This hotel is amazing from the outside. The grand old lady of the plaza. When you enter, you see the soaring stained glass dome of the lobby and the grand staircase winding to upper floors. When you enter your room however, the beauty stops. The rooms are large, to be sure, but the furnishings are an odd mix of European... more

Perfect location - you can walk to all the main attractions in 10 minutes (15 if you stroll); the bus from the airport stops just across the plaza and there's a metro stop in the plaza. Staff friendly and efficient. I very rarely stay in 5 star hotels because I can't afford them; I choose 3 star hotels in 4... more

We just stayed there and loved the location, the elegance of the hotel and the great room we were in on the non-smoking 2nd floor. We must have had a renovated room a everything was great, huge bathroom, flat screen TV, large room. We paid 70 euros per night including taxes, got it through trip advisor (www.booking.com) though it did... more

We have stayed here before, and love the hotel. The security of my car was important to me, and I paid 20 Euros for it to be parked in the hotel car park. It was in perfect condition.Upon reaching the ferry terminal I discovered obvious damage to the nearside of the vehicle, and rang immediately to report it. This was... more

I stay in the Carlton several times a year and agree with previous reviews that the bedrooms and service are not up to four stars (five?) but the location is very good. However I stayed there recently with my husband on a mini holiday before a business meeting and was happy to get such a good location for 80 euros... more

The location of the hotel is absolutely great and saves you any conveyance for most of the sightseeing and shopping in Bilbao The hotel itself in my view does not deserve five-star rating, at least not any more. Staff attitude is so-so, nothing to brag about. Room was really big, bathroom however rather small, generally in good condition but somehow... more

This is one of those typical 5-star hotels which probably hasn’t been refurbished since the 1960s. It’s a pity as it probably has the best location in Bilbao. The lobby area is very nice with marble and chandeliers, but the carpets are worn, the reception desk is tiny, and staff is glacial at best. My room was very large, but... more

This is one of the most luxurious hotels I've stayed in. The room was very spacious and luxurious. Choices at breakfast were tremendous. The hotel is located in the city centre at a nice square. We only payed 90€ for a night. more

Recently visited Bilbao for a couple of nights. Stayed at the Hotel Carlton and enjoyed it mightily. Nice location. Easy walk to the sights. Loved the pedestrian walkway along the river and the cool pedestrian bridge. Did Tapas in the Old Town section. Other than the to and from airport thing we never took a taxi. Very walkable city. Second... more