Canfranc Estación: A Luxury Hotel In A Former Train Station In Spain.
At the French-Spanish border, the old Canfranc railway station remained abandoned for decades following a fire. But it has recently risen from its ashes and now houses a 5-star hotel. We invite you to delve into the history of this extraordinary place.
One of the largest railway stations in Europe.
The old Canfranc station is located on the Franco-Spanish border in the Aragonese Pyrenees. This place, situated about a hundred kilometers south of Pau, is definitely worth a visit for its extraordinary history.
This imposing building perched at an altitude of 1200 m has long been the second largest railway station in Europe, with its 240 m in length and its 365 windows! The Art Deco structure was intended to be a grand entrance to Spain.
At its opening in 1928, this station, as large as the Saint-Lazare station in Paris, aimed to develop railway traffic between France and Spain by passing through the interior of the country rather than just along the coast.
The story of abandonment and rebirth.
But, in 1931, just a few years after its inauguration, the Canfranc station fell victim to a serious fire that hindered its development. The Spanish Civil War and then World War II prevented it from realizing its ambitions.
In 1970, a freight train derailed on the French side. From that date onwards, no more trains connected France to this station, which became a simple terminus on the Spanish side. Despite several attempts to renovate the building and revive a railway line between Pau and Canfranc, the former railway station remained unused for decades.
In 2013, the government of Aragon and the Aquitaine region signed an agreement and a new station was built near the original building. Throughout all these years, this impressively sized place remained empty and earned the nickname "Titanic of the Pyrenees".
But like a phoenix, the Canfranc station has just risen from its ashes thanks to a hotel project led by the Barceló Group, the second largest hotel group in Spain.
A luxury hotel with vintage decoration.
Since January 2023, this historically significant place has gone from being an abandoned train station to a luxury hotel! The elegant Canfranc station is now experiencing a second life by housing a 5-star hotel within its walls.
The Barceló Group has obtained a 69-year lease to transform the building into a luxurious palace, and the interior of the station has undergone an impressive transformation. Upstairs, the former rooms for railway workers have been converted into 104 carefully equipped and decorated rooms.
Even though the purpose of the building has changed, the hotel's decoration is directly inspired by the old railway station built by Spanish architect Fernando Ramirez de Dampierre, with a typical 1920s style.
The Art Deco style has been preserved for the furniture, using noble materials such as wood, brass, and velvet. The former station hall has become the magnificent reception area of this hotel, named Canfranc Estación, Royal Hideaway Hotel.
Today, the building houses several dining spaces, including a gourmet restaurant and two bars, a 420 m2 wellness area with a spa, and a 200 m2 indoor pool. If this presentation has made you want to sleep in this dream setting, note that the nightly rate starts at €149 (see the official website below).
Also, note that even if you don't book a hotel night on-site, you can visit this place and learn more about its extraordinary history (information and reservations available at the Canfranc Tourist Office). The Titanic of the Pyrenees, now a true tourist attraction for the region, will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2028.
