Leadership is not about gender, but rather about opportunities, vocation and trust. At Paradores, we are aware of the road ahead towards full equality, but we also want to celebrate the progress already made: today, a third of our establishments are run by women. Some manage a single Parador, others are responsible for two. Some started at reception, others as interns, others arrived by chance and stayed out of conviction. But they all share something essential: commitment, a sense of belonging and a management style that combines firmness, sensitivity and strategic vision.

With International Women's Day just a few days away, on 8 March, we want to take a moment to reflect on their careers. On the paths they have travelled. On the challenges they have overcome. And on a reality that, not so long ago, was very different.

Many of our female directors began their careers in operational roles. This is the case of Carmen Méndez, director of the Parador de Jaén for more than three decades. She started in 1991 covering a temporary absence at reception at the Parador de Jávea. What was meant to be a short-term role turned out to be anything but. “Paradores captivated me from day one,” she recalls. More than thirty years later, she still smiles when remembering the occasions when a guest would ask to speak to “the director” and she would appear.

Julia Navarro’s career path also began at entry level. A summer contract at Sos del Rey Católico marked the start of more than 36 years with the company, where she now serves as director of the Parador de Calahorra. Inspired by the company, she sent her CV to the entire network and progressed through roles in administration, departmental management and deputy management, as well as a Career Development Plan that took her to various destinations before she took on the leadership of the Parador de Calahorra.

Other career paths began even before studies were completed. After finishing her training at the Centro Superior de Hostelería de Galicia, Uxía López joined the Parador de Baiona as an intern. Since then, she has worked in destinations such as Cádiz, La Gomera and Soria, progressing step by step until now leading the Paradores of Sigüenza and Molina de Aragón. For her, Paradores represents continuous training, mobility and a people-centred approach. Her advice neatly captures her philosophy: “Don’t focus solely on the outcome, embrace the process.”

Reception was also the starting point for Eva Legaza. When she arrived in Gredos 23 years ago, all her colleagues were men. In time, what had been the exception became the norm. Now at the helm of the Parador de Ávila, she advocates something simple yet decisive: never stop learning, because preparation brings independence.

Not all of them came from a hospitality background. Before taking on the leadership of the Parador de León, Ana Domínguez had developed a career in banking. It was a commercial role within the hotel sector that awakened her true vocation. Since then, she has been involved in new openings, comprehensive refurbishments and a range of postings before returning to her hometown as director. For her, leadership begins with professional competence and building teams that are fully aligned with the company’s philosophy.

Some careers also begin far from traditional hospitality. After completing her studies in Business Administration and Account Auditing and working in several countries, Abigail Morán felt compelled to bring together her professional experience and her passion for the Spain brand. She decided to prepare specifically to lead a Parador, achieving her goal in 2018 when she took on the directorship of the Parador de Córdoba. She champions a leadership style rooted in active listening, empathy and emotional intelligence: it is not about imposing, but about guiding and supporting others.

In other cases, the dream was clear from the outset. During her university studies, Paradores was a symbol of quality and prestige. Lucía Miguel del Corral left a stable job to pursue that goal and began an internship in Segovia and La Granja. Fourteen years later, she manages the Parador de Ciudad Rodrigo and cherishes the feeling of seeing a grateful customer leave. She particularly remembers one New Year's Eve when a guest suffered a health problem and the whole team went out of their way to help until the emergency services arrived. ‘They make all the effort worthwhile.’

There are stories in which vocation is almost inherited without intent. With a 36-year career behind her, Marian Montero has experienced Paradores as home, family and a way of life. The daughter of a director and a head housekeeper and niece to directors, she was practically born into an establishment and treasures her first memory at Fuente Dé. She started with a temporary contract in Salamanca and never left. As a child, she once fell asleep under warm blankets in the laundry room, while staff searched for her in mounting concern. Today, at the helm of the Parador de Granada, she advocates a leadership style grounded in unexpected quality, sensitivity and leading by example.

Natalia Martínez’s career also reflects this steady progression. She began as an intern in Mojácar in 1999 and gradually assumed increasing levels of responsibility, ultimately becoming manager of the Parador de Jarandilla. For her, leadership has evolved in step with society: “Today it is built on resilience, dignity and the ability to transform teams.” Throughout her career, she has enjoyed unique experiences, from sharing a table with Antonio Banderas to meeting Muammar Gaddafi and his entourage, as well as representing the company at professional gatherings.

None of this happens in isolation. Behind every career path lies an active commitment to professional development, structured training plans and internal mobility designed to foster growth. Access to positions of responsibility is determined by preparation and capability, not by gender.

As Olivia Reina, director of the Parador de Alcalá de Henares and Regional Director of the Central Zone, explains: the resources and genuine support are there for those who demonstrate commitment and a readiness to embrace new challenges.

This view is also shared by Blanca Casas, María Landeira and Sneha Chablani, who head the Parador establishments in Aiguablava, Soria and La Palma respectively. Belonging to a younger generation, they share one essential conviction: stepping into a management role requires confidence in one’s own abilities, a willingness to learn from one’s surroundings, the courage to make mistakes and the determination to try again. Because leadership is not about knowing everything from day one, but about remaining open to continuous learning.

Leadership is often defined most clearly in complex situations. This was the case for Verónica García, director of the Parador de Vic-Sau and the Parador de La Seu d’Urgell, who experienced the volcanic eruption during her time at the Parador de La Palma. That experience transformed her approach to management; she came to understand that a team is not merely a professional structure, but a human network requiring closeness, empathy and cohesion. Since then, she has been clear that leadership is not about imposing authority, but about supporting others.

At the Parador de Chinchón, Nieves Montisi, with 27 years in the network, has witnessed scenes worthy of a film set, quite literally. For three months, the Parador was reserved exclusively for the filming of Asteroid City. Tom Hanks, Scarlett Johansson, Adrien Brody, Bill Murray and Margot Robbie all passed through its corridors. To make this possible, eleven scheduled weddings had to be rearranged. There were no complaints, only dialogue, transparency and teamwork.

For her part, Esther González, now at the helm of the Parador de Santo Estevo and the Parador de Monforte de Lemos, represents a generation for whom seeing women in positions of responsibility has become increasingly natural. Her career began with an internship in 2013, and she believes that leadership should be measured not by gender, but by merit, commitment and attitude.

Alongside them are other directors, including Ana Cristóbal, director of the Parador de Ayamonte, Mº del Pilar Iglesias, director of the Parador de Sto. Domingo Bernardo de Fresneda and Santo Domingo de la Calzada, Pilar Valdés, director of the Parador de Gijón, Lilian Ferral, director of the Parador de la Gomera, Meritxel Marcos, director of the Parador de Cambados and Parador de Pontevedra, Tana Blázquez, director of the Parador de Mojácar, Virginia Rull, director of the Parador de Olite, Mº José Sepulveda, director of the Parador de Oropesa, Ana García, director of the Parador de Tordesillasn and Mº Carmen Comino, director of the Parador de Zafra.

While directors set the strategic direction, there is another essential role that ensures each Parador operates with precision and excellence: the housekeepers. They provide operational leadership, organisation, coordination and meticulous attention to detail. Together with their teams, they are responsible for making every stay a seamless and impeccable experience.

Here we highlight just a small representation of the many professionals who carry out this responsibility across the network. Behind every room prepared, every detail carefully checked and every standard upheld, there is a predominantly female team sustaining the daily operations of Paradores with rigour, commitment and dedication.

At the Parador de Cádiz, Laura Corbalán has been coordinating this quiet machinery that ensures everything runs flawlessly since 1997. She began working at weddings and events while still studying, moving from one season to the next until her career became firmly established. For her, the greatest reward has been the ability to balance her professional and family life, while witnessing guests fulfil their hopes for rest and celebration. After almost three decades, she has welcomed back families who return year after year and sums it up in a phrase that conveys both pride and responsibility: “We are the key to this world.”

Stability was also what led M.ª Carmen Valtuille to join the Parador de Santiago de Compostela 22 years ago. In this iconic establishment, where history and hospitality are closely intertwined, she champions the value of accumulated knowledge and experience. Her career reflects a reality shared by many women: demonstrating, day after day, that experience and practical expertise are indispensable assets.

In other cases, the path has been shaped by mobility and continuous learning. After beginning her internship at the Parador de Cangas de Onís, Rosana Bobes worked in destinations such as Fuente Dé, Bielsa and Limpias before arriving at Corias. From those early years, she recalls the camaraderie between teams and the importance of feeling supported. Today, she advocates continuing to work “for a better world for everyone, without excluding anyone,” convinced that leadership is also exercised through daily example.

Internal promotion and specialisation also define the career path of Raquel Gutiérrez, currently Head of Housekeeping at the Parador de Santo Estevo. She began as a reception intern in León and discovered her professional vocation in housekeeping. She took part in the opening of Santo Estevo in 2004 and has since worked in various establishments and in central services. For her, working at Paradores means preserving heritage while delivering excellence in unique settings. Her message is unequivocal: there is genuine scope for professional growth for women. “Do not set limits for yourselves.”

Added to this wealth of experience is Montse Narros, who has been with the company for 25 years. She was initially drawn by the uniqueness of the buildings, their exceptional locations and the organisation’s commitment to the environment. Over time, she discovered something more: the value of camaraderie within Paradores, shared training opportunities and the pride of belonging to teams that, particularly in smaller establishments such as the Parador de Ciudad Rodrigo, maintain close relationships with guests. She highlights the resilience and sense of responsibility shown by her colleagues, many of whom are the primary earners in their households. “We receive many expressions of gratitude for the service and kindness,” she explains. And she stands by something fundamental: the strength and determination of women to pursue what truly makes them happy.

These are just a few voices from a much larger collective. Because leadership at Paradores is not confined to offices or visible roles. It is also found in those who carry out a final check of a room, who coordinate shifts with precision, who care for every uniform, who train a new colleague, or who receive a guest’s sincere thanks.

Paradores’ excellence is built on teamwork. Within that shared endeavour, women are an essential part of its structure, its culture and its identity, providing a constant form of leadership that is sometimes quiet, yet always indispensable.

If there is one conviction they all hold, it is that female leadership is not simply about holding a position, but about embracing it with authenticity, commitment and self-confidence. For many, the key is not to wait until they feel perfectly prepared, but to have the courage to take on new challenges and build confidence step by step. They emphasise the importance of surrounding oneself with people who add value and remind us that progress is not an individual privilege, but a collective achievement. When one woman moves forward, she opens the way; when many move forward together, they transform the environment. If so many women have achieved it, why not you?

This spirit extends beyond the management of Paradores to the organisation as a whole, from the presidency, led by Raquel Sánchez, to every woman within the company, whether in an establishment or in central services, contributing talent, commitment and vision through her daily work.

The commitment to equality is reflected in concrete actions, such as the introduction of Purple Points across the network’s establishments, clearly identified spaces offering guidance and support in situations of gender-based violence and contributing to safer environments for women.

For all of them, the message is clear: believe in yourself, work with passion, lead with humanity and never stop moving forward.

This 8 March, we celebrate who we are. Happy Women’s Day.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO WELCOMING YOU TO PARADORES