 | This articleneeds additional citations forverification. Please helpimprove this article byadding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Paradores" – news ·newspapers ·books ·scholar ·JSTOR(June 2022) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
 | |
| Paradores | |
| Company type | Sociedad Anónima |
| Industry | Hospitality,Hotels |
| Founded | 8 October 1928; 97 years ago (1928-10-08) |
| Founder | Government of Spain |
| Headquarters | , Spain |
Number of locations | 99 paradors (2025) |
Key people | Raquel Sánchez (President) |
| Revenue |  €343 million[1] (2024) |
| €39.8 million[1] (2024) | |
| Owner | Ministry of Finance |
Number of employees | 5,206[1] (2024) |
| Website | www |
Paradores de Turismo de EspañaS.M.E.S.A., branded asParadores, is a Spanishstate-owned chain of luxury hotels that are usually located in historic buildings or in nature areas with a special appeal. Its first parador was inaugurated on 9 October 1928 inNavarredonda de Gredos (Ávila). As of 2025, it operates ninety-eight paradores in Spain and one in Portugal, with 6,010 rooms in total. Every parador has its own restaurant offering theregional gastronomy of its area.[a]
The company was created with the double objective of promotingtourism in areas that lacked adequate accommodations, and of putting unused large historic buildings to use, for the maintenance of the national heritage. Along its history, the establishments of its network have been branded asParador,Parador Nacional,Parador de Turismo orParador Nacional de Turismo in different times.
APortuguese equivalent,Pousadas de Portugal, were founded on 1 May 1941, following the Spanish model.
In 1910, theCouncil of Ministers chaired byprime ministerJosé Canalejas commissioned Benigno de la Vega-Inclán, marquess de la Vega-Inclán, to create a hotel structure, which did not exist at the time, in whose establishments hikers and travelers would be accommodated, while at the same time improving Spain's international image. In 1911, the Royal Tourism Commission was created chaired by the marquess himself.[2]
It was in August 1926 when the Royal Tourism Commission began the construction of the first establishment at a location in a nature area of theSierra de Gredos chosen by KingAlfonso XIII himself. On 25 April 1928, the newPatronato Nacional de Turismo (National Tourist Board) assumed the functions of the Royal Commission. Finally, after some time in operation,[3] theParador Nacional de Gredos, the first parador of the network, was inaugurated by the King on 9 October 1928 inNavarredonda de Gredos (Ávila).[4]
Following the successful opening, theJunta de Paradores y Hosterías del Reino was established in 1929, with the double objective of promoting tourism in areas that lacked adequate accommodations, but with conditions to attract nature orheritage tourism, and of putting unused large historic buildings to use, for the maintenance of the national heritage.[5] TheParador de Oropesa, opened on 7 February 1930, and inaugurated on 11 March, in theMedieval castle ofOropesa (Toledo), was the first located in a historic building. In May 1930, the Hostería de la Rábida inPalos de la Frontera (Huelva) and Hostería del Estudiante inAlcalá de Henares (Madrid) were the first hosterías opened.[b] Over the years, the paradors spread throughout the national territory and the hosterías were converted into paradors.
At the same time, the Patronato Nacional de Turismo began the construction of the new Albergues de Carretera. These roadside hostels with repair shop and gas pump were located in rest areas at key points on the road network and were built following a design by architects Carlos Arniches Moltó andMartín Domínguez Esteban inInternational Style. On 12 March 1931, the first Albergue de Carretera was inaugurated inManzanares (Ciudad Real). Of the seventeen initially planned Albergues, only twelve were built, and over time, many of them ended up being converted into paradors and the rest closing down.
TheSpanish Civil War was a halt for tourism. Some of the paradors were damaged or used as hospitals during the war. Once the conflict was over, the restoration and reopening of the existing establishments was encouraged. The greatest expansion process took place in the 1960s, coinciding with the important tourist development experienced by the country. In those years the Paradores Nacionales de Turismo network went from 40 to 83 establishments.[2]
During the 1980s, the company underwent a widerestructuring and reorganization, shutting down some obsolete facilities, and operating criteria were revised to improve profitability. In 1986, some establishments belonging to the Empresa Nacional de Turismo (Entursa), such as luxuryHostal de los Reyes Catolicos andHostal de San Marcos, were transferred to it.[2]
Since 18 January 1991, Paradores de Turismo de España is a State MercantileSociedad Anónima fully owned by the Directorate-General for State Heritage (DGPE), a state patrimonial agency dependent on theMinistry of Finance of theGovernment of Spain. The company is theconcessionaire of the use and occupancy of the buildings and facilities owned by the Spanish State through theInstituto de Turismo de España (Turespaña), the government agency that, dependent on theMinistry of Industry, is the responsible of setting the company's strategy and planning, monitoring its effectiveness and building new facilities. The company's mission is to promote sustainable, accessible and quality tourism, as well as the maintenance of the buildings it operates, many of themmonuments of high historical-artistic value declaredBien de Interés Cultural.[6]
According to Brand Finance, Paradores was the brand with the highest reputation in Spain in 2019–20 and the second in 2021. It was also the world's leading hotel company in reputation in 2019–21, and the only Spanish company in the global top 10.[7][8]
As of 2025, Paradores operates a hotel network of ninety-eight state-owned establishments in Spain and one franchised establishment in Portugal, with 6,010 rooms in total. Paradors are located all around Spain, and have a presence in all itsprovinces except for theBalearic Islands, where a parador inIbiza is under construction, andBiscay. The provinces with the most paradors areCáceres andMálaga, with five each. In addition to the paradors located in castles, palaces, fortresses, convents, monasteries and other historic buildings, there are also other located in modern buildings in nature areas with a special appeal and/or with panoramic views of historical and monumental cities. The paradors are divided inEsentia - monumental and historic hotels,Civia - urban hotels, andNaturia - hotels close to the coast and nature. Prices vary according tocategory, room, region and season.
One of the oldest continuously operating hotels in the world, theHostal de los Reyes Catolicos inSantiago de Compostela (A Coruña), founded in 1499 by theCatholic Monarchs as a hostelry and hospital forpilgrims at the very end of theWay of St James, and transferred to the network on 24 February 1986, is the finest parador,[9] and with its 137 rooms for 262 guests is also the largest by capacity.[10] The Parador de El Saler and its golf course inValencia, occupying 71.2889 hectares (176.159 acres) of land, is the largest by area.[11] TheParador Castillo de Monterrei inMonterrei (Ourense) with 12 rooms for 24 guests, and occupying 994 square metres (10,700 sq ft) of land, is the smallest.[10][11] The Parador de Las Cañadas del Teide inLa Orotava (Santa Cruz de Tenerife), located at 2,146 metres (7,041 ft)above sea level, is the highest.[12] The Parador inMolina de Aragón (Guadalajara), opened on 13 May 2025, is the newest.[13]
In addition to the aforementioned Parador de Ibiza, Turespaña is building new paradors inMorella (Castellón) andVera de Moncayo (Zaragoza). Paradores will furnish, operate and maintain them once completed.[14]
Ninety-eight paradors are located in Spain (listed below) and one, Parador Casa da Ínsua, inPenalva do Castelo, Portugal.
._Portada.jpg)
APortuguese equivalent,Pousadas de Portugal, were founded on 1 May 1941, following the Spanish model, by theEstado Novo at the initiative ofAntónio Ferro. The first pousada opened on 19 April 1942 inElvas.[20]
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
