Abades Nevada Palace hotel

The Abades Nevada Palace is a great place to start your trip to Costa Tropical. It's located in the outskirts of Granada, but still only a 6 euro taxi ride from downtown, 30 minutes from the slopes in Sierra Nevada, and 45 minutes from the beaches and winding streets of Motril, Salobreña, and Almuñecar. The hotel rooms are modern and extremely comfortable, many with great views of the mountains.

Supposedly, the Abades Palace is also home to a top-notch spa but we didn't have a chance to try it out. In the summer, there's an awesome pool, deck, and place to have a drink outside.