The NH Collection Amistad Cordoba, a splendid hotel within easy walking distance of historical landmarks, ensures delightful dining and pleasant dreams
Ensconced in the picturesque Jewish Quarter, the four-star NH Collection Amistad Cordoba made the perfect base camp for explorations of Cordoba’s sprawling old town, the highlight of my recent travels in the south of Spain.
As soon as I passed through the lobby and walked out the door, there I was—in the quiet Plaza Maimonides, ready to prowl the cobbled lanes threading the city’s historic center, a maze of whitewashed buildings dating as far back as the Middle Ages. The Bullfighting Museum, housed in two old palaces, holds court across the way. A short stroll leads to the Mezquita, or Mosque-Cathedral, the greatest legacy of the city’s Muslim past.
Occupying a pair of 17th and 18th century mansions, the 108-room NH Collection Amistad Cordoba has two outdoor courtyards, one of them with an Arab star-shaped swimming pool. Islamic ornamental and architectural touches grace other public areas as well. (At the time of writing, the larger courtyard was closed for renovation.)
The property offers a variety of guest room categories, including rooms with private patio. My French balcony looked out on remains of a wall that separated the Jewish Quarter from the rest of the city. Other rooms overlook the courtyards or Plaza Maimonides.
My third-floor nest had all the amenities you’d expect from an upscale hotel—refrigerated mini-bar, coffee machine, magnifying make-up mirror, robe and slippers, and turndown service with chocolate. I especially liked the walk-in rainfall shower.
Savoring Regional Specialties in the Hotel Restaurant
At one lunch in the restaurant, our group feasted on the five-course Cordoba tasting menu, which featured typical local specialties. We all loved the salmarejo, a cold tomato soup thickened with bread and topped with bits of hard-boiled egg and ham. After a salad and creamy oxtail croquettes, the main course was flamenquin, a fried roll of sliced pork and ham with cheese and red peppers. We finished with pastel cordobes, a sweet, squash-filled pastry. The price was 37 euros per person, two drinks included.
The NH Collection’s cultural/gastronomic package in Cordoba is part of the brand’s Spain Designed for Feeling program of special experiences. The plan includes both the tasting menu and a guided four-hour tour visiting the Mezquita, Jewish Quarter and Viana Palace.
The hotel’s lavish breakfast buffet offered salmarejo (a morning treat for one group member who couldn’t get enough of it) along with a bounty of meats, cheeses, fruits, vegetables, juices and baked goods. As a sweet tooth, I went for the chocolate tart wedges and sugar-dusted squares of pastel cordobes.
Guest room, Superior category
A concierge in the lobby assists travelers with making the most of their Cordoba stay, and the front desk gives out a detailed list of museums and other attractions with opening hours and admission prices.
NH Collection Hotels & Resorts is the high-end brand of Minor Hotels, which has lodgings across six continents. I had not been aware of the chain, but after stays in Cordoba and at Madrid’s NH Collection Palacio de Tepa days before, I am now a big fan.
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By Randy Mink, Senior Editor
Lead Photo – Lobby of the NH Collection Amistad Cordoba
Photos courtesy of NH Collection Hotels & Resorts
