Bilbao, Hotel Silken

At last, arriving at the modernly styled airport of Bilbao, I was warmly greeted in Euskera (a language of Basque Spain) by our guide for the day. Eagerly, I tossed my Atmos 50 backpack onto the bus and met my fellow travel mates. Although Linda, Richard, Barry, Dominick, and I all flew with Iberia airlines from JFK airport, it was on the bus that we first met.

Exhausted but excited to soak in the Basque culture, we drove through the old industrialized Bilbao center. Finally, we stopped at a gorgeous five star hotel, Hoteles Silken, located in the center of the cosmopolitan area. If you like all the hype of being in a hustling city, but still need a little peace and quiet to feel relaxed, this is the hotel to stay in. Our night at the Silken was a delicious experience. As I opened the curtains to my room, I came nearly face to face with the infamous Guggenheim Museum, as well as their iconic giant sized dog, covered in flowers. The Silken is colorful and fun, yet is sophisticated, modern, and luxurious. Even if you are not staying overnight, it is the perfect place to meet up with a friend for coffee.

After the long back –breaking airplane ride, every one of my aching muscles was calling to me for attention. Easily, the spacious ivory colored tub was my solution. The elegantly hung bathrobes, slippers, and assortment of various body products were a great bonus as well.

From its fantastic lobby filled with 21st century furniture and elaborately decorated waterfall, to the seventh floor breakfast with panoramic views of the city, a stay at the Silken is overall a priceless experience. My only complaint is the expensive internet connection; their minimum fee of six euros for fifteen minutes was outrageous.