Meliá Bilbao

This modern hotel is set on the banks of the Nervión River, surrounded by some of the city's most recognisable landmarks and its business and cultural heart.

The Sheraton Bilbao lies within walking distance of Bilbao's Guggenheim Museum, the brand-new Euskalduna Conference Hall, and Doña Casilda Park with the Museum of Fine Arts. You will also find numerous traditional pintxos bars in the surrounding streets.

As to be expected in the Basque Country, the hotel's dining is of the highest standard. Its chic style matches that of the rest of the hotel, with its contemporary design and fashionable lighting.

State-of-the-art meeting and banqueting facilities and the sixth-floor Wellness Centre complete the wide variety of excellent services found on site.

Designed by Ricardo Legorreta and inspired by the works of the sculptor Eduardo Chillida, the hotel is a true work of art with its own unique personality, something you can breathe in its every shape, material, colour and detail.

One of the hotel's most striking features is its enormous lobby, its glass structure making it practically diaphanous. The lobby rises to a height of about forty metres, all the way up to the ceiling of the hotel's 10th floor. Presiding over the lobby are 2 glass lifts. The panoramic views of the interior of the hotel's lobby offered by the lifts reveals the true splendour of the Sheraton Bilbao. The hotel is a piece of architecture at once modern, and simultaneously rooted in a distinctive past.

The hotel also boasts a collection of contemporary art and features continuous art exhibitions throughout the hotel.

The hotel has 211 rooms, including 21 suites. All of the rooms and their facilities are carefully designed to satisfy the needs of both business and leisure travellers, combining the latest technology with the hotel's distinctive style to develop accommodation that is at once chic and contemporary, and comfortable and relaxing.

All of the rooms are designed for double occupancy and feature the unique and exclusive Sheraton Sweet Sleeper Bed. Each room has a 25-inch digital TV, high-speed wireless internet access and an impressive marble bathroom. The bathrooms are designed with guests' comfort in mind, and have a separate bath and shower stall. Spanish travertine marble lines the entire bathroom and the marble floors have their own adjustable heating system, which is completely separate from the air conditioning and heating controls for the rest of the room.

The hotel has a superb selection of options for dining and drinking.

Opening its doors in December 2003, the hotel's award-winning Aizian restaurant offers fine dining in a warm atmosphere with stylish contemporary décor mingling with classical elegance. The chic, modern decoration is accented in traditional materials such as wood. The restaurant features great views over the beautiful Doña Casilda Park in the heart of the city and offers a fusion of traditional Basque flavours and creative contemporary cuisine, with a selection of wines carefully chosen to complement the food. The wine service is exceptional, thanks to the hotel's own expert cellar master and a wide variety of wines from all over the world. In 2005 the Aizian restaurant was awarded the Q for quality by the Spanish Institute for Quality in Spanish Tourism, ICTE (Instituto para la Calidad Turística Española).

Café Chillida overlooks peaceful Doña Casilda Park and the bar and summer terrace are amongst the city's best and most lively spots. Enjoy good music and a relaxing atmosphere in a stylish avant-garde setting. Café Chillida specialises in light fare and cocktails and offers fixed price menus with a choice of starters, entrées and desserts.

Chillida Terrace is located on the lower level of the hotel, in its own little corner adjacent to Café Chillida. With a relaxed atmosphere, the terrace is one of the hotel's most popular informal spots. The terrace is open from spring through to autumn and, day or evening, it is the ideal place to enjoy a drink and a tasty appetizer in good company. As well as the unbeatable setting and the quiet relaxing atmosphere, you can also order something to eat from the menu or enjoy a superb cocktail.

In the heart of the new business, leisure and cultural centre of the city, the hotel is close to all of the city's most famous landmarks, monuments and buildings. Bilbao's stunning Guggenheim Museum is just 0.7 km away and the Museum of Fine Arts in Doña Casilda Park and the Euskalduna Conference Centre and Concert Hall are also nearby. In other words, all that this magnificent city has to offer is within easy reach of the hotel. On one side of the hotel, the Doña Casilda Park is a beautiful tranquil park in the heart of the city and a great place to spend a relaxing afternoon or go for a morning stroll or an evening walk. On the other side of the hotel, and at the other extreme, Zubiarte is a superb, lively shopping centre full of great shops and boutiques.

By Car (from Bilbao International Airport):
- Take the motorway to Bilbao.
- Take the exit for Bilbao West and follow the signs to the hotel.

By Car (from San Sebastian):
- Take the A8 toll motorway towards Bilbao.
- Take the exit for Bilbao West and follow the signs to the hotel.

By Car (from Santander):
- Take the A8 East motorway towards Bilbao.
- Take the exit for Bilbao West and follow the signs to the hotel.

By Car (from Madrid):
- Take the N1 motorway to Burgos.
- Then take the A-68 motorway towards Bilbao.
- Take the exit for Bilbao West and follow the signs to the hotel.