HE CHARM OF A GRANADIAN CARMEN, THE COMFORT OF A BOUTIQUE HOTEL
STAY IN A GRANADIAN CARMEN CONVERTED INTO A HOTEL
From Hotel Carmen de la Alcubilla del Caracol we offer you an unforgettable experience in one of the most special boutique hotels in the centre of Granada, maintaining the essence of a traditional Granadian carmen, a typical construction of the city of Granada, converted into a charming hotel. On your arrival you will notice that it has been a maxim for us to maintain the essence of the past of the place and to provide all the comforts that a hotel of our level requires, but respecting the traditional.
El Carmen de la Alcubilla del Caracol is located on a hillside of the Alhambra, a few minutes from the entrance to the Nasrid monument, overlooking the Vega and Sierra Nevada, the upper limit of what was the medieval Jewish city of Granada, today the Realejo district, so, in addition to staying in a hotel in a carmen of Granada, you can have a privileged view of the city and the magic of its surroundings.
WHAT IS A GRANADIAN CARMEN?
A “carmen” is a traditional construction in Granada, which has its origins in the Muslim period; it consists of a house with a terraced-garden adapted to the peculiar orography of the area. During the Nasrid period, the most common thing was for Granada’s cármenes to be the second residence of the wealthiest classes (nobles, relatives of Nasrid royalty, military personnel, etc.) or members of the middle classes (large merchants and traders). These constructions were characterised by the use of water as an element of decoration. Channelling, ditches and pools through which water would flow were very common and are now one of the most characteristic elements of the Granada cármenes.
Nowadays they are unique places, with a very special charm and which have been adapted to other uses. In our case, a carmen converted into a charming hotel in the heart of the Realejo district.
WHERE DOES THE CARMEN DE LA ALCUBILLA DEL CARACOL TAKE ITS NAME FROM?
Granada’s carmenes were characterised by the presence of water channels as one of the central elements. The alcubillas were one of these channels designed to facilitate the distribution of irrigation water from the Acequia Real de la Alhambra or the Sultán in this quarter. One of these water distributors known as the “alcubilla del caracol” gave its name for a long time to the upper section of what is known today as the Cuesta del Realejo.
THE CHARM OF A UNIQUE GRANADIAN CARMEN IN THE HEART OF THE 21ST CENTURY
Tradition blends with modernity and comfort, giving rise to a charming hotel in the heart of the Realejo district, where even a stroll through the interior of the carmen becomes an experience. The garden with water pillars and terraces is divided into different areas, each one differentiated by its vegetation and location, from a pavilion of Tuscan columns covered by a leafy wisteria to an area of Granada cobblestones with orange and lemon trees, as well as the imposing silhouette of a centenary cypress which is the protagonist of a landscape by Sorolla from 1910.
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