Hotel V

Vejer de la Frontera, Costa de la Luz, Spain
Book from GBP Book from £100 per night

The hippest hideaway in town: elegant rooms, a leafy courtyard, a subterranean spa and a roof terrace with panoramic views

The hippest hideaway in town: elegant rooms, a leafy courtyard, a subterranean spa and a roof terrace with panoramic views

When faced with the makeover of a 17th-century Vejer townhouse, Jean Van Gysel gave free rein to his love of eclectic interior design. Whilst many of the building's original features were kept in place - arches, beams, bannisters and wafer bricking - walls were rendered in eye-catching Venetian stucco, muted grey tiles laid in and out, and state-of-the-art bed and bathrooms created. Indoors, antiques from Goa sit alongside funky black and white photos on glass and PVC: this is a hotel that aims to surprise at every turn.

It's the roof terrace that gives this place that extra punch: the views across the city's roofscape are simply stunning and on a clear day you can see all the way across the glittering Atlantic waves to the Moroccan Rif. With genuinely friendly staff, a one-of-a-kind spa located down an ancient water-well, and spoiling bedrooms set around an attractive courtyard, Hotel V more than earns its place in the boutique-is-beautiful rankings.

Highs

  • Beautiful hotel, beautiful town, close to beautiful beaches... what more could you ask for?
  • Evening drinks up on the roof terrace with the twinkling lights of Vejer spread beneath you is romantic with a capital R
  • V is an amazingly quiet retreat, particularly given that you're at the heart of the old town, and the central courtyard with climbing plants and tweeting birds is an oasis of calm
  • Lovely staff who feel more like old friends: the service here was a highlight of our latest revisit
  • Spa treatments take place in a subterranean cave!

Lows

  • The hotel isn't the easiest to find, and you can't park outside, but staff will assist you with your bags from the square or town car park if you call ahead
  • Some of the rooms are a little dark, and only a few have views
  • Space for breakfast in the courtyard is limited, and there's a lack of tables and chairs on the roof terrace for dining up top

Best time to go

Vejer is worth a visit at any time of year, and its proximity to the sea means that even in summer, it rarely gets unpleasantly hot. The beach season normally kicks off around mid-May and extends until early October. The annual two-week feria begins around 10 August when party people would be in their element.

Our top tips

If you're heading for the beach in July or August get going fairly early: the Spanish don't so you'll have much more space on the sand for the first part of the day. And you can then spend the latter part of the day chilling up on Hotel V's roof terrace.

Great for...

Beach
Foodie
Romantic
Spa
  • Boutique Hotel
  • 12 rooms
  • Breakfast only
  • Allowed, but not ideal
  • Open all year
  • Pool
  • Spa Treatments
  • Beach Nearby
  • Pet Friendly
  • Disabled Access
  • Car recommended
  • Parking
  • Restaurants Nearby
  • WiFi
  • Air Conditioning
  • Guest Lounge
  • Terrace
  • Garden
  • Gym
Room:

Rooms

Most of Hotel V's guest rooms fan out around the pretty courtyard and are divided among three floors. There's also a newer room located in a building opposite the main hotel. No two are the same: some are bright with windows overlooking the street, others are darker due to no windows but they have added luxuries like in-room bathtubs. We'd splash out and book a Junior Suite with Living Room, which have a larger footprint.

The Junior Suite with Terrace is top-of-the-league and has its own outdoor space with wraparound views of the old town: this would be the one to book if romance is part of the picture and you're feeling flush.

Bedrooms have light-grey tiles which, together with natural coloured stucco walls and soft beige chenille curtains, provide an understated canvas for the darker decorative touches. There are antique Portuguese tables and writing desks of teak and rosewood, and eye-catching patterned fabrics on the padded headboards. Beds come dressed in fine Egyptian cotton with Paisley throws - expect to find yours neatly turned back when you get in from dinner - whilst soft lighting pushes the 'love-in' quotient up an extra notch. A bonus treat is the underfloor heating in both the bedroom and bathroom.

Bath and shower rooms are just as spoiling, many of them divided from the sleeping area by glass walls, which cleverly ups the light factor. All have the swishest of sinks and taps, piles of snowy white towels and a big bunch of Damana ayurvedic bath products.

Features include:

  • Bathrobes
  • Hairdryer
  • In-room treatments available
  • WiFi

Eating

Where to have breakfast at Hotel V is dictated by the weather and your own wishes. Most people choose the courtyard, but space is limited. A traditional Andalucian version is delivered to you on a tray (for a charge). Expect the best ham, scrummy local goat's cheese drizzled in olive oil and herbs, fresh fruit, granola and yoghurt, along with tomato and olive oil so you can prepare a proper Andalucian tostada. And the coffee couldn't be better.

You’ll have to eat out for lunch and dinner. Vejer has a number of great tapas bars: We'd recommend eating at least one time in the delightful Plaza de España (preferably alfresco) at either Garimba Sur or Trafalgar - both have tables spilling out into the square. And if fusion is your culinary thing, dip into Jardin de Califa's beautiful courtyard restaurant for a real Arabian Nights vibe. For finer dining, within a shake of Hotel V is one of Vejer's best eateries: Casa Varo where traditional Spanish dishes are ratcheted up a notch or three thanks to immaculate presentation and using only the freshest of ingredients.

You may well be tempted to have a pre- or post-dinner tipple up on the roof terrace. There's a fully stocked honesty bar up there (as well as in the winter salon) along with a wine list that showcases some superb Spanish wines and cavas, served by the bottle or glass.

Features include:

  • Bar
  • Breakfast
  • Restaurants nearby
  • Room service
Eating:
Activity:

Activities

  • Head for the beach: Two of the Atlantic coast's finest stretches of sand are a 10-20 minute drive from the hotel (El Palmar and Conil). Take a parasol and something to lie on as beach beds are rare.
  • Drive a little further to the fabulous Bolonia beach and visit the Roman ruins and state-of-the-art museum, which are just back from the sea.
  • Wander the old centre of Vejer at night, dipping into a few of its friendly tapas bars, and check at reception to see if there are any flamenco concerts on offer.
  • Spend a day exploring Cádiz's ancient city centre or check out a bodega or two in Jerez.
  • Keen golfers will be in their element, with world-class courses a short drive away at Montenmedio, Jerez and Arcos.
  • Get going early and spend the day in Tangier: there are regular fast ferries from Tarifa, which whisk you over the Strait in less than an hour to a very different world of souks, minarets and muezzins.
  • Chill out on the roof terrace on one of the loungers in the pebbled foot pool, or ask for an ayurvedic treatment in the amazing subterranean aljibe. Manicures, pedicures and hairdressing can also be arranged.

Activities on site or nearby include:

  • Golf
  • Hiking
  • Historical sites
  • Horse riding
  • Shopping / markets
  • Surfing
  • Swimming
  • Tennis
  • Windsurfing

Kids

Children are accepted although toddlers are not really encouraged because of all the steps. That said, children under 2 stay free of charge and cots are available in the Deluxe Rooms. The Junior Suites with Living Room are large enough for an extra bed to be added, for an additional charge.

Best for:

Babies (0-1 years)

Family friendly accommodation:

Cots Available

Baby equipment:

Baby cots and extra beds available on request.

Remember  baby and child equipment may be limited or need pre-booking

Kid Friendly:

Location

Hotel V is located in the heart of the old town of Vejer in southwest Andalucia, southern Spain.

By Air
Jerez de la Frontera (60km) is the closest airport, but you're an easy drive from Seville and Gibraltar too. Malaga is a little further: count on almost 2.5 hours by car if coming from that direction.

From the Airport
Your within easy driving distance of the local airports so you can either take a taxi or hire a car (see below).

By Car
You will probably want to get about by car and explore the Costa de la Luz. For car hire see our car rental recommendations. It's a good idea to use the free public car park in the town. Once you've parked you can call the hotel and they will send a complimentary taxi to take you and your luggage up to the hotel.

Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.

Airports:

  • Jerez de la Frontera 60.0 km XRY
  • Sevilla 160.0 km SVQ

Other:

  • Beach 1.0 km
  • Shops 0.5 km
  • Restaurant 0.5 km

Our guests' ratings...

Based on 2 independent reviews from i-escape guests

9/10
Room
8/10
Food
10/10
Service
9/10
Value
9/10
Overall

{{ review.rating }}/10, ,

Rates for Hotel V

Arriving on: