Hotel Carlton ★★★★★

“An Englishman came to Bilbao to see the river and the sea, but once he saw the Bilbaoan girls he didn’t want to leave!”

This is the opening line of the folk song in question. First things first, I admit that my compatriot may not be an advert for English intelligence, having come to see the sea in a city some 20km from the coast. However, it is at least quite a sight to behold once you do see it. The Basque Country is famed for the rugged beauty of its countryside, and Bilbao is within striking distance of a coastline which boasts countless rocky coves, dramatic cliffs, picturesque fishing villages and idyllic beaches. As for the river, that does at least wind its way from the Bay of Biscay down to the centre of Bilbao. It loops around the shimmering, futuristic Guggenheim Museum, the iconic symbol of the new Bilbao, and meanders through an old city just emerging from industrialism, where tradition meets modern culture, where fashionable boutiques mix with charming ancient monuments and pintxos bars, and where I came to live out a 21st century take on the Englishman who came to Bilbao…

“An Englishman came to Bilbao to see the river and the sea, but once he saw the Bilbaoan girls he didn’t want to leave!”

The Hotel Carlton is, quite simply, the most prestigious and famous hotel in town. If you are looking for a place synonymous with refinement, class and elegance, you should look no further. It starts on the outside: with its location, holding pride of place in the Plaza de Federico Moyúa; and with its architecture, in opulently ostentatious ‘Beaux Arts’ style, with a grand entrance and ornate façade. Dating back to the 1920s, the Carlton’s intriguing history only serves to enhance this reputation. It was built in a (successful) attempt to rival the kind of supremely luxurious hotels found in other major cities, and was chosen as the seat of the Basque government during the civil war. Inside, the design screams old-fashioned grandeur, with a vast glass dome over the central hall, a grand staircase with fleur-de-lis emblazoned red carpets, gleaming marble floors, works of art, wide columns and intricate carvings.

“An Englishman came to Bilbao to see the river and the sea, but once he saw the Bilbaoan girls he didn’t want to leave!”

From the recently-renovated bedrooms to the facilities and the professional service, everything about the Hotel Carlton is aimed at making each guest as comfortable as possible. My room was slightly eclectic in style, although it mostly maintained the air of effortless class which characterises the hotel, mixing classic patterns on the walls, antique furnishings and the odd bold contemporary detail. Interestingly enough, this was the first hotel in Spain to offer en suite bathrooms; mine was just as fantastically equipped as you would expect from a hotel boasting this little piece of history, while the rest of the facilities in my room were equally advanced. It was a gloriously relaxing spot to unwind after a day in the city, or just a trip to the gym, sauna, computer room or the bar, which serves up deliciously elaborate cocktails. All this had me feeling like a king, never more so than when I surveyed the busy square below from the Carlton’s terrace.

“An Englishman came to Bilbao to see the river and the sea, but once he saw the Bilbaoan girls he didn’t want to leave!”

Pintxos, if you’re wondering, are the Basque take on tapas. Typically served in bars and traditional taverns, they are delicious little skewered bites, and in each one you can sense the Basque passion and flair for fine gastronomy. Locals and tourists alike delight in the age-old tradition of moving from bar to bar, taking a couple of pintxos and a glass of txakoli wine in each one. I found myself having to count the cocktail sticks on my plate to keep track of how many of the delectable mouthfuls I had eaten, because you could easily keep going forever. Though the most famous, this is by no means the only way of enjoying the legendary Basque cuisine. There are many high-class, more ‘conventional’ restaurants, including at the Hotel Carlton itself: the gourmet Restaurante Carlton has a breath-taking dining room, where you can enjoy local specialties and international classics prepared with great precision and panache.

“An Englishman came to Bilbao to see the river and the sea, but once he saw the Bilbaoan girls he didn’t want to leave!”

The Guggenheim is the icon of modern Bilbao, the cornerstone of all the urban renewal of the last twenty years. It resembles a sci-fi ship moored on the edge of the river, a scintillating structure which houses an incredible collection of contemporary artworks. Since its arrival on the riverbanks 17 years ago, it has been joined by a whole host of daring architectural statements, swanky restaurants, art galleries and museums. There are also now plenty of chic boutiques for shopaholics, while there is still always the tour of the old town and the city’s often overlooked ancient monuments, such as the gothic cathedral and the original ‘seven streets’. New life has been breathed into the whole city, which seems so dynamic, vibrant and energised. Every time I stepped out of the magnificent Hotel Carlton, I found myself in streets which were bustling and thriving, full of people who I could just tell, like me, didn’t want to leave!