Spanish Hotels with History :: Hostal de los Reyes Cat�licos

August 28, 2008 at 9:05 AM | 0 Comments

After spending two weeks recapping the Lisbon Hotel Scene for us, Monica Guy is back with some history lessons. She's chronicling some of Spain's historic hotels this week. Enjoy.

Talking of Spanish Hotels with History, this one boasts to be the oldest 'proper' hotel in the world.

The Hostal de los Reyes Cat�licos is a 5-star Gran Lujo hotel--better than a 5-star--and it's located superbly right opposite the magnificent cathedral in Santiago de Compostela's central square. It's also known in English as the Royal Hospital or in Spanish as the Parador de Santiago de Compostela.

The hotel's partly funded by the government as a parador, a status awarded only to the best hotels in the most historic of buildings in Spain.

The décor? Use your imagination. Dark wood, dim lighting, high ceilings, exposed stone, the odd suit of armour or oil painting glaring down at you. We stayed there for a night last year and can't remember anything of the room except that it was super-luxury and super-traditional - a bit too traditional for our taste.

But it's the location that's the biggest stunner. On one corner of the cathedral square in Santiago de Compostela, it makes a superb background for photos and people-watching alike. There are hundreds of funky restaurants and bars filling the nearby streets but the area immediately around the hotel is quiet - closing time is 10pm near the cathedral.

The name 'hostal' isn't a typo - built in 1499, this grand hotel was originally was a hospital then a hostel for pilgrims arriving at the end of their months-long journey on the Camino de Santiago (Way of Saint James).

Nowadays Santiago's still filled with pilgrims trailing walking sticks and blister pads, but not many of them can afford to stay there. Rates start at €320 ($475) for a double room per night.

If you can't afford a night, at least splash out on dinner. The Parador restaurants are legendary and this one (the Dos Reis, or 'Two Kings') is extra-special: proper traditional Spanish meals plus a wine list as long as your arm and clever waiters to advise you. Try the tasting menu for a bit of everything. There's a more informal 'Enxebre' restaurant if you want the atmosphere without the price tag.

And now you've decided to stay? Good luck finding a room before next year ....

Tags: Historic Spanish Hotels / Barcelona Hotels / Paradores / Monica Guy

by femmefatale

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