Spain is one of the world's most visited countries and has a huge range of accommodation, from big Spanish hotel chains such as Meliá, NH, Iberostar, Barceló, Riu and Eurostars to small family-run guesthouses.
Hotels, hostales and pensiones
Hotels are rated from one to five stars by the autonomous communities. Hostales, marked Hs, and pensiones, P, are simpler, cheaper places, often central, roughly equivalent to one or two-star hotels: not to be confused with youth hostels, called albergues juveniles in Spanish.
Paradores
Paradores de Turismo are a state-owned hotel chain, founded in 1928 by King Alfonso XIII, with just under a hundred hotels in restored castles, monasteries, palaces and convents or in places of great natural beauty. Among the most famous are those at the Alhambra in Granada, in a former convent, Santiago de Compostela, in the Hostal dos Reis Católicos, one of the oldest hotels in the world, León, in the San Marcos monastery, Cuenca, Toledo, Ronda, Cardona and Sigüenza. They offer discounts for young people, seniors and multi-night stays.
Rural houses
Casas rurales are country houses, Catalan masías, Andalusian cortijos or Basque caseríos converted into accommodation, let whole or by room: perfect for discovering inland Spain, natural parks and villages. They are widespread in Asturias, Cantabria, Castile and León, Catalonia and Extremadura.
Apartments and short lets
Tourist apartments are common on the coasts and in cities, but rules have tightened: many towns and islands limit new licences, and since 2025 every rental must have a national registration number displayed in listings. Choose properties with a licence shown, to avoid problems and cancellations. See also the housing market.
Hostels and albergues
Hostelling International albergues juveniles and private hostels are plentiful in big cities. Along the Camino de Santiago there are hundreds of public and private pilgrim albergues, reserved for those with a credential.
Booking tips
- During big festivals such as Holy Week, the April Fair, the Fallas and San Fermín, prices soar: book months ahead.
- In summer coastal resorts and islands are full, and prices rise in July and August.
- Check whether the tourist tax is included, especially in Catalonia and the Balearics (see before you go).
- You will be asked for ID on arrival, by law.
Each city guide on our site has a map of available accommodation with up-to-date prices. See for example Madrid, Barcelona, Seville and Granada.