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Design Plus BEX Hotel

From $95/night • Score: 4.7★ (3120 reviews)

Exterior 1Exterior 2Interior 1Interior 2Surroundings

First Impressions & Architecture

Stepping off the bustling pavement of Calle León y Castillo and into the lobby of the Design Plus BEX Hotel is akin to walking through the private doors of a high-rolling, glamorous 1920s speakeasy that just happens to double as a high-finance house of the mid-20th century. Located squarely in the financial and commercial district of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, this striking property occupies the former regional headquarters of the Banco Exterior de España—a pedigree that the hotel wears not as a dusty historical footnote, but as a vibrant, theatrical design muse. At an astonishingly accessible price point of roughly $95 a night, the property immediately shatters the tired convention that genuine architectural storytelling and bold narrative design must come packaged with prohibitive luxury tariffs.

The exterior commands the streetscape with its solid, authoritative mid-century civic proportions, yet the moment you cross the threshold, the atmosphere shifts dramatically into a world of theatrical opulence. The creative minds behind the interior restoration have leaned heavily into a lavish Art Deco vocabulary, juxtaposing the austere, trustworthy gravity of old-world banking with the decadent, restless energy of the Roaring Twenties. Polished brass, geometric brass grilles, rich velvet upholstery in deep emeralds and midnight blues, and polished dark wood set a cinematic tone that feels both deeply curated and playfully tongue-in-cheek.

What elevates the BEX from a mere stylistic exercise to a genuinely compelling architectural destination is its unwavering commitment to preserving its authentic banking heritage. Rather than gutting the monumental structure, the designers integrated the original structural artifacts into the daily guest experience. As you navigate the ground floor and common areas, you encounter magnificent, meticulously restored walk-in heavy vault doors that once guarded fortunes in bullion and bearer bonds. Safety deposit box motifs repeat subtly across the environmental graphics and wall panels, while vintage teller grilles and repurposed metalwork serve as architectural dividers, creating intimate, seductive seating nooks within the sprawling public spaces. It is a masterclass in adaptive reuse—honoring the building’s formidable past while injecting a generous dose of metropolitan hedonism into the heart of Las Palmas.

The Room Experience

Ascending to the guest floors, the heavy, serious aura of the ground-floor banking hall gives way to bright, contemporary sanctuaries designed for absolute rest and urban recovery. Despite its lively aesthetic and central urban positioning along a major thoroughfare, the rooms at Design Plus BEX are remarkably tranquil, featuring advanced soundproofing that successfully seals out the relentless pulse of the capital city. The corridors maintain the subtle financial motif with clever room numbering and metallic finishes, but once you unlock your door, you are greeted by a breezy, light-filled aesthetic that nods to the eternal sunshine of the Canary Islands.

The color palette shifts from the moody jewel tones of the lobby to crisp whites, warm woods, and accent splashes of mustard yellow and nautical navy. Spatial efficiency is handled with consummate professionalism; even entry-level categories feel cleverly proportioned, offering ample luggage storage, integrated open-concept wardrobes, and ergonomic workspaces for the modern digital nomad or business traveler. Bespoke lighting fixtures—reminiscent of 1920s Parisian apartment sconces—cast a warm, flattering glow across the room, highlighting the clean architectural lines and tactile textiles.

Comfort, however, is where the hotel truly punches far above its modest ninety-five-dollar nightly rate. The beds are dressed in crisp, high-thread-count Egyptian cotton linens stretched over orthopedic mattresses that offer the ideal balance of plush surface cushioning and robust lumbar support. Blackout drapes glide effortlessly on silent tracks, ensuring that when it is time to sleep, the room becomes a pitch-black cocoon. Bathrooms are a sleek exercise in modern minimalism, outfitted with walk-in rainfall showers boasting exceptional water pressure, generous vessel sinks, and an array of sustainably sourced, subtly fragranced botanical toiletries. Thoughtful tech touches—including abundant USB charging ports thoughtfully placed bedside, high-speed Wi-Fi that never stutters, and smart flat-screen televisions—ensure that contemporary conveniences are never sacrificed for the sake of retro styling.

Signature Amenities & Atmosphere

Beyond the guest rooms, Design Plus BEX curates an atmosphere that feels less like a transient hotel and more like an exclusive private club for the design-conscious traveler. The social heartbeat of the property radiates upward, culminating in the stellar IBEX rooftop terrace. Perched high above the grid of Calle León y Castillo, this panoramic perch offers sweeping, unobstructed views over the rooftops of Las Palmas, stretching toward the shimmering expanse of the Atlantic Ocean on the horizon. By day, it is a sun-drenched sanctuary where guests recline on chic loungers, soaking in the perpetual warmth of the Canarian sun with a book in hand. By night, the mood transforms entirely, illuminated by amber ambient lighting and an effortless, sophisticated soundtrack that attracts a stylish mix of international travelers and fashionable locals.

For those committed to maintaining their wellness routines while on the road, the hotel houses a well-appointed fitness gym. Eschewing the dark, subterranean dungeon-style workout rooms so common in historic urban conversions, this fitness space is compact yet efficiently outfitted with state-of-the-art cardiovascular equipment, free weights, and resistance machines. It provides everything necessary for a robust morning session before diving into a day of meetings or coastal exploration.

The overarching atmosphere throughout the property is one of relaxed sophistication. There is none of the suffocating stiffness or pretentious posturing often found in luxury boutiques. Instead, the service culture is genuinely warm, intuitive, and effortlessly professional. The multilingual front desk and concierge teams operate with a breezy Canarian hospitality that makes every guest feel like a regular patron, offering hyper-local recommendations that bypass the standard tourist traps in favor of authentic neighborhood gems.

Food, Drink & Local Nightlife

Culinary and social life at Design Plus BEX centers heavily around its dynamic beverage program and the vibrant gastronomic fabric of its surrounding neighborhood. While the hotel does not operate a massive, multi-venue 24-hour restaurant dining empire, its breakfast offering is a bright, plentiful affair designed to launch guests into the day with vigor. Served in a sunlit, beautifully styled dining space that echoes the ground floor's Art Deco themes, the morning spread features a generous curation of fresh tropical fruits, artisanal Canarian cheeses, freshly baked breads and pastries, cured meats, and hot cooked-to-order dishes, all paired with exceptional local coffee.

As the afternoon bleeds into evening, the action migrates unmistakably to the IBEX rooftop terrace bar. Here, the resident mixologists treat cocktailcraft as a serious discipline, turning out a menu of meticulously balanced concoctions that playfully reference the building's financial heritage—alongside a stellar list of local and international wines, craft beers, and top-shelf spirits. Sipping an expertly shaken gin botanical infusion while watching the sun melt into the Atlantic from the rooftop is an essential Las Palmas rite of passage.

When hunger strikes beyond the hotel walls, the property’s prime walkable-core setting in the financial and commercial district places you moments away from some of the city's best dining and nightlife. Within a short stroll, guests can access everything from high-end tapas bars redefining traditional Canarian cuisine with modernist flair to lively terrazas tucked away in leafy plazas. The neighborhood strikes a brilliant balance: it is sophisticated and safe, free from the tacky, neon-lit hyper-tourism of the southern resort strips, offering instead an authentic window into contemporary island metropolitan life where locals dine late and live well.

Who This Stay Is For

Practical Travel Notes

Navigating your stay at Design Plus BEX Hotel is straightforward, but a few local insights will ensure a seamless journey: