DoubleTree by Hilton Opens First Hotel in Spain

DoubleTree by Hilton has debuted its first property in Spain, just in time for the new year. Located on the country's Costa Brava in the province of Girona, DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel & Spa Emporda offers 87 rooms with expansive views and access to the best of the region.

Accent walls in the rooms are painted in bright cherry-red and canary-yellow hues. All feature panoramic views of the hotel’s golf course and nearby mountains through sliding-glass doors with direct access to the outdoors on the lower level. The rooms themselves feature minimal furnishings; the draw here is the view.

Guests have access to an outdoor pool, two 18-hole golf courses designed by Robert von Hagge with views of lakes, rolling sand dunes and Empordà Forest, and an indoor lap pool and spa with thermal water circuit. For beach lovers, the sand is just a 15-minute drive from the hotel; options include Begur, Aiguablava, Calella, and Llafranc beaches. Visitors can enjoy prime scuba diving in the nearby waters, and history buffs can check out the historic Medes Islands (home to Michelin-starred restaurants, a boon for foodies) and the medieval villages of Pals and Peratallada.

Hungry guests have a range of options on site, including Tramuntana, with chef Guillem Lama at the helm, dedicated to using locally grown ingredients; Links, which overlooks the 19th hole at one of the two golf courses; and an al-fresco barbecue feast during the summer.

Kristine Hansen is a freelance writer based in Milwaukee where she reports on food, wine, and travel topics around the globe for Fodors.com, along with new hotel openings. She also writes for Wine Enthusiast, TIME, Whole Living and American Way. In 2006 she co-authored The Complete Idiot's Guide to Coffee and Tea (Alpha Books/Penguin). You can follow her on Twitter @kristineahansen or through her web site.

Photo Credits: Courtesy DoubleTree by Hilton