Resotel Salamanca

Resotel Salamanca (catchphrase: “racing dreams”) is a singular case. We’ll spoil it now, it’s so unguessable: a technicolor, motorsports-themed, 11-room boutique over a gas station on the outskirts of Salamanca. See? Swallow that and you’ll only be impressed, as the service and attention to detail here are nothing short of incredible. There’s a joke in here somewhere, something about nobody expecting the Spanish…

Seriously, though, leave yourself some room to be surprised — and to laugh. Juan Carlos, the manager and designer, took over the humble station from his parents, transforming it piecemeal into this speed-demon dream over the years. His su-casa approach informs the neon-heavy, orange-and-blue color scheme, peppering the rooms with all sorts of whimsical discoveries. Sure, there are flatscreens, Nespresso machines, docking stations, and complimentary wi-fi, but there’s also colored toilet paper, rubber duckies, and light-up globes. The design philosophy is one part cartoon, one part efficiency apartment, and one part bionic fantasy, especially in the future-sleek lighting fixtures. Tons of natural light, as well, bouncing off the reflective sheen — quite fitting for the light-hearted kindred spirit.

All in all, the ideal pit stop to cleanse the palate between baroque-core visits to European World Heritage sites. There’s a rooftop terrace with garden views, a complimentary breakfast spread, and (down the road a spell) Carlos’s other venture, a pizza restaurant and bar by the tautological name of Pizza Pizza. The kitsch rises to a fever pitch here, a horror vacui assemblage of neon, memorabilia, Speed Racer tchotchkes, and vintage photography. Fill your stomach and your gas tank!