Hotel Review • Europe • Spain
Canfranc Station, Royal Hideaway Hotel: High-Class Cuisine and Hospitality at High Altitude
Discover Canfranc Station, Royal Hideaway Hotel, a luxury 5-star mountain escape in Spain's Pyrenees featuring Orient Express glamor and Michelin-star dining.
Credit: Barceló Hotels
BY RACHEL SHUE
Why it works
Hotel Snapshot
Canfranc, nestled in the Pyrenees between Spain and France in Huesca province, was established as a military fortress and border control point by the King of Aragon in the Middle Ages. During the Second World War, Canfranc gained prominence as a refuge for spies and those fleeing Germany via France, but today it’s a village of just some 500 residents and a cool mountain getaway in northern Spain, a 2.5hr drive from San Sebastian.
The Canfranc Station, Royal Hideaway Hotel is the jewel of the area, once known as the Titanic of Europe, it stretches more than two football fields end to end (790ft) – and needs a panoramic scan from about 30 yards away to get a really good look at it. The original train station was inaugurated in 1928 and reopened after two years of renovations. Its refurbished period features are just as eye-popping as its impressive size.
Design & Character
The grandiose Beaux-Arts interior of the vestibule is undoubtedly the standout space. Its original shape and dimensions are retained and the soaring ceiling of 43ft (or around three floors high), is supported by towering white columns, while windows allow sunlight to stream through, framing mountain peaks and sky in the background.
Art Deco touches throughout enhance the historic vibe and the overall ambience is that of being on the Orient Express train.
Staff uniforms resemble 1920s train conductors and porters with a color palette inspired by the landscape plus gold trimming representing the 86 tons of the precious metal that was once transported through the station in the 1940s.
Credit: Barceló Hotels
The Rooms
There are two wings of 104 rooms and suites. The symmetrical layout of the wings with muted lighting, wooden paneling and plush carpets hint at what to expect of the different room categories from Deluxe (2 people) to the Suite Deluxe (8 people), with the larger suites accommodating families and groups with two rooms or suites annexed by a living area. The Suite Deluxe is the size of a decent-size Spanish apartment at 1077 square feet with a separate living area, writing desk, minibar, and all the mod-cons.
Warm wood tones, herringbone floors and upholstered sofas, and headboards, feature in all the rooms. The shower-over-bath might not suit everyone, but the Japanese-style toilet is a surprising but welcome addition. Original windows are double-glazed to ensure insulation during summer and winter months when weather can be more extreme.
The Food & Drink
This is where Canfranc really excels. Tucked away at the foot of the mountains, there are not one but three top-class restaurants on site.
Outside are two restored train carriages – former dormitories of railway laborers, now the Michelin-star restaurant Canfranc Express, and 1928 restaurant, helmed by Chef Eduardo Salanova and Ana Acín, who strive to showcase French-Aragonese cuisine and wines in new ways – both hail from the Huesca region. Otherwise, El Internacional’s menu serves dishes like carrilleras de cerdo (pork’s cheeks), and the strawberry ice cream with blue cheese for dessert is a highlight. Aragonese wine is underrated, so take the opportunity to try a Enate from the Somontano vineyards.
Breakfast is a choice of freshly-made pancakes or eggs of your choice, plus the usual fruits, pastries, cereals, and juices. There’s also a beautiful Art Deco bar next to the El Internacional restaurant.
The Amenities
Spa amenities, massage treatments, and gym, valet parking, and accessible rooms available on request. Room service is available. The spa and gym need to be booked in advance and a session is not included in the cost of the room. The guest experience desk can help you plan and book activities as well as secure restaurant reservations.
Location & Neighborhood
Skiing and snowshoeing are easy activities to do during the cooler months. The hotel offers packages to Candanchu ski resort, but there’s also Astun. Nearby bunkers used during World War Two, a historic tour of the hotel and railway station in English or Spanish, and various day hikes and road trips in the Pyrenees are perfect in the warmer months. Or take the vintage Canfranc Express train to Jaca for views of the river and gorges, traveling in the original wooden carriages. From Jaca, you can walk sections of the Camino de Santiago.
Fast Facts
Address: Canfranc-Estación, Huesca, 22880, Spain
Vibe: Orient Express glamor in a secluded mountain spot.
Rating: 5-star
Starting Rate: From $221 per night
Room Count: 104 rooms and suites
Our Favorite Thing About the Hotel: It is well worth coming all the way from Madrid or Barcelona to dine and stay for the night. There’s literally nowhere else in Spain that can provide the same culinary experience nor this historic setting.
Amenities: Concierge, fine dining at three establishments on site including a Michelin-star restaurant, valet parking, spa and wellness areas including the gym, accessible rooms.
Nearby Attractions: Candanchu and Astun ski resorts, Canfranc Express to Jaca, Canfranc bunkers, Camino de Santiago in Aragon.
Airport: Zaragoza (ZAZ), Pau Pyrénées Airport (PUF), Tarbes–Lourdes–Pyrénées Airport (LDE)
Train Station: Canfranc Station (connection to Zaragoza)
Gallery
A closer look
Credit: Barceló Hotels
Credit: Barceló Hotels
Credit: Barceló Hotels
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