Granada sits below the Sierra Nevada, with the Alhambra on one hill and the white lanes of the Albaicín facing it across the Darro valley. Your choice of hotel changes how much climbing you do each day.
The Alhambra complex includes the Nasrid Palaces, Alcazaba and Generalife gardens. Its entrances are uphill from the city centre. The C30 bus runs from Plaza Isabel la Católica, or you can walk up Cuesta de Gomérez or Cuesta del Realejo. Book the monument separately from the hotel, especially if you want a particular palace entry time.
Below the hills, the Cathedral, Royal Chapel, Alcaicería and Plaza Bib-Rambla sit close together in the flatter central streets. Plaza Nueva is the hinge between the centre, the Darro riverwalk and the climb to the Alhambra. A hotel here is easy with luggage and close to the buses. Traffic and late-night noise depend on the street.
The Albaicín has steep cobbled lanes, carmens and viewpoints such as Mirador de San Nicolás. Sacromonte continues along the hillside toward the caves known for flamenco. The views from both are the draw, but taxis cannot reach every doorway. Realejo, on the Alhambra side of the valley, has Campo del Príncipe and another uphill route to the palace.
Granada has hot, dry summers and cold winter nights by Andalusian standards. July highs average about 95 °F at the airport, while January nights average near freezing. In summer, do the climbs early or late. In winter, check the heating as carefully as you would the air conditioning.