Parador de Antequera

The Parador de Antequera is a modern building, with large glass walls and sober decoration, set in a landscaped area of Paseo García del Olmo, 2, next to the bullring and the bus station. There is no castle or convent behind it: it is one of those Paradores chosen for comfort, light and gardens. From the rooms and the terrace you see the Antequera vega, and at sunset the sun falls over it.

Between the bullring and the bus station

That corner of the city has practical advantages. If you arrive by bus from Málaga or from the airport, you get off next door. If you arrive by car, the outdoor car park is free and has an electric-car charging point, so you leave it there for the whole trip and walk down to the centre in a few minutes. Going up to the Alcazaba and the Collegiate Church of Santa María is a walk with a slope; the Menga and Viera dolmens, at the other end, are better done by car. El Torcal is about 12 km away according to the Parador, and golf 8.

The Parador itself gives road distances: 49 km to Málaga, 99 to Granada, 122 to Córdoba and 150 to Seville. That is why it works as a base for exploring Andalusia from the centre.

Four room types

There are standard doubles, superior doubles, junior suites and accessible doubles. All have air conditioning, a flat-screen television with Chromecast, a minibar, a safe big enough for a laptop, a hairdryer and free wifi. There is room service, breakfast in the room and laundry. Prices change with the date and are checked in the calendar on its website, with room-only, bed-and-breakfast or half-board rates; members of the Amigos de Paradores programme get 5% off online bookings.

Garden, pool and restaurant

The garden has a seasonal pool and a playground, so it suits families with small children. The Parador restaurant serves Antequera and Málaga-coast cooking in a glass-walled dining room, and there is a terrace for a drink. The Parador is set up for cycle tourists and has four function rooms; the largest, Infante Don Fernando, holds up to 200 people for a cocktail reception, so some weekends you will coincide with a wedding.

What the listing does not make clear

The Paradores website does not give details here of the pool dates or the conditions for dogs: reception can answer, on 952 840 261 or at [email protected]. Rooms with a view of the vega depend on availability; ask for one when you book.