Hotel Puerta de Bilbao, a hotel to recommend.

Meet the Hotel Puerta de Bilbao, a perfect accommodation for all those who want to know Bilbao and Bizkaia from a privileged position.

The Hotel Puerta de Bilbao offers us to know and enjoy all the attractions hidden in the province of Bizkaia while resting in one of its many comfortable rooms. A proposal that we wanted to test by visiting first hand each and every corner of this hotel complex. Its hall, a large open space, which, separated by different decorative elements, houses various services, catches our attention as we pass the front door. An element that perfectly represents the rest of the rooms of this hotel. In our humble opinion, it is a very attractive, comfortable and practical meeting place. Another aspect that pleased us was its location, and is that this Bizkaia hotel is located 15 minutes from many tourist attractions. This is the case of the trade fair (walking), metro station (walking), La Arena beach (by car), Bilbao airport (by car) or the Old Town of Bilbao (by car). This location allows us to visit the inland towns and the coast of Bizkaia comfortably, at the same time that we visit the urban center of Bilbao without losing time in long displacements.

An establishment that, in addition to pleasantly surprising us, has conquered us to such an extent that we have decided to recommend it to the more than 1,500,000 people who read us year after year. What was once the Novotel hotel in Barakaldo has undergone a drastic change to become one of the most attractive hotels of the moment. Thanks to spaces such as the terrace, the swimming pool and the restaurant, this place has not only managed to attract travelers from all over the world, it has also attracted Bizkaia’s own people, a fact that makes clear its commitment to quality. Surely you agree with us that a hotel that is recommended by its neighbors, says a lot about the way of being and acting of the people who work in it. Undoubtedly a winning bet for people who want to know Bilbao and the surrounding towns during their trip to Euskadi.

The name of this hotel, Puerta de Bilbao, is an illusion to its location, and is that, located near the highway linking the capital of Bizkaia with Cantabria (A-8), practically at the gateway to Greater Bilbao, is ideal for people who want to tour the Cantabrian coast while knowing the cities and towns that are in it. A type of trip, in which we recommend visiting cities like Bilbao and Donostia merged with charming villages such as Lekeitio, Elantxobe, Bermeo, Getxo, Getaria, Hondarribia or Zarautz among others. A great road trip, through which we invite you to get to know the spirit of the Basque coast.

After our visit to Hotel Puerta de Bilbao, we wanted to express our opinion about this Basque hotel. And, although like any self-respecting hotel establishment, it also has aspects to improve, its future project and current facilities and services have delighted us. Today is the day when the so-called hotel of the BEC (Bilbao Exhibition Centre), takes a step forward in quality to offer all visitors to the capital of Bizkaia an accommodation of conditions.

History: The building that currently houses the Hotel Puerta de Bilbao, was until 2017 the structure that gave life to the Novotel Barakaldo. A building, which, after a major facelift and renovation, has managed to make a leap in quality along with the name change. And it seems that Cercorsa Navarra, the family company that has taken over the property, is determined to bet on the Hotel Puerta de Bilbao to make it the best hotel in Barakaldo and one of the most striking in Greater Bilbao. An independent hotel, which, freed from the ties of a multinational chain, is committed to local products and quality raw materials. The facelift has consisted of a new distribution of the spaces along with the updating of the rooms and the exterior, thus achieving a new look in line with the new project. Currently, the Hotel Puerta de Bilbao maintains a good ratio of guests traveling for business and guests traveling for leisure. The only aspect that has not changed with respect to the 12 years in which its predecessor was active is the fact that it continues to be the hotel of reference for the Bilbao Exhibition Center (BEC).

Hotel: This great little hotel in Barakaldo, offers spaces and services for everyone. A very complete accommodation, which is called to be the hotel reference in the outskirts of Bilbao. Currently, this hotel stands out for the following services / spaces.

During our first visit, we were surprised by the spaciousness and capacity of this hotel, and the fact is that, in appearance, at first glance from the outside, it does not appear to have the surface area that we discover once we are inside.

Rooms: Hotel Puerta de Bilbao currently has more than 200 rooms spread across its 7 floors. During our stay, we were fortunate to be able to see firsthand each of these types of rooms. These rooms, designed for all kinds of people, have a wide range of possibilities. Among the different spaces we visited we found the double rooms (108), the rooms with sofa beds (83), the junior suite family rooms (7) and the rooms for people with reduced mobility (5). All of them, equipped with state-of-the-art mattresses and full of small details to make our stay in Bilbao and Barakaldo a pleasant experience that we will remember in the future. All of them follow the same line, a minimalist and practical decoration, in which the new plasma TVs, the beds and the free wifi stand out. We have it clear, we will choose the double rooms or the junior suite family rooms in case you need space for more than 2 people. By the way, a detail that many people will not care about but that we value positively: the hairdryers that we found in the bathrooms of the Hotel Puerta de Bilbao have adequate power, not as in most of the hotels we visited that are hardly helpful.

La Ribera Restaurant: The restaurant of the Hotel Puerta de Bilbao was one of the spaces that most caught our attention, and it is that, far from being a simple restaurant whose purpose is to meet the needs of hotel guests, this space has become one of the most demanded gastronomic spaces in Barakaldo itself. Currently, the restaurant of the Hotel Puerta de Bilbao, the restaurant La Ribera, offers a daily menu, weekend menu, a la carte menu and executive menu. In addition, it has different rooms for special celebrations such as weddings, communions, company dinners and other typical acts of our day to day. The type of cuisine is based on the traditional cuisine of Euskadi, adding some modern and modern touches that surprise the diner while they prepare it before our very eyes.

On the other hand, although we did not have the opportunity to taste their breakfast, we were able to see its composition, and in theory, on paper, it promises a lot. In addition to the basis of any breakfast, a good coffee, a good natural juice, good bread and fruit, this breakfast also offers variety and quality in pastries, Iberian meats and other products typical of the buffet breakfasts to which we are so accustomed. By the way, the possibility of seeing how they prepare the food through their showcooking makes this breakfast even more attractive.

Luckily, we had the opportunity to enjoy their menu of the day, a proposal that, although on paper did not seem very attractive due to its price and variety, ended up making us fall in love with it.And, besides being able to see live and direct how they give the final touch to each of the dishes presented to us, the different varieties of bread, the presentation of each of the dishes and the quality of them, were more than enough arguments to start thinking about our next visit to this restaurant in Bizkaia. Do not be afraid of the 16,95€ that costs its menu of the day, we are sure that, like us, it will end up catching you. In our case, we opted for some beans with shrimp first and cheeks second, the first of good taste, the second melted on our palate, a very successful choice. We finished with a cake for dessert which we accompanied with a few drinks on the terrace, the perfect ending to a menu of the day that has no waste. We recommend you to try it.

Attention: The attention received at the Hotel Puerta de Bilbao was fantastic. In addition to the good attention we received from the guys and girls at the reception and the restaurant, we also had the opportunity to talk to Roberto Delgado, the hotel manager. A serious and passionate person who kindly explained the current project to us, transmitting the enthusiasm he transmits. Undoubtedly a hotel to follow closely, an accommodation to take into account.

Price: This is one of the points we liked the most about Hotel Puerta de Bilbao, very competitive prices without neglecting quality. A 4 star hotel, which, in our humble opinion competes with each and every one of the establishments in the center of Bilbao in both quality and price. A fight in which it comes out the winner in practically all the comparisons we have made. In any case, we recommend that you check it out for yourselves, it is simple, just enter the different booking platforms that we find today and compare prices. We, for our part, have recognized the quality of this hotel along with its competitive prices through our accreditation “TurismoVasco Tiketa”. A sticker with which we recognize the establishments that have a certain added value for the people who visit us.

Terrace and swimming pool: The outdoor spaces are some of the most demanded places of the Hotel Puerta de Bilbao. And it is not surprising, because it is not easy to find hotels in Bilbao and surroundings with an outdoor pool and its own terrace. In this case, although the space is not very large, it perfectly fulfills the function of creating a refreshing space in summer and a relaxing place for the rest of the year. In our case, in the middle of December, it served us as a corner in which to have a drink with friends. A place that, thanks to its decoration and background music, manages to transmit to the visitor that tranquility and good atmosphere that we are looking for. Shall we have a drink?

Location: The Hotel Puerta de Bilbao is strategically located. Given its location, in front of the BEC (Bilbao Exhibition Centre), it is perfect for all those people who come to one of the hundreds of concerts or events that this center organizes throughout the year. In addition, the fact that you can be in the center of Bilbao in 10 minutes using private transport or in less than 25 minutes using the metro (15 min walk to the station and 10 minutes ride) makes this hotel a perfect option to get to know Bilbao without being affected by traffic, parking problems and the bustle of the city center. At the same time, this hotel is located next to the Megapark, one of the most important shopping centers in Bizkaia, a space where we find stores, cinemas and other establishments that may be useful at some point during our stay. As you can see, Hotel Puerta de Bilbao is one of the best hotels in Barakaldo.

What to see nearby: Barakaldo, one of the most important municipalities of the left bank, provides dozens of tourist attractions to visit. Spaces for all tastes and colors, that we are sure you will like. Here is a small representation.

The places mentioned above are just a small representation of everything we can find in the surroundings of the Hotel Puerta de Bilbao. We recommend you to select the ones you like the most and ask at reception for any other that fits your needs. We are sure that they will organize a personalized route for you to enjoy Bilbao and Bizkaia in style.

Video: During our visit to the Hotel Puerta de Bilbao we decided to record some sequences of its most striking spaces so that you, our readers, could get a more realistic idea of what awaits you in this Basque hotel. We recommend you to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you can follow all our adventures in the Basque Country, we are sure that more than one video from our channel will catch your attention and help you choose your next destination.

According to what they tell us, this exciting project is in constant movement. But don’t worry, they have promised to keep us informed, we recommend you to follow our profiles on social networks(Twitter, Facebook and Instagram) so you don’t miss any news. There is no perfect hotel, but a hotel for each type of person, if you are one of those people who want to enjoy Bilbao without having to suffer all that the city entails, if you are one of those who appreciate good food and tranquility, Hotel Puerta de Bilbao can be a great option for you. In any case, it is a hotel to take into account in any trip to Bilbao.