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DISCOVER SPAIN

Ten unforgettable hotel stays in Spain

From bubble pods under the stars and treehouses in the canopies to space-age rooms, historic fortresses and even caves, these extraordinary hotels in Spain are some of the coolest spots to lay your head.

Ten unforgettable hotel stays in Spain
10 unforgettable hotels in Spain. Source: Cabañas en Los Arboles

A bubble hotel in Toledo

At Hotel Miluna in the Sierra de Gredos near Toledo, visitors can experience glamping with a bit of a difference. These are no ordinary luxury tents, they’re bubble tents with clear views of the night sky and a strong connection to nature. Each bubble room is named after a planet and comes with its own telescope so that you can spend the night stargazing from the comfort of your bed. Fall asleep under the twinkle of the stars and enjoy its added luxuries such as outdoor hot tubs.

Stargaze from your bed at the Miluna Hotel near Toledo. Source: Miluna
 

A treehouse hotel in the Basque Country

If you had a treehouse as a child, it was more than likely your wish to be able to spend the night in there and sleep among the birds and the treetops. At Cabañas en Los Arboles, located just north of Vitoria-Gasteiz you can do exactly that, albeit with a few luxuries thrown in. The hotel has a total of 10 treehouses, each one uniquely designed and sitting perfectly camouflaged against the tree canopy. More than just rudimentary tree houses, however, they come with electricity and dry toilets. Some even have running water so you can relax in a bath surrounded by nature.

Sleep in a tree house up in the canopy. Source: Cabañas en Los Arboles

A toy hotel in Alicante

The Hotel de Juguete in the small town of Ibi in the Alicante area is a dream come true for kids and kids at heart. Whatever type of toys or obsession little ones have at the moment, this place has it covered. Choose from various themed rooms such as dinosaur, superhero, Barbie, Mr. Potato Head, Hot Wheels and Playmobil. There are even rooms dedicated to Spain’s three kings – Melchior, Gaspar and Baltasar. Big kids (parents) may enjoy travelling back to their childhoods with a room dedicated to vintage games and characters from Pac-Man to Pink Panther.

Kids will love this unique hotel near Alicante. Source: Hotel de Juguete
 

A futuristic arts hotel in Madrid

The five-star Hotel Puerta América in Madrid transports you into the future with its decidedly space-age feel and avant-garde design. The hotel’s space club rooms were designed by famous Iraqi-British architect Zaha Hadid and offer flawless stark white décor with flowing curves giving you the idea that you’re on a futuristic spaceship. There are also rooms by other famous designers such as the sleek vanguard ones by French architect Jean-Nouvel, those decorated by Barcelona-based artist Javier Mariscal. Other big names whose work you can sleep in include Norman Foster, Kathryn Finlay and David Chipperfield. Even the hotel lobby and corridors are fascinating spaces – the corridors feel like you’re trapped in the depths of the Starship Enterprise. 

Stay in the futuristic space-age room designed by Zaha Hadid. Source: Hotel Silken Puerta América

A glass hotel in Catalonia

The extraordinary Les Cols Pavellons are like no other space you’ve ever slept in before. They consist of a series of blue glass cubes that allow the light in from every angle – the walls and the ceiling. Mirrored floors reflect the images of the trees from above so that it feels as if you’re right in the middle of some magical forest. Luxurious spa rooms add to the decadence and feeling of peace and nature.

Stay in one of these gorgeous glass-surrounded rooms in the forest. Source: Les Cols Pavellons
 

A cave hotel in Granada

Spain is home to many different cave homes, but nowhere are they more present or famous than in Granada. Locals still live in many of these unique underground houses, but others have been turned into hotels or tourist rentals. Cuevas Al Jatib in Baza, Granada is one such place where you can experience true troglodyte living. They have five caves in total sleeping from two all the way up to 11 people and each one functions like a separate apartment complete with kitchens. Far from being what you’d imagine a cave to be – dark, damp and cold, these are cosy, dry and have all the mod cons cavemen wouldn’t even be able to dream of.

Become a troglodyte for the night at Cuevas Al Jatib. Source: Cuevas Al Jatib

A quirky-designed wine hotel in La Rioja

Frank Gehry the award-winning American architect who designed Bilbao’s fabulous Guggenheim Museum designed a similar building among the vineyards in La Rioja – the Marqués de Riscal – an extraordinary place where you can spend the night. Made from huge curved sheets of Titanium, which twist and turn like rippling ribbons, it’s coloured in shades of purple to match the colour of the grapes in the surrounding vineyards. Not merely a hotel, this whimsical place is also a winery with a vinotherapy spa, wine tours and of course tastings.

Stay in this extraordinary wine hotel in La Rioja. Source: Marqués de Riscal, Marriott

A cinema hotel in Madrid

Movie fans will fall in love with Madrid-based DormirDCine where you can spend the night in cinematic Hollywood-themed rooms. Accommodation features huge murals based on epic films and famous directors and actors. Sleep surrounded by movie scenes from Amélie, King Kong, Mary Poppins or Memoirs of a Geisha or enter the worlds of Woody Allen, Marlene Dietrich, Tim Burton and Steve McQueen.

Spend the night surrounded by movie stars. Source: DormirDCine

An eco-design hotel in the mountains in Alicante

On the shores of the Guadalest Reservoir in the province of Alicante, sits a very unique eco-hotel concept that blends in perfectly with its natural environment.  The Vivood Landscape Hotel comprises a range of box rooms each with sustainable living at their heart. Each box is fronted entirely by glass, bringing the dramatic mountain vistas inside and merging with its natural environment so as not to create an eyesore upon this wild landscape.

Bring the views of the outside inside at Vivood Landscape Hotels. Source: Vivood
 

A fortress hotel in Mallorca

Clinging to the edge of the Bay of Palma on the island of Mallorca sits a magnificent 19th-century military fortress, turned luxury hotel – Cap Rocat. Enter through its castle-like gateway into the main square, reminiscent of Moroccan medinas fringed with palms and filled with fountains. The rooms are far from the military barracks they once were, now sumptuous suites set between the thick star-shaped walls.

Sleep in a 19th-century military fortress at Cap Rocat. Source: Cap Rocat
 
 

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TOURISM

Why Americans don’t need to tip so much in Spain

You may be used to tipping a lot in the US, but if you're an American tourist or resident in Spain or perhaps if you plan to move here, this article could save you a few euros.

Why Americans don't need to tip so much in Spain

In the US, it’s customary to tip between 15-25 percent, but in reality, anything below 20 percent is considered to be a bad tip and staff may be offended thinking they’ve given you bad service if they receive less.

This will of course vary according to the state and the establishment. 

As an American, you’ll know that the main reason for this is because hospitality staff are often paid low wages and they rely on tips to top up their salary and make enough to live on. 

Americans on vacation or living in Spain, often wrongly assume that it’s a similar situation here, and because they are used to tipping up to 25 percent, they understandably leave a big propina – the Spanish word for tip.

READ ALSO: What are the rules on tipping in Spain?

But the working conditions and salaries are very different in Spain, so such a large percentage isn’t deemed necessary.

In Spain, hospitality staff are paid at least minimum wage which is €1,134 across 14 payments a year, and many times above this amount too, depending on the type of establishment they work in.

They do not rely on tips in order to make a living, and therefore tips are not necessarily expected, but welcomed.

The Spanish hospitality union reminds customers that it is not mandatory to leave a tip, adding that some consumers believe that this tip “replaces decent wages”.

This means in Spain it’s not actually customary to tip at all in certain situations.

If it’s a meal in a high-class restaurant, a 10 percent tip is typically given if the service is good. At standard restaurants, some people may leave their change or round up the bill if paying by card, but it’s not expected. And if it’s a bar or café, rarely any tip is given.

So for example, if your meal costs around €40, you may leave a small tip of €2-3, but it’s not calculated as an exact percentage.

READ ALSO: 13 things foreigners do that make Spaniards feel really awkward

Some may argue with this, however, saying that a tip should only be given if the food and the service are particularly good. If it it’s just average, they say that a tip shouldn’t be necessary at all. 

Not only do Americans not need to tip so much, but they could actually be creating a problem for locals and the industry as a whole, if they do.

Because of American tipping culture, some restaurants in Spain have begun asking between 5 and 10 percent in tips automatically, particularly in big cities like Madrid and Barcelona, or even adding smiley faces to bills with various percentages – 5 percent associated with a sad face and 20 with a happy one for example.

In an interview with Spanish news site El Mundo, the general secretary of Facua-Consumers in Action, Rubén Sánchez, believes this only tries to “create a feeling of guilt” for people who don’t want to leave anything behind.

He says, however, that asking for a tip in this way “is not an illegal act because it is not imposed”. He believes that asking for extra tips is “trying to take advantage” of the client so that, “somehow, they become the one who pays extra for a salary that is too low”.

Tips “cannot be a substitute for a decent salary”, he continues, not wanting Spain to become like the US.

On top of this, eating and drinking out is a very important part of life for Spaniards and if tipping of 20-25 percent is expected, many would simple no longer be able to afford to eat out.

The median salary in the country is €2,206, according to recent data from Spain’s National Institute of Statistics (INE). This pales in comparison to the average $6,228 Americans earn per month, according to the US Bureau of Labour and Statistics.

Yes, of course, the cost of living is cheaper in Spain because people earn less, but if you’re coming here as a tourist and creating a tipping culture, you’re also making it harder for locals to be able to afford to eat out in their own city.

What are your experiences of tipping as an American in Spain? Have you adjusted your tipping habits? Share your views with other readers in the comments section below.

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