A search for the “Grand Hotel series” points to several distinct productions, creating frequent confusion. This article clarifies the differences between the 1932 Oscar-winning film Grand Hotel, the 2011 Spanish mystery drama Gran Hotel, and the 2019 American ABC adaptation, relying on verified data from review aggregators and editorial outlets.
Last checked: 2026-10-03
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Premise: Wealthy and beautiful guests at Miami Beach’s last family-owned hotel. · Network: ABC (2019 series) · IMDb Rating: 7.1/10 · Rotten Tomatoes: 85% audience score
How we researched this
Last checked: 2026-10-03.
Sources reviewed: Rotten Tomatoes, IndieWire, AlloCiné, Contraste, Refinery29, Wikipedia.
No on-site visits to filming locations or interviews with cast or crew were conducted.
Grand Hotel at a glance
- Period mystery spanning 3 seasons and 39 episodes on Antena 3 (AlloCiné)
- Modern soap series set in Miami, ran 1 season on ABC (Rotten Tomatoes)
- Praised for its period atmosphere and production; scored 6/10 by Spanish outlet Contraste (Contraste)
- 74% critic score and 76% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes (Rotten Tomatoes)
| Premise (ABC) | Modern soap opera set in a family-owned Miami Beach hotel |
|---|---|
| Premise (Spanish) | Period mystery set in an elite early-20th-century Spanish hotel |
| Network (ABC) | ABC |
| Network (Spanish) | Antena 3 |
| IMDb Rating (ABC) | 7.1/10 |
| Rotten Tomatoes (ABC) | 76% audience / 74% critic |
| Seasons (ABC) | 1 |
| Seasons (Spanish) | 3 |
| Episodes (Spanish) | 39 |
The 2019 ABC series lasted only one season (11 episodes), while the Spanish original ran for three (39 episodes). The 1932 film is the only version to win an Academy Award (Best Picture). Audience ratings place the Spanish original slightly higher on IMDb (8.3) than the American remake (7.1).
Who are the actors in the Netflix series Grand Hotel?
The 2019 ABC series featured an ensemble cast led by Demián Bichir (Santiago Mendoza) and Roselyn Sánchez (Gigi Mendoza), a cast often highlighted in the series’ critical consensus (Rotten Tomatoes). The original Spanish series starred Yon González and Amaia Salamanca in the lead roles (Wikipedia). The Italian adaptation starred Simone Corbisiero and Miriam Galimberti (AlloCiné).
The pattern: Each adaptation completely recast the roles, reflecting a different cultural context and casting tradition for its respective market.
Where can I watch the 2019 Grand Hotel?
The 2019 series originally aired on ABC. Related search data suggests it appeared on Netflix in some regions following its broadcast run. As of 2025, streaming rights appear to have shifted, and the series seems to be primarily available for digital purchase or rental on platforms such as Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV. The original Spanish Gran Hotel streamed on Netflix internationally for a period but, according to the Dutch Wikipedia entry for the American series, its availability has narrowed.
The bottom line: Always verify current regional availability on a platform like JustWatch before committing to a subscription to watch any specific Grand Hotel version.
Grand Hotel is a lively summer soap that brings together a glamorous ensemble of Latinx talent and plays them against one another through twists involving betrayal.
— Rotten Tomatoes critics consensus
Why was Grand Hotel cancelled?
ABC cancelled the 2019 Grand Hotel in October 2019 after its first season (Wikipedia). The decision was attributed to modest live viewership numbers despite a strong cast and respectable critical reception. IndieWire described the show as “entertaining” but noted it did not challenge standard genre tropes (IndieWire). By contrast, the original Spanish series was a hit for Antena 3, running its full planned story over three seasons.
The trade-off: The 11-episode arc provides a contained, bingeable story, but the cancellation leaves several character mysteries and relationship arcs unresolved.
Is Grand Hotel based on a true story?
Neither the 2019 ABC adaptation nor the original Spanish series is based on a true story. The ABC show is a direct adaptation of the fictional Spanish drama Gran Hotel, created by Ramón Campos and Gema R. Neira (Refinery29). The 1932 film Grand Hotel is an adaptation of a 1929 Vicki Baum novel of the same name, itself a work of fiction.
Why this matters: Understanding the adaptation lineage clarifies genre expectations—these are crafted mystery-romance stories, not historical reenactments.
ABC’s adaptation entertains without challenging familiar tropes.
— IndieWire
| Entity | Release Year | Type | Number of Seasons | Awards |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Hotel (1932 film) | 1932 | Film | N/A | 1 Oscar (Best Picture) |
| Gran Hotel (Spanish series) | 2011 | TV Series | 3 (39 episodes) | 0 |
| Grand Hotel (ABC series) | 2019 | TV Series | 1 (11 episodes) | 0 |
Our pick recommendation
The choice depends largely on what kind of story you value most:
- For mystery enthusiasts: The Spanish Gran Hotel is the definitive version. Its three-season arc delivers a complete whodunit with period atmosphere and a satisfying conclusion.
- For classic film buffs: The 1932 Grand Hotel remains an essential landmark of Old Hollywood and the only iteration to win an Academy Award.
- For casual modern viewers: The 2019 ABC series offers a quick, glossy, soapy introduction to the premise. It is perfect for a single weekend binge but may leave you wanting the deeper mystery the Spanish original provides.
The Spanish series is notable for its atmosphere, production work, performances, and scripts.
— Contraste
Timeline of the Grand Hotel adaptations
- 2011-10-04: Spanish Gran Hotel premieres on Antena 3 (Wikipedia).
- 2013-06-25: Spanish series concludes its run (Wikipedia).
- 2015: Italian Grand Hotel / Hotel Imperial adaptation premieres (AlloCiné).
- 2016: Mexican El hotel de los secretos and Egyptian Secret of the Nile premiere (Refinery29).
- 2018-03-15: Secret of the Nile is released internationally by Netflix (Wikipedia).
- 2019-06-17: American adaptation premieres on ABC (Rotten Tomatoes).
- 2020-09-03: French Grand Hôtel premieres on TF1 (Wikipedia).
- 2024-09-25: Greek adaptation premieres (Wikipedia).
it.wikipedia.org, de.wikipedia.org, rottentomatoes.com, fr.wikipedia.org, filmvandaag.nl
Frequently asked questions about the Grand Hotel series
Do Alicia and Julio end up together?
Yes, in the Spanish original Gran Hotel, the seamstress Alicia (Amaia Salamanca) and the new head waiter Julio (Yon González) overcome numerous family and class-based obstacles and ultimately leave the hotel together.
How many Oscars did Grand Hotel win?
The 1932 film Grand Hotel won one Academy Award, for Best Picture.
How old was Joan Crawford in Grand Hotel?
Joan Crawford was 27 years old at the time of the 1932 film’s release.
What is the plot of the film Grand Hotel?
The 1932 film intertwines the lives of a dying typist, a famous Russian ballerina (Greta Garbo), a baron, and a businessman over a single day at the Grand Hotel in Berlin.
Where was Grand Hotel filmed?
The 1932 film was shot at MGM Studios in Hollywood. The 2019 ABC series was filmed at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach. The Spanish original was filmed in Cantabria, Spain, notably at the Magdalena Palace.
How many episodes are in the Spanish Gran Hotel?
The series comprises 39 episodes spread across three seasons.
What does the Rotten Tomatoes score mean for the ABC series?
The 74% critic score and 76% audience score indicate generally favorable, if not universally enthusiastic, reception for the 2019 series.
If you are interested in the type of historic Spanish luxury that inspired the original series, our review of the Hotel Alfonso XIII in Seville provides a real-world comparison. For a different take on modern hotel reviews, the Grand Diamond Hotel Bangkok review looks at how the “Grand” concept is interpreted in a contemporary setting.
Sources cited
- Rotten Tomatoes – Grand Hotel (2019)
- IndieWire – Grand Hotel Review
- AlloCiné – Gran Hotel Comparaisons
- Contraste – Review Gran Hotel
- Refinery29 – Grand Hotel vs. Gran Hotel
- Wikipedia – Gran Hotel (TV series)
- Dutch Wikipedia – Grand Hotel (2019)
- IMDb – Grand Hotel (2019)