Boutique hotels in Spain: rooftop pools, sunny sea views and underground spas

Sir Joan is a quirky hotel a short jaunt around the corner from Ibiza Town’s ancient port. And, fittingly for its location, it’s a characterful establishment that pays homage to the island’s maritime history. Rooms feature wooden floors repurposed from yachts and sleek marble bathrooms with walk-in rainfall showers. En-suites are disguised by polished stainless-steel dividers, which imitate the movement of water when illuminated by the sun.

Wander down to IZAKAYA Asian Kitchen & Bar for Japanese-Peruvian fusion food – think meat cooked in a Hibachi-fire bowl and intricately carved sushi – accompanied by vistas of the Old Town and marina. Or, to satisfy late-night hunger pangs, order gourmet burgers from the Butcher, an eatery that stays open until 7am. Tuck into prime Aberdeen Angus beef on a palm-filled outdoor terrace while sipping spiked milkshakes.

Turn your trip into an adventure with the hotel’s Sir Explore service. Its tours introduce you to local hosts who organise a range of memory-making activities. Fish and swim in marble-blue waters on the southwest coast with Captain Miguel, o return home with some impressive skills by honing your cooking under the tutelage of a former chef at Copenhagen’s Michelin-starred Noma restaurant.

La Laguna Gran Hotel is situated in the centre of a UNESCO World Heritage Site, within a former 18th-century tobacco factory. Its colonial building is considered an important landmark and the restaurant, Nub, is one of only five on the island awarded a Michelin star. This eatery focuses on reinventing classic Spanish cuisine in a contemporary style, presenting locally sourced ingredients in innovative ways – so prepare to be pleasantly surprised.

In your downtime on hot afternoons, recline on leather Chesterfield sofas on the hotel’s Canarian patio, among leafy plants and spherical glass lights. Or spend a leisurely afternoon sipping freshly brewed coffee from Laguna Café while savouring home-made pastries. Next, head upstairs to the rooftop terrace and admire the church spires of San Cristóbal de La Laguna before cooling off in the open-air pool.

Rooms at this hotel feature distinctive touches. Lie back on soft beds with dark-wood headboards and plush textiles under ceilings crafted from local pine. Want a holiday encompassing all-out luxury? Booking the upscale Royal Suite, complete with an ornate painted mural and a hydromassage tub.

Live like royalty – or, more specifically, former French Empress Eugénie de Montijo – at Hotel Claude. Previously a summer residence belonging to this noblewoman, the townhouse has since been transformed into an artistic boutique hotel. Suites feature authentic details that capture the building’s creative history, including parquet-style terracotta flooring and pitched wooden-beam ceilings.

For a regal stay, upgrade to a refined room lit by a sparkling crystal chandelier. Relax with a long soak in the sandstone bath, or lounge in your monogrammed bathrobe while listening to the sounds of Marbella’s Old Town from the balcony.

Dinner is offered at the hotel by prior arrangement. Take a seat on antique-inspired chairs in the avant-garde dining room under a polished ebony-black chandelier. Complement your meal – think tapas plates such as slices of cured ham from Jabugo in western Spain – with a glass or two of regional red wine. Make the most of warm and fragrant summer evenings by finishing your tipple on the candle-lit rooftop terrace, on a table between the glass atrium, ceramic tiles and olive trees. Alternatively, enjoy privacy under a canopy on a raised balcony that looks out across the town’s roofs.

Soak up the Spanish sunshine as you look down on Catalonia’s capital from Hotel Ohla Barcelona’s top-floor terrace. While on this wooden-decked veranda, you’ll witness dramatic views of the Gothic Quarter’s buildings and churches, capped off by the sparkling sea in the distance. Inside, the hotel balances a neo-classical exterior with experimental sculptures by artist Frederic Amat.

This style is carried through into the rooms, too, where innovative layouts complement a minimalist décor. For a sensory experience, a luxurious en-suite is positioned in the centre of the space; a rain shower hiding behind a glazed panel allows you to take in city vistas from the floor-to-ceiling window. Rooms also benefit from modern touches, including iPod docks and Nespresso coffee machines.

For fine dining, visit Art Deco-style Caelis with its dark walls and golden accents. This Michelin-star restaurant serves contemporary tasting plates created in an open kitchen. Witness Chef Romain Fornell and his team preparing dishes while sitting under a display of polished copper pans at the horseshoe-shaped bar. Meanwhile, La Plassohla, another eatery, specialises in casual-chic tapas influenced by global cultures. Try experimental combinations such as tempura oysters with Japanese mayonnaise – preferably accompanied by an organic red wine.

Make yourself at home here in a room decorated in hues inspired by Malaga’s ocean and native plants. Each one features bold striped walls and exaggerated headboards for an eclectic appeal. Upgrade to a Junior Suite and recline on a plush chaise longue in your separate living space before sinking into one of two king-size beds for the night.

As well as being positioned steps from the beach, Room Mate Valeria is in the middle of Malaga’s hip Soho district, offering sublime views of the verdant mountains and lively cityscape from its rooftop sun terrace. Order a cool beer from the Andalusian-style tiled bar and relax on colourful cushioned loungers. Feeling the heat? Refresh in the waters of the plunge pool as you look out onto the Mediterranean Sea’s sapphire waves.

Ahead of a busy day of sightseeing, sit down for breakfast in the hotel’s striking restaurant. The geometric patterns in the bedrooms are mirrored in the monochrome zig-zag floor, which is complemented by woven cane chairs and colour-block seating. Get your caffeine fix with a steaming coffee and choose from a selection of fruit, cold meats and Spanish omelette.

Take advantage of Cap Rocat’s coastal location – a stone’s throw away from the inviting waters of Mallorca’s Bay of Palma – by choosing a table at its open-air Sea Club restaurant. The rugged coastline, dotted with tufts of wild lavender, boosts the experience of dining on meals cooked over an authentic Mallorcan firewood grill.

Spend days leaping into the salty water from the building’s old pier, then dry off afterwards on the chic cushioned loungers that line the pool area. When you’re seeking an indulgent break from the sun, visit the spa within the building’s ancient vaulted rooms. This tranquil space features a saltwater pool 12 metres below ground level that’s lit by an atrium-style glass ceiling.

The hotel’s unusual rooms have retained the former fortified citadel’s uneven stone walls and arched ceilings for authenticity. Choose from a space nestled above a moat at the grand tree-lined entrance or pick a suite carved out of the rock face. Treat yourself to a night or two in the latter, then take a dip in your private infinity plunge pool as you take in panoramic sea views.

Escape the busy streets of Barcelona and head skyward to Yurbban Trafalgar’s rooftop. From this top-floor terrace, you can survey the urban scenery through glass walls bordering the pool as you swim. Take a seat surrounded by potted plants at the open-air bar afterwards to watch the sun set over the cityscape while sipping a flute of sparkling wine.

Settle down in a minimalist room featuring muted-grey colour-blocked walls, dark wooden flooring and pared-down furniture. Natural wood wardrobes and pops of mustard yellow brighten the space, while glass doors opening out onto a veranda let in abundant light.

Begin the day with a Barcelona-style breakfast including plates of tomato-rubbed toasted bread or slices from the cheese board with sausages and sautéed beans. The hotel’s restaurant, Plat Únic, offers an unusual dining experience in the evenings with a single set menu comprising of simple cuisine. Reserve a table in the softly lit dining room with views of a palm-filled courtyard for meals like Galician beef ribs served with ginger spinach. Finished with bread, wine and whipped-cream coated strawberries, you’re sure to leave feeling sated.