Seven hotels where you can follow in the footsteps of great film stars
Between glamour and mystery, the world of cinema is surrounded by a halo of sophistication and curiosities that never cease to amaze. Something similar happens with many hotels in Spain, whose rooms have been the setting for great films and where their protagonists have slept. From "Lawrence of Arabia", "Doctor Zhivago" and "55 Days in Peking" to "Vicky, Cristina, Barcelona", "A Fistful of Dollars", "Mission Impossible" and many others.If you want to discover the rooms where legendary figures of world cinema have stayed or visit the places where legendary scenes were filmed, take note of these hotels all over Spain: from San Sebastián, home to one of the most important international film festivals, to Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.
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Hotel María Cristina (San Sebastián)
With its Neoclassical and Art Nouveau style, it's a true icon. Inaugurated in 1921, its name honours Queen María Cristina, mother of Alfonso XIII, who spent long periods of time in Donostia-San Sebastián.The glamour of this hotel attracted filmmakers from Hollywood's Golden Age. For example, Elizabeth Taylor, Bette David, Sophia Loren, Alfred Hitchcock and Kirk Douglas. And for the San Sebastián International Film Festival, so have figures such as Richard Gere, Julia Roberts, Brad Pitt, Robert de Niro and Mel Gibson.The most emblematic room: the Bette Davis Suite, inspired by the Belle Époque, was the actress's favourite room, with a striking oval-shaped living room.Where: in the historic centre, a stone's throw from the sea, next to the Victoria Eugenia Theatre and the Kursaal conference centre, home to the International Film Festival.Bonus: the Hotel Maria Cristina was also the setting for the film "The Rifkin Festival" by director Woody Allen, released in 2020.
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Eurostars Hotel La Reconquista (Oviedo)
The hotel with the longest history in the Asturian capital has a close relationship with cinema. To begin with, it is one of Woody Allen's favourites, who discovered it when he came to receive the Prince of Asturias Award for the Arts in 2002. It is precisely here that the Spanish royal family receives the award winners and guests at the award ceremony every year.The New York director chose it for the filming of "Vicky, Cristina, Barcelona" in 2007, while the Spanish director José Luis Garci also chose it for "Luz de domingo". The rooms have been visited by great stars such as Martin Scorsese, Meryl Streep, Francis Ford Coppola and Pedro Almodóvar.The most emblematic room: not one but two, the Royal Suites, with balconies overlooking the main façade.Where: It is located next to the park of San Francisco and the Campoamor Theatre, in the heart of Oviedo.Bonus: built in the 18th century, the hotel building was an orphanage until the early 1970s.
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Hotel Alfonso XIII (Seville)
Dating from the early 20th century, it is an architectural marvel. Its spectacular neo-Arabic and Andalusian style made it the setting for major film productions such as David Lean's "Lawrence of Arabia" (1962). It has also been the base of operations for "Bolero" and "Mission Impossible 2", as well as one of the episodes of the series "The Crown".Its 148 luxurious rooms have hosted actors such as Omar Sharif, Peter O’Toole, Anthony Quinn, Ava Gardner, Audrey Hepburn, Charlton Heston, Orson Welles, Sophia Loren, Bo Derek, Tom Cruise, Cameron Diaz, and Johnny Depp.The most emblematic space: the Mudéjar Patio, surrounded by arches decorated with beautiful ceramic tiles and a glazed colonnade.Where: next to the Puerta de Jerez, the entrance to the old town of Seville, the Real Alcázar and the old Tobacco Factory, now home to the University.Bonus: it was completed in 1929 and was a personal initiative of King Alfonso XIII, who wanted to accommodate international dignitaries visiting the Ibero-American exhibition.
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Casa Fuster (Barcelona)
The link between this modernist jewel and the world of cinema lies in the fact that it was the headquarters for the filming of Woody Allen's "Vicky, Cristina, Barcelona". Since then it has been known as "the hotel of the stars", chosen by many of the filmmakers and actors who come to Barcelona.In addition to Penélope Cruz, Scarlet Johansson, Javier Bardem and Woody Allen himself, who starred in the film, they include Richard Gere, Juliette Binoche, Johnny Deep and François Ozon.The most emblematic space: the Café Vienés, at whose tables intellectuals, artists, national and international businesspeople, and much of Catalan high society have sat.Where: on Passeig de Gràcia, in the epicentre of Barcelona Modernism, very close to the famous Casa Milà and Casa Batlló.Bonus: Woody Allen has not only stayed at Casa Fuster, he has also performed with his band at the jazz club.
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Westin Palace (Madrid)
This and the neighbouring Mandarin Ritz are the two most cinematic, iconic and historic hotels in Madrid. Thus, "the Palace" is linked to cinema through films such as "Doctor Zhivago", "55 Days in Peking" and "El Cid", as part of the crew of these blockbusters (and others) stayed here. Guests include Ava Gardner, Sophia Loren, David Niven, Rita Hayworth, Charlton Heston, Orson Welles and Lauren Bacall.The Westin Palace Hotel was also the location for several scenes of the film "The Bourne Ultimatum" and inspired the plot of the Spanish film "La Cena".The most emblematic space: Hollywood stars, politicians, intellectuals, painters and writers, such as Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dalí, Miguel de Unamuno and Federico García Lorca, have passed under the Palace's magnificent glass dome.Where: in the heart of the Carrera de San Jerónimo, opposite the Congress of Deputies and next to the Paseo del Prado, in the heart of the Landscape of Light, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.Bonus: the hotel was transformed into a field hospital during the Civil War (1936-39) and the Dome was its operating theatre, taking advantage of the natural light.
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Hotel Santa Catalina (Las Palmas de Gran Canaria)
The most cinematic of the hotels in the Canary Islands and the oldest, having opened its doors in 1890. A recent renovation has managed to maintain its characteristic eclectic style.Performers and directors such as Ava Gardner, John Travolta, John Huston, Gregory Peck, Brad Pitt, Jennifer López and Marion Cotillard have chosen it for their stays in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. Also the writer Agatha Christie, many of whose novels have been made into films.The most emblematic space: the patio de las Tortugas is one of the epicentres of the social and cultural life of Las Palmas.Where: in the Doramas Park, very close to the marina of Las Palmas.Bonus: it is one of the stages of the self-guided route of "Moby Dick", a film that celebrates its 70th anniversary. This is one of the six film routes offered by LPAVisit.
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Cortijo El Sotillo (San José, Almería)
This accommodation, whose origins date back to the 18th century, is next to the Desierto de Tabernas Natural Park, in whose landscapes so many spaghetti westerns were filmed. Several of the hotel's rooms were the setting for classics such as "A Fistful of Dollars", directed by Sergio Leone and starring Clint Eastwood, and Tonino Valerii's "The Day of Wrath".Eastwood himself stayed here. So have other actors such as Willem Dafoe and Antonio Banderas.The most emblematic space: the main hall, with its large windows overlooking the desert, reminiscent of the atmosphere of the Wild West.Where: The cortijo is on the outskirts of the village of San José and very close to beaches such as Mónsul and Los Genoveses, in the Cabo de Gata-Níjar Natural Park.Bonus: it was in Cortijo El Sotillo where the legendary scene of the arrival of the "gunman with no name" at the beginning of "A Fistful of Dollars" was filmed.
These are just a few examples of Spanish hotels that have a close relationship with the world of cinema. But there are many more: If you are looking for "movie-like" experiences or to stay in historic hotels, you will find many more suggestions and inspiration at spain.info.
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