Materialization of Regionality and Native Culture in the Spanish “Parador”

Abstract

The Spanish “parador” has one basic characteristic: this introduces into the hospitality industry the complexity of the local values, traditions, history, legend and culture that materialize the architecture and the landscape. In 1926 Vega Inclán, who was the Royal Tourist Commissioner, had the idea of setting up a series of State Paradors. His inicial concept is that the State gives preference to promote a paticular area of natural beauty or historic-artistic interest by building an inn nearby and, as much as possible, by restoring an old monument and putting it to practical use with the instalation of all the comforts of a modern hotel. The purpose of this article is to analyze the paradors’ development concepts and possible applications to the world hospotality industry.