Sol Daurella buys the Correos headquarters in Bilbao to turn it into a hotel

BarcelonaCatalonia's richest woman enters the hotel business. Sol Daurella, president of Coca-Cola Europacific Partners, has purchased the building that houses the post office headquarters in Bilbao to open a hotel, as reported by [publication name missing]. ExpansionFormer footballer Gerard Piqué also expressed interest in developing the building as luxury accommodation. The property was put up for public auction last summer, with a starting price of €13.5 million. It is the most important Correos (Spanish postal service) building in the Basque capital. Located on Alameda de Urquijo street, it houses customer service and administrative departments, according to sources at the state-owned company speaking to ARA. The sale requires Correos to vacate the building before the end of December. The transaction was completed through Dauber Hotels, a real estate investment company managed by a Catalan businesswoman, for an undisclosed sum. The sale has sparked outrage from company unions, such as the CCOO branch, which criticizes the fact that it will pass "into private hands at a bargain price." "Real estate speculators will make a fortune at the expense of the public," the union warned months ago.

Built in 1927

The Post Office was designed by Secundino Zuazo, who built it in 1927. The architect drew inspiration from various styles. Initially, he was inspired by the Dutch school, as seen in the exposed brickwork used on the façade. The eaves, on the other hand, evoke a mountain style. Finally, its Baroque entrance, dominated by a large eagle-adorned coat of arms, recalls the Habsburg era.