floor, with cushy furnishings and a unique Arab-style soaking tub. Though the suite is one of the best rooms, the other units are just as comfortable and historic, with spacious bathrooms and gentle reminders of the building's past. Some have balconies, original molding, and restored frescoes.

Other Highlights

The entire ambiance feels like a highlight, from the moment you walk through the tiled entrance with a mint-green gate to the tranquil inner courtyard. Enjoy breakfast in a quaint dining area, grab tapas and drinks at the bar, relax in the Hammam with its salt bath, and catch the sunset from the rooftop terrace, offering some of the best city views.