Santa Catalina, a Royal Hideaway Hotel, hotel in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain
Santa Catalina, a Royal Hideaway Hotel is a heritage hotel in the heart of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, recognizable by its pale pink facade and tall, wide corridors. The building has a restaurant, spa facilities, a rooftop pool facing the ocean, and an interior garden.
The hotel opened in 1890 and quickly became a stop for notable travelers passing through Las Palmas, including Winston Churchill, Maria Callas, and members of the Spanish royal family. Over the decades, the building went through several renovations that kept the original structure intact.
The hotel's name comes from Saint Catherine, echoing the deep religious roots found across the Canary Islands. Spanish artworks hang throughout the corridors and common areas, giving guests something to look at as they move through the building.
The hotel sits in central Las Palmas, so shops, restaurants, and city sights are within easy walking distance. From here, both the beaches and the historic old town are easy to reach on foot or by local transport.
The hotel was built close to the old coaling station where ships stopped to refuel on routes between Europe and the Americas, making it the first stop for many travelers arriving by sea. This is why so many prominent figures from that era stayed here before the city had a tourism industry of its own.
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