Hotel Carlton

Our room faced Federico Moyua plaza, and the many-colored flowers there were beautiful to look at. We stayed at the Hotel Carlton in September during a Viking land tour in Bilbao and loved our visit. The hotel is pleasant and centrally located, with very helpful staff and clean, roomy rooms. Breakfast was delicious, with plenty of choices to keep us going for much of a day of sightseeing. We recommend it!

The rooms have an older style of decor, but they're well kept and didn't have that carpet smell. Check-in was straightforward, and the staff were friendly and professional. The rates felt fair for the quality. There's a small gym, and breakfast was good. With the hotel right in the city center, I had a very good stay and would recommend it for business or leisure.

The service was fantastic, and the staff were helpful. This is an incredibly beautiful hotel, from the hall and rooms to the amazing ceilings. Its central spot makes it easy to walk to all the main attractions in Bilbao.

That Saturday night was fascinating, with a Basque-Palestine football match preceded by pro-Palestine demonstrations. The hotel's central location and profile mean big events like demonstrations and sports can happen nearby, though the crowds were a problem when I was leaving for the airport. The reception had told me the airport bus stopped almost next door, but on departure day a race seemed to have blocked the center, and neither taxis nor airport buses were getting through. The receptionist I spoke to, the same one whose manner had bothered me earlier, suggested walking half a mile toward Casco Viejo to a taxi rank. That seemed unwise when taxis couldn't be found, so I walked with my luggage to the bus station instead and was fine. I saw other distressed guests at the bus stop trying to work out how to get to the airport. I offered to walk with some of them, as it was an easy one-mile walk, but they didn't want to. The only reason I didn't give five stars was the reception service. The night before I arrived, I got an email saying payment hadn't gone through, with no explanation, so I worried my booking might have been canceled. When I asked at check-in, the receptionist said she didn't know because a colleague had handled it, though the card was fine. She asked if I wanted an invoice; I said I just needed a receipt, but she kept insisting on an invoice and had to get a colleague to help. I understand being new and not knowing everything, but she could have been kind and asked for patience. It was her attitude that bothered me. I chose the hotel for its central location and old-world charm, which the photos suggested. It's truly central, within walking distance of Casco Viejo, the Guggenheim, and the bus station. The entrance areas are beautiful and very Belle Époque. I traveled alone and booked a single room on the sixth floor. It came with a fantastic terrace, but there was no furniture, not even a chair, so I drank my morning coffee standing up and looking at the view. The room itself was clean and quiet, with what I needed: a comfortable double bed with four cushions, coffee machine, safe, blackout curtains, and a well-equipped bathroom. The decor looked better in the photos than in person, and felt like functional standard chain-hotel materials rather than five-star elegance, but I didn't mind and was comfortable. The gym was pretty decent, with three Technogym cardio machines, weight machines, and dumbbells. There's also a nice park a couple of blocks away, which suited me as a runner. I enjoyed the stay and would come back despite the reception service. The location is hard to beat, but have a backup plan for getting to the airport, just in case.