Ensemble Hotel & Resorts Collection - Parador de Carmona

By Patricia Harris and David Lyon

The Parador de Carmona comes with a particularly colourful back story. In the 14th century, one of Spain’s larger-than-life monarchs, Pedro the Cruel, transformed the medieval Moorish citadel in this Andalusian city into one of his favourite countryside palaces. Earthquakes and time dimmed some of its luster, but when the parador system took over the Alcázar del Rey Don Pedro, it crafted a luxury retreat within the ruins.

Founded by Phoenicians and enlarged by Romans, ancient Carmona lies on the road between Seville and Córdoba. Night had fallen by the time we drove through the brick horse shoe arch of the main gate, so we didn’t appreciate the strategic location until morning. When we rolled back the curtains of our rear balcony room, we were greeted by a vista of a sunbaked plain. The fortress had been built on a hilltop where defenders could see an invading army two days’ march in the distance.

That palpable sense of history is what we like best about your stay. The hulking structures with their massive wooden doors exude a permanence, as if we were just the latest in a centuries-long parade of characters clip-clopping down those long-tiled halls. Bedrooms feature substantial wooden furniture with simple designs and bathrooms tiled floor to ceiling with marble.

In Carmona, we did our living in the grand public spaces – from the tables under the patio arcade to the elegant brick-red Bermejo room filled with rugs, antiques, and comfy lounge chairs. Pedro was known for patronizing Moorish artisans, and the hotel’s Mudéjar revival style reflects his taste. Patterned brickwork and coffered ceilings define the largest rooms. Blue and white tiles sweep from the reception area into the stunning central patio, where the Moorish fountain could have been lifted straight from a medieval saga.

The dining room, located in the castle’s former refectory, is the most impressive of the public areas. Soaring Romanesque brick arches, high vaulted ceilings, and big windows overlooking the valley below create a heroic feel. Medieval-style tables and chairs only amplify the atmospherics.

Although Spanish cuisine represents the culinary cutting edge in Europe, the restaurant concentrate on executing historic regional dishes with contemporary finesse. At dinner, we enjoyed roasted partridge and spicy Carmona spinach with chickpeas. The kitchen’s organic vegetable garden also yielded a rich version of boronía, a Spanish take on eggplant ratatouille.

There’s a lot to see outside the fortress walls. But at the end of a long day, nothing quite beat lounging by the pool, terraced into the hillside below the thick brick fortifications.