Bed&Chic Las Palmas

With its quirky vintage furniture and industrial accents, the 23-room Hotel Bed&Chic lives up to its name. In fact, it's one of the trendiest properties that we visited on Gran Canaria in 2017. There’s a strong design emphasis throughout, down to the last detail -- including deliberately mismatched dining chairs, playful wallpaper accents, and even room numbers scrawled in a funky font. This is not to say that the hotel sacrifices comfort over design, as the owners have gone out of their way to make their guests feel at home, with thoughtful touches throughout. Cozy and creative lounge spaces are on every floor, with decorative bird cages and country-chic cushions creating a homey, living-room vibe throughout. The ground floor reception and bar area, which opens out to Santa Catalina Park, has a breezy, fast-paced vibe that’s amplified by lively house music and the murmur of local park visitors. Upper floors are quieter and significantly more relaxed. The hotel's unique combination of design trends, local culture, and personal touches set this boutique property apart from the rest. As a city hotel it attracts different types of guests, though most are couples and a few business travelers.

This hotel is located right on Santa Catalina Park, halfway between the city’s main beach and the busy harbor. The front of the hotel faces a small local street, where there are various shops including a Moroccan halal butcher, a pharmacy, and local clothing shops. Las Palmas’ picture-perfect beach -- Playa de las Canteras -- is packed with romantic dining choices, just a six-minute walk away. It’s a nine-minute walk to El Muelle, the city’s largest shopping mall, and the harbor is just a one minute farther on foot. Calle Triana, a pedestrian-only street lined with clothing shops and cafes, can be reached via a single bus connection starting from the Parque Santa Catalina stop just outside the hotel. It's a 17-minute journey. The city’s charming old town is farther south and can also be reached via the same route, a 23-minute journey. Gran Canaria's airport is a 30-minute drive away. 

Rooms have a modern shabby-chic style, with details like unfinished wood, comfy quilted throws, and cushions in playful shapes. We love unique touches, such as the dream cloud cushions suspended above the headboards. All rooms have dramatic high ceilings -- a historic feature of the original listed building -- and come with minibars, safes, desks, flat-screen TVs, AC, and free Wi-Fi. Windows are double glazed, crucial for blocking out any inevitable city noise (though some is still audible, particularly on lower floors). All bathrooms are modern, come in various color schemes, and include showers, towels, and toiletries. Counter space is at a premium, and the bathroom layouts are generally compact.

Standard Rooms are the lowest category and face the street, while Superior Rooms overlook Santa Catalina Park. Terrace Rooms are park-facing and have balconies as well as kitchenettes (but no kettles or coffeemakers). Junior Suites are the highest category available, are park-facing, and have kitchenettes with tea/coffee making facilities, small dining tables, sofas, and comfortable reading chairs. They also come with special amenities including free bottled water, sweets, extra toiletries, and grooming kits. These amenities are also available with direct bookings on the hotel’s website. Some rooms on the top floor have sea views. 

This hotel has a bit of buzz, but features are essentially on par with other city hotels in Las Palmas. The hotel’s sunny rooftop bar -- a charming space with manicured olive trees, herb wall gardens, and great city views -- was a guest favorite in the evenings during our visit. There’s no pool. The hotel’s trendy gastro-bar serves a good breakfast for guests as well as a light lunch menu that’s created from fresh local produce. It has an outdoor terrace facing Santa Catalina Park, perfect for relaxing and people watching. There’s also a private rooftop terrace for any guests craving more tranquility -- a great space for quiet meals and sunbathing. The hotel has a tea-and-coffee station on every floor, with free cookies and microwaves. There are also several cozy lounge areas, as well as a small book exchange lounge. Parking is not free and a bit tricky to find in this part of town, but there are several parking garages available for fairly decent rates. We found the free Wi-Fi to be fairly decent, given the island’s notoriously slow speeds. Keep in mind that the front desk isn't staffed 24/7.