SPAIN
Discover quaint whitewashed villages, vineyard regions, mountains and beaches, but also architectural masterpieces, such as churches, synagogues, palaces, and gardens.
Enjoy the Spanish way of life, bullfights, flamenco but also authentic local cuisine, and the creations of some of the most innovative chefs in the world.
GET INSPIRED
Eat Tapas
Tapas, those bite-size portions washed down with wine, beer, or sherry, are reason enough to go to Spain! Tapas bars, called tascas, are a quintessential Spanish experience. Originally tapas were cured ham or chorizo (spicy sausage). Today they are likely to be anything — gambas (deep-fried shrimp); anchovies marinated in vinegar, stuffed peppers; a cool, spicy gazpacho or hake salad.
Listen to Flamenco
It’s best heard and watched in an old tavern, in a neighborhood like Barrio de Triana in Seville. Get caught up in the staccato foot stomping, castanet rattling, hand clapping, and sultry guitar chords. Some say its origins lie deep in Asia, but the Spanish Gypsy has given the art an original style dramatizing inner conflict and pain. Performed by a great artist, flamenco can tear your heart out with its soulful, throaty singing.
Admire the Masterpieces at the Prado
One of the world’s premier art museums, the Prado is home to some 4,000 masterpieces, many of them acquired by Spanish kings. The wealth of Spanish art is staggering — everything from Goya’s Naked Maja to the celebrated Las Meninas (The Maids of Honor) by Velázquez (our favorite). Masterpiece after masterpiece unfolds before your eyes, including works by Hieronymus Bosch, Goya, Caravaggio, Fra Angelico, and Botticelli.
Wander the Streets of Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter
The Ciutat Vella (Old City) of Barcelona is one of the most evocative neighborhoods in Spain. Its richly textured streets, with their gurgling fountains, vintage stores, and ancient fortifications, inspired such artists as Pablo Picasso and Joan Miró (who was born in this neighborhood).
Run with the Bulls in Pamplona
We mean, just watch the bulls, rather than run with them. The Fiesta de San Fermín in July is the most dangerous ritual in Spain, made even more so by copious amounts of wine consumed by participants and observers. Broadcast live on TV throughout Spain and the rest of Europe, the festival features herds of furious bulls that charge down medieval streets, at times trampling and goring some of the hundreds of people who run beside them.
RECOMMENDED HOTELS
Villa Real
Set in the Plaza de las Cortes, this upscale hotel is decorated with ancient art pieces and modern paintings. It’s a 6-minute walk from Sevilla metro station and a 7 minutes from the Museo Nacional del Prado.
Mixing modern and classic decor, the polished rooms offer free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs and sitting areas. Some have marble bathrooms and/or balconies with city views. Suites add separate sitting rooms and some have private terraces. There’s also 24-hour room service.
Breakfast is complimentary. Additional amenities include a contemporary Mediterranean restaurant/bar accented with pop art. There’s also a fitness room and a hot tub.
Hotel Ritz
Set in a grand building built in 1910, this luxury hotel is a 4-minute walk from the Museo del Prado, and 1.8 km from the Royal Palace of Madrid.
The regal, antiques-filled rooms and suites have marble bathrooms, and feature free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs, DVD players and minibars; some include balconies. Suites add individual details like handmade carpets, fireplaces and crystal chandeliers.
Avant-garde Spanish cuisine is served in an ornate restaurant. There’s also a lavish hall offering afternoon tea. Drinks are served on a seasonal terrace and in a luxe caviar bar. Other amenities include a chic spa with an exercise room, and free parking.
Hotel Ritz
Set in a grand building built in 1910, this luxury hotel is a 4-minute walk from the Museo del Prado, and 1.8 km from the Royal Palace of Madrid.
The regal, antiques-filled rooms and suites have marble bathrooms, and feature free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs, DVD players and minibars; some include balconies. Suites add individual details like handmade carpets, fireplaces and crystal chandeliers.
Avant-garde Spanish cuisine is served in an ornate restaurant. There’s also a lavish hall offering afternoon tea. Drinks are served on a seasonal terrace and in a luxe caviar bar. Other amenities include a chic spa with an exercise room, and free parking.
Hotel Alfonso XIII
This ornate 1929 hotel in the city center is 10 minutes’ walk from from the Alcázar royal palace and 9 minutes’ walk from Seville Cathedral.
The regal rooms and suites blend modern and traditional Spanish styles and offer free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs and minibars. All feature marble and Sevillian tiled bathrooms. Some have Juliet balconies or private terraces. In-room massages and 24/7 room service are available. Suites add living rooms; some include free airport transfers.
There’s an upscale restaurant, a chic tapas bar and a sophisticated cocktail bar. Other amenities include an outdoor pool, a fitness center and sauna.
Parador de Granada
Set in a former convent on the grounds of the medieval Alhambra, this elegant hotel is a 9-minute walk from the ancient Generalife palace and 2 km from Granada Cathedral.
Sophisticated, subdued rooms with wood or tile floors feature free Wi-Fi and flat-screen TVs; some have 4-poster beds and/or vaulted wood ceilings.Breakfast is offered for a fee. A refined restaurant offers terrace dining, and there’s also a bar. Parking is free.
Hotel Palace Barcelona
A 5-minute walk from Urquinaona metro station, this elegant, upscale hotel is 8 minutes’ walk from Plaça de Catalunya and 1 km from the Museu Picasso.
Ornate rooms (some with decorative fireplaces) have free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs and minibars, plus luxe bathrooms with designer toiletries. Suites add sitting rooms or separate living spaces, and many feature whirlpool tubs. Room service is available.
There’s a renowned restaurant and a Parisian-style brasserie, as well as 2 plush bars. A rooftop garden has an outdoor pool. Other amenities include a spa, an exercise room and a business center, plus private chauffeur service and parking (fee).
Casa Camper
Casa Camper Barcelona is a design hotel located in the multicultural heart of the city in the Raval area, full of galleries (including the MACBA), bars, little restaurants, and only 2 minute walking distance from Plaza Cataluña. The building, a typical 19th-century gothic tenement, was restored by architect Jordi Tió and perfected by an interior from Ferran Amat of Vinçon. It now stands as one of Barcelona’s premier boutique hotels.
Casa Camper Barcelona provides a range of complimentary services: WiFi throughout, a business center, full breakfast buffet, and – best of all – as many snacks as you like in the lobby (sandwiches, soup, salads, pastries, bakery, soft drinks, juices, water, coffee and tea), leaving you feeling thoroughly looked after.
Hospes Palacio del Bailio
This upscale hotel in an elegant limestone villa is a 5-minute walk from Diario Córdoba bus stop, 1.1 km from the ornate Moorish-style Mosque–Cathedral of Córdoba and 1.5 km from the Roman bridge of Córdoba.
The 53 elegant rooms with Egyptian cotton sheets and a selection of specialty pillows feature free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs and sitting areas, plus room service. The loft adds a living area with a sofa. Some rooms offer muraled walls and frescos.
An upscale restaurant serves regional cuisine. There’s also a bar, outdoor dining and a pool. Other amenities include a sundeck, 4 Andalucian-style courtyards (1 has a glass floor), and a garden.
Hospes Palacio de los Patos
Occupying a 19th-century palace and a striking modern building, this upmarket hotel is an 11-minute walk from Granada Cathedral and 2.1 km from Alhambra.
Sleek rooms and suites offer free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs, and city or garden views. Those in the palace may retain original floor mosaics and ceiling murals. Lavish suites have living rooms and opulent bathrooms; some add balconies. Room service is available 24/7
A fine-dining restaurant has seating on a stylish patio. There’s also an Asian-influenced spa with a thermal pool, a sauna and a hammam. Other amenities include a garden and meeting facilities.
Hospes Amérigo
Set in a 16th-century former convent, this upscale hotel is an 8-minute walk from Playa del Postiguet and 2.3 km from Castell de la Santa Bàrbara.
Featuring high ceilings and abstract silk paintings, the contemporary rooms offer free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs and room service. Upgraded rooms add French balconies or living areas. The elegant suites have lounges separated by sliding doors.
There’s a Mediterranean restaurant, plus a tapas bar and a terrace bar. Other amenities include a rooftop spa offering treatments and massages, as well as an indoor/outdoor pool and a fitness room.
Hospes Las Casas del Rey de Baeza
A 12-minute walk from Seville Cathedral, this upscale hotel occupies an elegant, 18th-century lodging set around a tree-lined courtyard. It’s 1.2 km from Seville Santa Justa train station and 2.1 km from Plaza de España.
Chic rooms and suites feature free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs and terraces. Upgraded rooms add sitting areas, while suites offer living rooms and marble bathrooms.
There’s a refined Andalusian restaurant featuring floor-to-ceiling windows and a quaint courtyard, as well as a poolside tapas bar. Other amenities include a rooftop outdoor pool and beauty treatments (surcharge).
Hospes Puerta de Alcalá
A 3-minute walk from Retiro metro station, this chic, 19th-century hotel with wrought-iron Juliette balconies is also 1 km from Museo del Prado, the main art museum of Spain.
The plush rooms and suites feature parquet floors, ornate crown moldings and avant-garde furnishings. They also have free Wi-Fi and flat-screens, while some upgraded suites add soaking tubs. Room service is available 24/7.
In addition to an elegant, wood-paneled restaurant with a terrace, amenities include a casual coffee bar, a business center, and direct access to an affiliated spa with a Jacuzzi, treatment rooms and an exercise room. Parking is available (fee).
Hospes Maricel
With renaissance-style stone architecture featuring archways and columns, this luxe seafront hotel is a minute’s walk from Caló d’es Macs beach.
The high-end rooms come with free Wi-Fi and flat-screen TVs. Some feature original artwork and exposed stone walls, plus bathing pools. Others are streamlined, with wood and leather furnishings. Most have terraces (some with sea views). Suites add separate living areas. Room service is available.
The hotel offers breakfast (fee). There’s a refined restaurant and a bar with a sea-view terrace. Other amenities include an outdoor pool and massage service. Parking is available with a surcharge.
Hospes Palacio de Arenales & Spa
Off the N-521 national road, this refined hotel in a 17th-century building is 7 km from both the Chemin de ronde wall-walk and the Museo De Cáceres.
Featuring free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs and high-thread-count sheets, the modern rooms also have sitting areas. Suites add living rooms, and some offer 4-poster beds and/or 2nd bedrooms.
Amenities include an elegant restaurant, a cafe with a terrace, and a bar, plus an outdoor pool, a spa and gardens. There’s also a playground, meeting rooms and free parking.
Hospes Palacio de San Esteban
A 5-minute walk from the New Cathedral, this 16th-century, convent-turned-hotel is an 8-minute walk from the Old Cathedral and a 9-minute walk from Plaza Mayor.
Featuring stone walls or original archways, the chic rooms offer free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs, minibars and Cathedral or courtyard views. Upgraded rooms add sitting areas. Suites include separate living rooms and Nespresso machines. Room service is available.
Amenities include a business center and a fitness room. An elegant restaurant offers Castilian cuisine and a wine menu. There’s also a terrace bar with Cathedral views. Meeting rooms and banquet halls are on-site. Pets are welcome.
Hospes Palau de La Mar
Occupying an elegant 19th-century mansion with an interior courtyard, this refined modern hotel is a 5-minute walk from Jardí del Túria park and Alameda metro station, and a 15-minute walk from the stalls at Mercado Central.
The contemporary rooms feature sleek dark-wood furnishings and offer complimentary Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs and minibars. Upgraded rooms add sitting areas, while suites have separate living rooms and free-standing tubs. Room service is available.
The hotel has a Valencian restaurant and a stylish bar. Other amenities include a courtyard garden and an upscale spa with a hot tub, a sauna and a fitness room.
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Phone: 1-514-285-8758
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