Hotel Espel, the 1929 inn that became an Escaldes hotel

Hotel Espel is one of those hotels with a family behind it rather than a chain. It’s on Plaça de la Creu Blanca in Escaldes-Engordany and its story starts with an inn, Cal Miquel, already in business in 1929. Today it has 84 rooms and the fourth generation at the helm, with over seventy years in the trade, according to the hotel. A stroll away on Avinguda Carlemany is the Hotel Les Closes.

From inn to hotel

In 1929, when Miquel and Celestina married, the family inn Cal Miquel already existed, with grandmother at the stove. It was an Andorra that lived mainly off the land. Over the years tourism arrived and the country changed, the name became Cal Espel to keep the surname alive, and the business grew into today’s hotel. I like these stories because they explain how tourist Andorra was built better than any statistic.

Outward-facing, quiet rooms

All 84 rooms face outwards and are soundproofed with triple glazing, which I appreciate in central Escaldes. They have TV, heating in winter and air conditioning in summer, a free safe, hairdryer and blackout curtains, and three are adapted for guests with disabilities. Check-in is from 2pm, check-out by noon, and rooms are cleaned before 1.30pm.

To sleep close to everything, search places to stay in Hotel Espel, Escaldes-Engordany on Booking.com and filter by area before price.

What services does it offer?

An American buffet breakfast, a café-bar, 24-hour reception and free Wi-Fi throughout. What matters most to me is the parking. The Espel has its own garage for 35 cars, with a public car park in front. In central Escaldes that saves a lot of circling; the other options for leaving the car are in parking in Andorra.

Well placed for Caldea and shopping

The hotel is five minutes’ walk from Caldea, 150 metres from the shopping street and about 15 minutes from both ski areas, according to its website. It also names the Carmen Thyssen Museum as a neighbour, though that museum is closed while it moves premises. If you’re torn between this and other hotels in the parish, I compare them in hotels in Escaldes-Engordany, and if Caldea is the plan, check Caldea deals and discounts first.

To sleep close to everything, search places to stay in Hotel Espel, Escaldes-Engordany on Expedia and filter by area before price.

What kind of trip I’d choose it for

I can see it for Caldea and shopping breaks without moving the car, and for anyone who likes a family-run hotel, now in its fourth generation. It isn’t the hotel for skiing, as the ski areas are half an hour or more away. Without a car, you get around on the L1 and the Exprés. Compared with Les Closes, the Espel has its own 35-space garage on its side, something you’ll appreciate in central Escaldes if you drive from Spain and don’t want to hunt for parking every day. And with 24-hour reception, arriving late on a Friday is no problem. It’s a solid, unflashy choice. All 84 rooms face outwards and have triple glazing, which helps in the centre.

If you are short on time, see the best tours in Escaldes-Engordany and pick one that fits your day.

Where the bus does not go, a car does: compare car hire in Andorra la Vella before you arrive rather than at the desk.

If you still need a way in, check the best ticket deals to Andorra la Vella from where you are.