Gay Hotels ⭐ Featured LGBTQ+ Friendly

Hotel Carlton

GayOut (10) 4.6
Tripadvisor (1399) 4.2
What reviewers say

Many visitors praise the hotel's beautiful appearance, ideal location, and comfortable rooms. However, a recurring complaint is the inconsistent and sometimes unhelpful service from reception staff, with some guests also noting issues with bed configurations and a lack of baggage assistance.

89
/ 100
GayOut Score
4.6 🦉4.2
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Address
Plaza Federico Moyúa 2, Ensanche, Bilbao 48009
📞
Phone
+34 944 16 22 00
🌐
Website
www.hotelcarlton.es
💰
Price Range
🟢
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About this place Hotel Carlton

Hotel Carlton is Bilbao's grand historic hotel — the five-star property on Plaza Federico Moyúa (known locally as La Elíptica) that has been the city's premier accommodation since it opened in 1926. The hotel's history is interwoven with Bilbao's twentieth-century story: it was the seat of the Basque government during the Spanish Civil War, a place of diplomatic encounters, and the reference point for luxury accommodation in the Basque Country for nearly a century. The building itself is a work of the Belle Époque tradition, with a neoclassical façade and an interior that retains significant original detailing alongside modern comforts. Hotel Carlton is explicitly welcoming of LGBTQ+ guests and has a staff culture that reflects this; the hotel's position in the Ensanche district puts it equidistant from the Casco Viejo gay bars (a 10-minute walk) and the Guggenheim Museum (a 15-minute walk along the Nervión river). For visitors whose budget extends to a five-star stay, the Carlton is the correct choice in Bilbao: historically significant, architecturally distinguished, and centrally located for both the gay scene and the city's main cultural attractions. The Plaza Federico Moyúa location is also excellent for exploring the Ensanche's pintxos bars on Calle del Ledesma.

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Community Reviews

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D
Declan D
Jun 2026
★★★★★

We stayed for 2nights. Unfortunately the hotel did not provide the service for a 5 star. Very little interaction with us on check-in, no help with baggage, no local information given. Bedroom was 2 single beds pushed together facing another office building. Breakfast food was good but again service poor. Was given dirty cups and coffee spilled all over plates been served. Zero care given. Happened on both morning. Plates also chipped. Great location and historical building but service has a lot to improve for 5 star.

R
Rob O
Jun 2026
★★★★★

Wow this place is posh! Spectacular ground floor. Very helpful staff. Nice room. This was booked for us by Brittany Ferries as a place to stay before going home. It was great. The location is ideal. Walk to the Guggenheim. You would normally need to book parking well in advance, but as we were there on a bank holiday the street parking at the back was free.

P
Paula M
Jun 2026
★★★★★

Great location, super comfortable room. I recommend it

G
GrandTour800022
Jun 2026
★★★★★

For a hotel of this type they could not have been less helpful and inhospitable. There is no dedicated concierge. The job is up to the reception clerks who are too busy to help and when they do, they provide useless or outright incorrect information.

H
hjhauser
Jun 2026
★★★★★

Beautiful hotel in an ideal location. Friendly and helpful staff. Good restaurant with reasonable prices.

C
C S
Jun 2026
★★★★

I'm having trouble completing my reservation online and hope this message will reach the hotel. It is a reservation for early June, so there is a sense of urgency on my end in wanting to confirm it as soon as possible. I sent an email explaining the situation and received a response that conflicts with information available online and does not address the fact that I'm making reservations for two time periods. I sent an email requesting a call back and I've tried calling the front desk, but the line keeps hanging up on me. When I tried to pay for the reservation, the transaction was denied due to a data error and I was advised to reach out to the merchant. Please reach out to me as soon as possible to assist with booking.

C
Chloé L
Jun 2026
★★★★★

Quite good experience ... 2 small single beds glued instead of a large double bed (quite disappointed considering the price) . When we arrived: no one took our luggage while for the others there was a person who helps with the luggage (maybe given our quite young age we were not taken seriously). On a leaflet in the room it said “free parking” , when I asked at the reception I was told that it was not free. Breakfast quite expensive ... there was choice but I do not understand that with such a high price in the room we do not have a free lunch. Otherwise the room was clean but it is quite noisy.

G
GJKy
Jun 2026
★★★★★

Wonderful hotel.  The foyer is large and very attractive.  The lady that checked us in was extremely helpful and very kindly allowed us a later checkout time as we had a late afternoon flight.  Our room was large, beds were very comfortable, excellent quality linen and pillows.  The bathroom was large, had a very deep bath and a separate shower.  The hotel couldn't be more central.  Our only regret was having to leave.  We would be delighted to stay here again.

P
Paola
Jun 2026
★★★★★

Really very nice, comfortable and stylish. Spacious rooms, great service. Persobale courteous and helpful. Perfect location for sightseeing and transportation. Taxi to hotel sides always available.

T
travel2018
Jun 2026
★★★★

There's almost nothing I don't like about it. The only thing that, in my opinion, is not right is the difficulty of getting there with the car. It's hard to reach the gate through crowded zebra crossings. And there is no place reserved for arrivals. They would have to discuss it with Bilbao City Council. Because the parking is not comfortable either. It is the only thing to improve from this century-old hotel. Congratulations on the latter!!!

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Last updated on 2 August 2026

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