- The AC Hotel Malaga Palacio is a Marriott hotel in the centre of Malaga, between the cathedral and the Paseo del Parque, with its rooftop bar, restaurant and pool on the 15th floor.
- We stayed as guests and filmed the stay as we lived it. The hotel is not a client of ours, and nothing in this article was paid for.
- The frames that work are the ones a guest would share: the view from the room, the pool above the rooftops, the same terrace at night, the food, and the walk into the old town.
- A city hotel has two stories to tell, the property and the place, and the best content links them: the cathedral seen from the rooftop does both at once.
- For 2026: British visitors can stay in Spain without a visa for up to 90 days in any 180, may need to register fingerprints and a photo under the Entry/Exit System, and may be asked for proof of accommodation at the border.
The stay, and why it is on our site
When we arrived at the AC Hotel Malaga Palacio, a hotel in the centre of the city and part of the Marriott group, we understood quickly why people choose it. The position is the obvious reason: it sits between Malaga Cathedral and the Paseo del Parque, with La Malagueta beach among the nearby sights, according to the hotel's own page on Marriott. But the hotel gave us plenty of reasons to stay in as well.
Our first article about this stay, in September 2022, was written as a hotel review. This version keeps what we really saw and did, and turns it into something more useful for the people we work for: a showcase of what a creator films during one stay at a city hotel, and why each of those moments earns its place on a hotel's social media. The travel review belongs elsewhere.
To be clear: we stayed as guests. The hotel is not a client of ours, nobody asked us to film, and the pictures here are our own.
Location is the first story
For a city hotel, the place sells the room. From the AC Malaga Palacio, the cathedral is a short walk away, La Malagueta is about ten minutes on foot, and the streets around the hotel are full of tapas bars, restaurants and boutiques. You step out of the door and you are already where you wanted to be. The hotel also gives Malaga Airport as 10.5 km away, about a ten-minute drive.
That is why so many of our frames were taken outside the hotel. A sunlit plaza with palm trees, Velena on the steps of the cathedral garden, a plate of jamón on toast at a restaurant table: none of them show the hotel, and all of them sell it, because they show what a guest can reach on foot. For a hotel's account, this kind of content answers the question every city-break planner asks first: what is near?
- The facadeThe curved front of the building against a blue sky. It is the establishing shot, the frame that tells a viewer where the story starts.
- The streets nearbyPlazas, palms and old buildings within a few minutes' walk. Short clips of the walk out of the door are among the most useful a city hotel can have.
- The landmarkThe cathedral, from its garden and from above. A landmark in the frame places the hotel on the map without a word of caption.
- The local foodJamón, artichokes, tapas. Food from the neighbourhood tells guests the evenings will be good, too.
The rooftop, the real reason to stay
The 15th floor is the standout of the AC Malaga Palacio, and it was the part of the stay we filmed most. The hotel's Ático bar and restaurant are on the 15th floor terrace, with the rooftop pool there too (Marriott). From up there the city and the sea are laid out in front of you, and it feels like a different city altogether.
If you visit Malaga and do not have breakfast on this rooftop, you are missing something. That was Velena's line in 2022, and it still stands. For content, the rooftop gives a hotel a whole day in one place.
A day-to-night sequence is one of the most useful things a creator can film at a hotel with an outdoor space. Four clips from four times of day, cut together, show the full value of one place in a few seconds, and each clip also works on its own as a Story or a still.
Rooms, service and food
The rooms were comfortable and well laid out. The beds were excellent, the bathroom spacious, and the style a clean, modern look rather than anything fussy. Every room we saw was clean and well kept, and the air conditioning worked properly, which matters in a Malaga summer. Our tip, then and now: ask for a room with a sea view and a balcony. A city-facing room is still a good choice, with the occasional serenade of street music drifting up from below, charming or not depending on your mood.
The service was the kind that does not draw attention to itself. A doorman met us at the entrance and helped with our bags, check-in was smooth, our room was ready early, recommendations came without our asking, and the breakfast table was looked after promptly. Nobody hovered. They were simply good at their jobs.
Room service was excellent, and the Iberian ham was some of the finest we have had in Spain. Beyond the rooftop, the hotel lists a fitness room and a lounge on the first floor (Marriott), and we found a working area downstairs that suited a meeting.
For content, these parts of a stay are harder to film than a rooftop, and just as important. A clean room, a smooth arrival and a friendly face at the door are what guests write about in reviews. A creator can show them in a few honest seconds: the door opening onto the view, a bag being carried in, a breakfast table being laid. Staff should only appear if they are happy to, and should be asked first.
Why a stay like this works on social
Travellers do use what they see on social media to decide where to go and where to stay. In a Phocuswright study of US travellers who used social media to plan a trip, 65 per cent made a purchase or visit decision based on content they saw there. But a 2026 YouGov survey for Omio found that only 6 per cent of US travellers chose a destination because of social media trends, influencers or viral content. Hype does not decide a stay. Content that shows what the stay is really like does.
Format matters too. Instagram raised its longest Reel from 90 seconds to three minutes in January 2025 and changed the profile grid to taller rectangles, so vertical video now fills the grid without being cropped (Storyboard18, reporting Adam Mosseri's announcement). A hotel can now post a short rooftop clip and a longer walk through the stay from the same footage, and both look right on its profile.
That is what our camera roll from Malaga amounts to: an honest guest's view of a stay, from the facade to the fridge magnet at the airport. Our guest's-eye UGC (user generated content) for venues is built on exactly that idea.
Lessons for city hotels
Our article on what a hotel should post through the year turns these into a calendar, and the hotel full day shoot page shows how a day on site with us runs, hour by hour.
How to brief a creator for a city hotel
A guest with a phone films what they like. A commissioned creator should film what you need. These are the points worth settling first.
One more point for a shoot abroad: a paid shoot is work. GOV.UK notes that working in Spain has different requirements from visiting it, so a creator travelling from the UK to film for a fee should check the rules before the trip (GOV.UK, Spain entry requirements).
Hotel packages
Each of our hotel packages is built around time on site, like this stay, and every price comes straight from our shop.
If you are unsure which to choose, start with how often you need fresh content. A single package suits a launch or a refresh; the monthly retainer suits a hotel whose seasons change what it sells. And if you would rather we handled the posting as well, our social media plans for venues cover both.
See what one visit produces
Tap a video to play it. There is more on our hotels and restaurants work page.
Travel facts for 2026
Travel from the UK to Spain has changed since 2022, so here are the facts that matter today, from GOV.UK's travel advice for Spain.
How long you can stay. British passport holders can visit the Schengen area, which includes Spain, without a visa for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Time in other Schengen countries in the previous 180 days counts towards the 90.
Your passport. It must have been issued less than 10 years before the day you arrive and must be valid for at least 3 months after the day you plan to leave. Passports renewed before 1 October 2018 may not meet the first rule, so check the issue date.
At the border. The EU's Entry/Exit System is being brought in across the Schengen area. You may need to register your fingerprints and a photo, usually at a booth on your first entry; it is free, but expect longer queues. Border staff may also ask to see your hotel booking, a return or onward ticket, enough money for your stay and proof of travel insurance.
Getting to the hotel. Malaga Airport is 10.5 km from the AC Hotel Malaga Palacio, about a ten-minute drive, according to the hotel's Marriott page. The rooftop pool is mainly a summer pleasure, so if a swim is part of your plan, check the hotel's current opening before you book.
The AC Hotel Malaga Palacio and hotel content: questions
Is the AC Hotel Malaga Palacio part of Marriott?
Yes. It is an AC Hotel, one of Marriott's brands, at Cortina del Muelle 1, in the centre of Malaga between the cathedral and the Paseo del Parque.
What floor is the rooftop pool on?
The 15th floor, alongside the hotel's Ático bar and restaurant. The views over the city and towards the sea were the highlight of our stay.
How far is the hotel from the airport and the beach?
The hotel gives Malaga Airport as 10.5 km away, about a ten-minute drive. La Malagueta beach was about ten minutes on foot when we stayed.
Was this stay paid for or gifted?
No. We stayed as guests, and the hotel is not a client of ours. We use the stay to show what a creator films during one visit to a city hotel.
What should a hotel film first?
The shot that links the property to the place, such as a landmark seen from your rooftop or terrace, then one space at four times of day, then the walk out of the door. Rooms and service come next.
Do you create content for hotels in Spain and Europe?
Yes. Our hotel packages each include time on site, and the terms for travel to the UK, Ireland and Europe are set out on the hotel packages page, with every price.
Do British visitors need a visa for Spain?
Not for a visit of up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Working in Spain has different requirements, so a paid shoot needs checking separately.
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