Miro Hotel

Stylish design hotel opposite the Guggenheim, with the Old Town a short stroll along the river

Bilbao is a city that changed overnight with the opening of a museum. It is probably why you are on this page reading these words. The Guggenheim threw open its doors in 1997 to wild acclaim. It stands on land that was once part of an industrial port. Not that you you’d ever guess. An epic refurbishment of the riverside here has transformed this lovely city, and these days the Nervión sweeps by serenely with attractive pedestrianised avenues hugging each bank. Elsewhere, Philippe Starck has recently crowned a new cultural centre with an impossibly cool rooftop swimming pool. Bilbao is a city reborn.

Hotels have mushroomed as a result. Miró, a design hotel conceived by Antonio Miró, was clever enough to bag itself a prime spot 300 metres upstream from the museum. It is just as close to the fantastic Museo de Bellas Artes, which means this cool little hotel is a great base for cultural exploration. Inside, its chic décor and 50 attractive bedrooms are heaped with comfort and style. The ground-floor bar is ‘on the house’, there’s an open-plan sitting room with the daily papers, and if all that walking wears out your feet, you can get a massage on your return. As for other delightful distractions, don’t miss the Old Town and its pintxos (Basque tapas) bars or the lovely beach at Getxo.

Highs

• Great staff - friendly and helpful
• A complimentary bar offering soft drinks, beer and sangria
• Stylish rooms are decked out in minimalist black, white and red, and the black marble bathrooms are utterly gorgeous
• Perfect for design buffs, and popular with couples
• Whatever you think of the art inside it, the Guggenheim is a mighty sight

Lows

• Rooms aren’t overly large
• Breakfast is very expensive
• No other meals are served (except via room service), but there are fabulous restaurants an easy stroll away