Curiosities about 3 historic hotels in Spain

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With our impressive beaches, beautiful mountain ranges and 30 monuments declared World Heritage Sites across the country, Spain is rightly one of the world’s biggest tourist magnets. So much so that in 2019 Spain was the second most popular destination in the world, with more than 83 million tourists, securing 2.6 million local jobs and contributing around 11% of Spain’s GDP.

It is more than likely that you have spent your holidays in different parts of the country and, if you have been lucky, you will have stayed at one of the best hotels we have to offer. For your next holiday, you could consider something a little different. Here we will share some carefully selected hotels that are truly unique because of their history.

Le Meridien Ra, El Vendrell

Just an hour’s drive from Barcelona, Le Meridien Ra has been welcoming guests since 2017. Located on the Costa Dorada, this hotel is renowned for its infinity pool, its extensive range of spa treatments and the building’s impressive art deco features.

The hotel is actually a former sanatorium built in 1929. The building has had a turbulent past, including a long period of abandonment from the 1960s onwards. But once the decision was made to restore it, no expense was spared and the renovation focused on keeping the original features intact. And with great success too, as once completed in 2014, the project won the APCE Award for Best Building Renovation, one of the most prestigious architecture prizes in Spain. Today, you can enjoy everything it has to offer by purchasing one of the experiences and gift vouchers at Le Meridien Ra, for both guests and visitors.

El Palace Hotel Barcelona

El Palace was initially conceived by Francesc Cambó and received the support of prominent Catalan politicians and public figures. The aim was to promote Barcelona and prepare it for events such as the 1929 Barcelona International Exposition. Although the concept began to take shape in 1915, the project was overshadowed by the First World War and the social tensions that followed. After years of delays, and even an act of sabotage involving the hotel’s plumbing, Palace Barcelona finally opened in 1919 under the Ritz Hotels banner. Known as one of the most luxurious names of its time, the hotel dazzled with extravagant features such as private bathrooms in every room, an absolute novelty that had been unheard of until then.

The hotel enjoyed several golden years, when it was known for hosting royal families from around the world, including King Alfonso XIII, who stayed there while overseeing construction of the Pedralbes Palace. However, tensions continued to rise in Spain, culminating in 1936 when, shortly after the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War, the hotel was collectivised and its basements were turned into an air-raid shelter. After a turbulent period spanning the Second World War, the property was restored to its former glory for the first time.

From then on, notable guests began to return, including global celebrities such as Salvador Dalí (who made the hotel his home for several years), Maria Callas, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Sophia Loren and Cary Grant. Renovated again very recently, the new additions include a fabulous rooftop garden with more than fifty plant species, fountains, pergolas, the Diana Garden restaurant and a swimming pool. If you would like to learn more about this Barcelona gem, take a look at these experiences and vouchers at Palace Barcelona available to guests and visitors.

Castillo Hotel Son Vida, Palma de Mallorca

Last but certainly not least, Castillo Hotel Son Vida, the oldest hotel on our list. It began as a royal retreat and hunting ground for King James I in the 13th century. The estate grew over the years and passed from one noble family to another. In the 16th century it was purchased by Mateu Vida and later kept its name after being bought by the Desmas and Truyols families.

Castillo Hotel Son Vida has always been a place for entertainment and relaxation, with spectacular sea views and a slightly cooler climate than the rest of the island of Mallorca thanks to its higher altitude. A major renovation at the beginning of the 20th century transformed the building into a villa with a castle-like appearance, which is what it is known for today. The work was commissioned by Fernando Truyols Despuig as a romantic gesture: the hideaway became a somewhat extravagant gift for his wife, Magdalena Villalonga. However romantic it may have been, the family decided to sell the estate 57 years later. It was acquired by a hotel company and eventually became the luxury hotel it has been since 1961.

Since then, it has hosted people such as Aristotle Onassis, Maria Callas, Pedro Almodóvar, Claudia Schiffer, as well as Prince Rainier of Monaco and Grace Kelly. Surely treating them in the same way that nobility has been treated for centuries. If you would like to enjoy that same treatment, be sure to take a look at the vouchers and experiences available at Castillo Hotel Son Vida