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{Spain} Cuevas El Abanico, a Cave Hotel in Granada

We flipped the light switches on, check. Turned the faucet on and off, check. Hot water in the bathroom, check. Flushed the toilet, check. Plugged in the mini standing heater in the corner of the room and determined that it was working, check.

We flipped the light switches on, check.

We smiled.

Everything was in perfect working order.

Jeremy then took out his camera and started taking pictures. We wanted to capture the charming cave accommodation that we had just settled into!

If you take a look at our 2011 review of our travels, you’ll notice that we like to try new modes of accommodation whenever possible. From staying in a tent at 15,000 feet to staying at a ryokan in the middle of a Hokkaido winter, we seek out these adventurous experiences!

 

Cozy Cave Suite in Sacromonte

Our stay at Granada was no different. When we learnt that Sacromonte is a neighborhood in Granada that is perced on the hill of Valparaiso right outside the old city and that there were cave hotels, we just had to book ourselves a cave room! A quick search on Tripadvisor turned up Cuevas El Abanico as the #1 specialty lodging for this area. After doing further research, this too was our first choice of accommodation.

Our comfy and cozy room in our cave “suite”. 

They thought there were 4 of us arriving, so they laid out an extra bed for us. When only two of us showed up, they offered to take the bed away. We didn’t think it was necessary, so we left the bed there. 

There is also a kitchenette that is fully equipped with utensils, plates, cups, pots and pans. There’s also an electric plate (which we used to boil some water in a pot) and a microwave. Next to the kitchenette is a small dining table with some snacks and drink packets (coffee, tea, sugar etc…). The bathroom was a nice size with a bathtub/shower combo, toilet and sink. We liked that there was a heater in the bathroom.

The owner was also very helpful. He provided a map and showed us how to get to everything we wanted to either by walking or by bus.

 

Not For Everyone

There is unfortunately one drawback to this accommodation. It is not a hotel that you can hop on a cab and expect the cab to stop right at the front door. You see, this hotel is located a little up the hill which you can only get to by walking up a cobblestone path.

Those with lots of luggages (especially stroller luggages) or have trouble walking would find it a little cumbersome to get to the hotel.

Located in Sacromonte, this is a quaint little cave accommodation that is perfect for those who are adventurous.

There’s only about 5 or 6 units here. You see 3 units in this photo. We stayed in Unit No.3

The one drawback of this place is that you must walk up a cobblestone path to get there. Cabs cannot get there. It was about a few minutes walk for us. We only carried backpacks so we did not have any problems. If you have stroller luggages, it might be a little more cumbersome.

Beautiful Hillside View

Now for the best part… we enjoyed the night views as we walked around the neighborhood. Beautiful!

Beautiful night view of the hillside of Sacromonte. The paved road is where the cars and buses go through. From there, you will need to walk up the cobblestone paths and stairs to the hotel.

More of Sacromonte hillside at night.

Our favorite view from this area is the unobstructed view of the Alhambra (top tourist attraction in Granada). There’s actually many photo spots around Sacromonte that gives you beautiful views of the Alhambra. All within walking distance from the hotel.

After a quick stroll around the area, grabbing a bite at a local tapas restaurant and capturing a few night shots, we settled in for the night, excited for our next day’s trip to the Alhambra!

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TAKEAWAYS:

  1. Cuevas El Abanico is located in the neighborhood of Sacromonte in Granada, Spain.
  2. This hotel is a great option for those who are a little adventurous and would like to try staying in a cave hotel.
  3. Cuevas El Abanico has little studio units that are built into the side of the hill. The cave “suites” are well equipped with lighting, heating, kitchenette and running hot water.
  4. We found that the price on their website and on booking.com were the same and were the best prices we could find.
  5. The cave hotel was cozy and they provided sufficient layers of blankets to keep us warm in the winter weather.
  6. The one drawback of this hotel is that it is located on a hillside that requires you to walk up a cobblestone path. A little cumbersome for those who have too many luggages, especially stroller luggages or have trouble walking. For women, heels are not recommended!
  7. You have a beautiful unobstructed view of the Alhambra (the top tourist attraction in Granada) just around the corner from the hotel.
  8. The Sacromonte hillside is a beautiful sight on its own.
  9. Walk down to the main street from the hotel (the owner can provide you with detailed directions and a map when you check in) and take bus No.32 for a direct nonstop ride to the Alhambra (1,20 euro per ticket).
  10. Be sure to email Cuevas El Abanico after your reservations (or put in notes when you make your booking) and let them know of your arrival time so they know when to have someone there to let you in.
  11. A cab ride from the Granada bus station to the hotel is about 9 euros. You then have to walk a few minutes up a cobblestone path to get to the hotel. There are painted signs showing you the way.
  12. We took the Alsa bus from Malaga Bus Station (which is right next to the Malaga Train Station where the AVE trains depart/arrive) to Granada. Our bus ride was about a 2.5 hours and the ticket costs 10,42 euros per person. There was a long queue to get the bus ticket to Granada. You can avoid the queues by buying your Alsa bus tickets online.
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Have you stayed at Cuevas El Abanico before? What about cave hotels in general? Do share with us!

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58 Comments

  1. Cathy Sweeney January 30, 2012 Reply

    What a great view of the Alhambra. I think the cave hotel would be a fun experience. Looks like you at least had windows on one end of the suite. That would be my only concern — that’s it might feel a little claustrophobic.

    • Author
      Jeremy & Shirlene
      Twitter:
      January 31, 2012 Reply

      Thanks Cathy! Yes, there is a glass door and small window on the kitchen/bathroom side of the accommodation. It definitely could get a little claustrophobic in the bedroom side of the room but the lighting and the layout gives it a rather spacious feel and you can sort of see the front door from inside the bedroom, so it wasn’t as bad. 🙂
      Jeremy & Shirlene recently posted..{Caribbean} Smooching Stingrays at Grand CaymanMy Profile

  2. Marina K. Villatoro
    Twitter:
    January 30, 2012 Reply

    How absolutely incredible. I would sooo stay here. I love unique, weird, off the wall hotels. It makes the experience so different than just any hotel.
    Marina K. Villatoro recently posted..Typical Guatemalan Food – Photo EssayMy Profile

  3. Diana January 29, 2012 Reply

    Hi Jeremy/Shirlene!

    Love this post. I didn’t know there were cave hotels in Spain but I’ll definitely need to check it out now. I recently stayed in one in Turkey while visiting Cappadocia (seems like others have mentioned Goreme already) but there are also cave hotels in Santorini… though the Cappadocia ones and this Granada one seems more “cave like” if that makes sense. 🙂
    Diana recently posted..They Say After You’ve Been Everywhere, There’s Always Greenland…My Profile

  4. Nomadic Samuel January 29, 2012 Reply

    That place has a lot of character 🙂
    Nomadic Samuel recently posted..Mayan Lesson: Coba, Mexico | Sonia’s TravelsMy Profile

  5. Thelma B. January 27, 2012 Reply

    I envy both of you so much! Since when have you started traveling together?

    Lovely pictures and I’d like to try those cave hotels someday!

    -Thelma
    Thelma B. recently posted..how to pick up womenMy Profile

  6. Stephanie - The Travel Chica January 26, 2012 Reply

    I love the cave hotel photos. So cool!
    Stephanie – The Travel Chica recently posted..Welcome to El ChaltenMy Profile

  7. Laurel
    Twitter:
    January 25, 2012 Reply

    So cool! I want to do this! The night photos are gorgeous.
    Laurel recently posted..Frescos: The Most Dangerous Cultural Attraction in Europe?My Profile

  8. Courtney Mroch
    Twitter:
    January 25, 2012 Reply

    A cave AND a hotel??? Oh my word! I have recently discovered I have a thing for caves. (That is, I’ve always had a thing for caves. I just put 2 & 2 together upon reviewing travel photos from over the years. I seem to seek them out.) This would be FABULOUS! So glad you shared!!!!
    Courtney Mroch recently posted..Can You Help? Paranormal Group Collecting Donations to Benefit Cancer, Veterans & Mental HealthMy Profile

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