There are hotels that are simply somewhere to sleep, and then there are those that become part of the trip. During our recent visit to Málaga, we spent three nights at the Mariposa Hotel, and it turned out to be a great base for exploring one of Spain’s most enjoyable cities.
From the moment we arrived, I liked it. It’s stylish without trying too hard, contemporary without feeling clinical, and — perhaps most importantly when you’re visiting Málaga for a few days — brilliantly located.
We could walk virtually everywhere.
A hotel with a bit of personality
The Mariposa describes itself as a boutique hotel, and in this case I think the description is justified.
Our room was large, bright and extremely comfortable, with a huge bed and plenty of space around it. But it was the little design details that gave the room some character.
Behind the bed was a wonderful oversized floral feature wall, accompanied by slim contemporary reading lights. Against the otherwise neutral room, the burnt-orange cushions and bed runner added just enough colour.
One of the more unexpected touches was the dressmaker’s mannequin covered in butterflies and flowers. Completely unnecessary, of course — and that’s precisely why I liked it. It was quirky, colourful and made the room feel a little less like every other hotel room.
The bathroom was equally spacious, with a bath and shower, plenty of marble and dark stone, a large vanity area and even a bidet.
It wasn’t a tiny bathroom squeezed into the corner of a city-centre hotel room; there was actually room to move around.
Then there’s the rooftop…
One of my favourite parts of the Mariposa was upstairs.
The rooftop is wonderfully eccentric.
Rather than creating another anonymous hotel terrace with identical furniture and a few plant pots, someone has clearly had some fun with this one.
There are tropical murals, butterflies, huge plants, chandeliers, colourful furniture and some rather unexpected animals.
Among them was this magnificent brightly painted cow.
And elsewhere, a horse appears amongst the chairs and plants.
It shouldn’t really work.
But somehow it does.
It’s playful rather than pretentious, and it gives the Mariposa an identity of its own.
There are loungers if you simply want to sit in the sunshine for a while and a rooftop bar area surrounded by greenery. We were in Málaga to see the city rather than spend our days lying beside a hotel pool, so having somewhere like this to retreat to for an hour was ideal.
Breakfast – colourful, relaxed and refreshingly unfussy
Breakfast was served downstairs in a bright contemporary room overlooking the street.
And once again, there were a few slightly eccentric design touches.
Look upwards and you’ll discover what appear to be enormous rocks suspended from the ceiling.
The breakfast itself was buffet style, with cereals, granola, fresh fruit, pastries and croissants alongside the usual breakfast choices.
I particularly liked the brightly coloured bowls. It’s a tiny detail, but against the otherwise contemporary surroundings they added to the slightly playful character we’d already seen elsewhere in the hotel.
Breakfast wasn’t some enormous resort-style affair with hundreds of choices. Nor did it need to be. It was fresh, nicely presented and perfectly suited to a boutique city hotel.
Have breakfast, grab a coffee and head out into Málaga.
Which brings me to perhaps the Mariposa’s biggest advantage.
Location, location, location
The hotel is right in the centre of Málaga, and for us that made an enormous difference.
We weren’t dependent upon taxis or buses every time we wanted to go somewhere. We could simply walk out of the hotel and explore.
The historic centre, shops, restaurants and bars are all within easy reach, while Málaga’s port and waterfront are also close enough to wander down to.
That’s exactly what I want from a hotel on a city break.
I don’t particularly want the most luxurious hotel in a city if it means spending half the holiday travelling backwards and forwards to it. Give me somewhere comfortable, interesting and well located and let the city provide the entertainment.
The Mariposa ticked those boxes rather nicely.
Credit goes in particular to Nicolas at reception, who made our stay perfect, and to Giulia, who gave my wife and me a relaxing massage.
Málaga surprised us too
This was also a good reminder that Málaga deserves to be treated as a destination in its own right rather than simply the airport you fly into before disappearing along the Costa del Sol.
There’s culture, architecture, shopping, restaurants, the port, beaches and an atmosphere that makes it very easy simply to wander around without much of a plan.
And because the Mariposa is so centrally positioned, we could do exactly that.
Head out in the morning, come back when we’d had enough, put our feet up for a while and then walk out again for dinner.
For a three-night stay, that freedom was invaluable.
Would we stay at the Mariposa Hotel again?
Yes.
The Mariposa isn’t about acres of marble, enormous swimming pools or uniformed staff waiting at every turn. It’s a relatively small, individual hotel with a sense of humour and personality.
Our room was spacious and comfortable. The bathroom was excellent. Breakfast was good. The rooftop was a lovely bonus.
But above everything else, the location was superb.
If I returned to Málaga and wanted another few days exploring the city, I’d happily stay here again.
And I suspect I’d go back upstairs just to see whether that colourful cow was still there.
Mariposa Hotel Málaga – at a glance
What we loved: The central location, spacious bedroom, quirky boutique styling and rooftop terrace.
Best for: Couples and anyone wanting a comfortable base for a Málaga city break.
Our stay: Three nights.
The standout: Being able to leave the hotel and walk to so much of Málaga — although the cow comes a surprisingly close second.
Fifty Four and Counting verdict: A stylish, comfortable and slightly eccentric boutique hotel in a location that makes exploring Málaga wonderfully easy.
