Almagro’s charms, theater culture and bull run history are exactly why the Paradores hospitality brand decided to open a property there. But, as with all Paradores properties, the brand didn’t build anything new; instead, Parador de Almagro occupies a former 17^th-century convent. In fact, it was the first Franciscan convent in the city.

© Aoife O’Riordan

Mudéjar-style tilework, authentic interior courtyards and long corridors define this hotel. Everything is slowed down here, and I felt an immediate sense of calm even walking up to the hotel, where a fountain trickled in the courtyard among cobblestone paths.

My room captured true Castile-La Mancha styles and décor, from the bold and geometric tilework lining half the walls to the striking blue beams on the ceiling. Warm lighting, red tile flooring, traditional-style tables and chairs, and a blue-framed window preserve the historicity of the building. My specific window looked out to that same fountain and courtyard I first saw when entering the hotel. The bathroom offers a more modern feel, with a shower/tub, bidet and vanity with more than enough counter space.

© Aoife O’Riordan

Throughout the hotel, I found many small parlors and lounges with period paintings, fireplaces, massive rugs and high-back chairs, harkening back to a different century entirely. I even paused going down one of the main stairwells for dinner, feeling more like a noblewoman than a tourist.

The dining room, open for both breakfast and dinner, embraces authentic cuisine from the region. One of the standouts at dinner was a delicate white fish bathed in a light sauce and topped with a tomato-based concoction. It was flaky, fresh and tangy from the tomatoes.

© Aoife O’Riordan

Almagro’s walkability means simply strolling out of the hotel and finding a plethora of sites and activities. Just a five-minute walk away is the main square of the town, a bustling place from dawn to dusk, with fountains, a statue of Don Quixote, 16^th– and 17^th-century timber homes, traditional lacemakers and weavers, and the courtyard theater. This main square was once the scene of bull runs.

© Aoife O’Riordan

The theater is the best-preserved example of the corral de comedias of the 17^th century, rediscovered in the 1950s and now hosting plays year-round. Inside, I felt a temporary sense of déjà vu, for I thought I was in Shakespeare’s Globe in London with the open-air feel and tiered layout.

Parador de Almagro

Rda. de San Francisco, 31,
13270 Almagro, Cuidad Real, Spain
tel 34 926 86 01 00