Ayre Hotel Astoria Palace, Valencia

Upmarket hotel with restaurant in the heart of the Old Town

Foodie pilgrimage

On a quiet square in El Carmen, the Old Town, Ayre Hotel Astoria Palace is a 2-minute walk from the National Ceramics Museum and 6 minutes from the central food market. Colón Metro station, a 6-minute walk, has direct connections to both main train stations and to the airport.

Paella by the beach

At Plaza del Ayuntamiento, a 3-minute walk away, you can catch bus 19 to Valencia's sandy El Cabanyal beach, with its parasols and seafront paella restaurants. The bus also stops at the futuristic City of Arts and Sciences, sitting amid the Jardin del Turia riverbed park.

Restaurant and lounge bar

Top-floor restaurant AB Vinatea has superb city views and is renowned for its buffet breakfast and lunchtime rice dishes. All-day Room Service Lounge Bar serves tapas and Sunday brunch and has a gin and tonic menu.

Spacious rooms, free WiFi

The sweeping corner building has been getting a makeover, which means guestrooms on upper floors are sleek and contemporary with gilded feature bedheads, while others are more traditional. All 172 rooms have free WiFi, air conditioning, satellite TV, and minibars.