Jon Clarke (Publisher & Editor)
The range of hotels on the Costa de la Luz is huge. From rural estates to beachside boutiques and historic houses to restaurants with rooms, you’re spoilt for choice when looking for somewhere to stay on the Cadiz coast.
The place for romantics is Vejer, where you’ll find the seminal La Casa de Califa, in the town’s loveliest square.
This fabulous Moorish building is set around a charming central patio, where guests take breakfast and dine under candlelight each evening (but don’t forget to book).
Bit by bit its rooms have gone through a complete upgrade over the last year thanks to designer Ellie Cormie, who has an incredible eye and uses a mixture of global influences in her work.
Next door, Plaza 18, is a classic design hotel which oozes style and history, but also features sumptuous suites as rooms.
Meanwhile, around the corner, Las Palmeras, is the winner if you are looking for a pool to cool off after a day of sightseeing.
Down on the nearby coast, at Caños de Meca, Madreselva is just 50m from the famous beach, as well as most of the local restaurants. It has a sleepy courtyard, a small pool and the best breakfast on the coast.
In Zahara, you have the excellent Hotel Antonio, sitting on one of Andalucia’s top beaches and with one of the best restaurants on the coast, which is practically fully booked all summer, unless you have a room.
In the heart of Zahara, you must definitely check out Hotel Pozo del Duque, which sits right on the best part of the beach and counts on two pools, one of them to die for on the roof with some of the best views in Cadiz.
Up in Tarifa, few places come better sited than Tarifa’s Hurricane Hotel and its sister Punta Sur.
Set up in the 1980s, the Hurricane (www.hotelhurricane.com) has counted on celebrities and royals among its guests, no surprise given its location in stunning gardens, at the end of celebrated Los Lances beach.
Its sister Punta Sur sits in an amazing leafy enclave, protected from the famous Tarifa winds, with well appointed rooms and the best pool on the coast. Oh and a tennis court and great restaurant to boot.
INCIDENTALLY . . .
HAVING learnt her trade at Central St Martins in London, alongside the likes of Paul Smith, John Galliano and Stella McCartney, Ellie Cormie has more than a decent eye for interiors.
So husband and owner of the Califa hotel, James Stuart, was incredibly lucky when the interiorist found a window to upgrade the 20 rooms in his emblematic hotel in Vejer.
The results are nothing short of amazing as she has carefully worked with the ancient building’s historical quirks and imperfections.
Each room has its own specific feel and look, with its own signature pieces, be it furniture, material or antique.
One thing each room has is personality and a sense of place… and guests are made to feel at home and able to quickly relax.
“What James wanted was to make each room a little bit more luxurious and so I used his incredible family collection of items from Lebanon, Syria and Botswana and mixed them with my own love of rich textiles,” explains Ellie, who heralds from Scotland.
“I hope the results speak for themselves.”
READ MORE
Beach Guide: Costa de la Luz, Cadiz
Costa de la Luz: Where to Stay
Getting Around the Costa de la Luz
