Axel Hotel Bilbao

VERY SMELLY ROOM. Bit of a disappointing experience from a 4* hotel. The room had an unpleasant smell since my arrival that got worse overtime. Even the AC and open window didn’t help. After I day I realised it’s coming from the bathroom drain and it’s pure smell or sewage. As the bathroom is open to the room, the smell was literally everywhere. My complains were not heard, I put a plastic bag under the drain to cover the smell during the day which was removed by the cleaning staff the next day… the cleaning staff also decided they could decide about what do I want to keep and throw away - half bottle of drinks were thrown away from the desk while I was gone and I wanted to finish those drinks / keep the bottles. I don’t understand why would a cleaner throw things away from my private belongings from the desk if they are not put in the trashbin. At the same time, the glasses and mugs during my stay were not changed and the cleaning of the room was cursory. Moreover, keep in mind it is a designer hotel, thus, many things just don’t make sense. There is literally no proper closed place where you could store your clothes and the hight of the hangers are not high enough to hang your summer dresses (they will hang over the mugs ???). There are no tissue papers at all, not even in the bathroom. Generally there is just no place to put your belongings, bathroom included. I never complain about the prices of the mini bar because I don’t consume from them, but seeing these prices made me insane (5€ for a pack of gummy bears, 4€ for a pack of chewing gums, 7€ for sodas). Another complain that’s worth to keep in mind for first time travellers is the location. One street behind is already the slums of Bilbao, there are drug addicts around the hotel and it’s very unpleasant just to leave the hotel and walk around both day and night. You can get much better and even cheaper hotels either in the old city or in the city center around Abando. On the positive side, I really liked the shower, it’s spacious and great water pressure. Overall the hotel is still clean, new and creative. It’s not a bad hotel, but taking into account the facilities, smell, price and location, we can just get better deals in better locations in the city.

This is one of the best hotels I have ever stayed in. Thank you so much to the whole team at axel hotel bilbao for our incredible stay. Great sauna and fitness centre for use. Great location near plenty of bars with pintxos. The hotel staff were extremely helpful and gave great restaurant recommendations. The rooms were spacious and new. The whole experience from start to finish was perfect. MUST STAY if you are ever in bilbao. We will be back.

This one genuinely exceeded my expectations, and would be my hotel of choice if I'm back in Bilbao. Check-in was quick and easy, and reception took the time to talk me through the spa, rooftop pool and breakfast rather than just handing over a key, which was a nice touch that set the tone for the stay. The spa was a real highlight: jacuzzi, steam room and sauna, and it wasn't busy at all when I went around 5pm. The rooftop pool was a bit busier but just as enjoyable. The pool itself is shallow, but that was all I needed to cool down. Top tip: the high stools up there are the best spot in the place, giving you a view right across Bilbao while you sit. The bar was well stocked too, with great cocktails. The room itself was nicely designed with a fair bit of storage. The shower and room both felt spacious. The blackout curtain was superb and ensured a genuinely good night's sleep - only niggle is that you need to open it to access the storage and fridge. We faced onto the back of the building, but it wasn't an issue at all thanks to a mesh curtain that gave plenty of privacy. The minibar was fully stocked, and you can take the items out and use the fridge yourself (just remember to put everything back), since there are no sensors tracking it. Location was perfect, directly opposite the old town, so you're right next to all the good bars without any of the noise reaching the hotel. Couldn't have asked for a better hotel.

Great place, lovely & quiet. Happy that they had soy milk and oat milk, as I am vegan. Lots of fruit and cereals at breakfast. But no spread for toast... butter or cheese were the only offerings. Disappointing!

Amazing accommodations! The staff are fabulous. Knowledgeable and personable. The room is so comfy, especially the bed.

Unfortunately I have to admit I wasn’t too impressed with this establishment. Even though the room bed was comfortable the rest of amenties leave a lot to be desired, poor sound-proofing (each door closing makes your room walks shake), shower not turning off properly (suddenly water starts running again 5 min after showering), local TV canals are left last on the list, all signs in English, no connection whatsoever to Bilbao. The so called pool on the top floor terrace is not a pool, rather a shallow waterbed with neighbours watching you from above. (They must be happy with hearing the music to their flats every night until 21 hrs.) Somehow as a guest one rather gets the feeling of riding a cash cow which charges saa plus for the gay stamp. I have had numerous hotel experiences in Bilbao where I’m treated exactly as ’gayorstraight-friendly’ as here. When I travel I enjoy to ’feel’ the destination in my hotel. The staff were nice though but when greeting them in Basque all I received as and answer was silence and a strange look. All in all in my opinion this hotel offers fair price-quality ratio.