The "Hospital Real de Santiago de Compostela" is a truly historic and traditional Spanish hotel. It encompasses a monumental feeling of history, which is only seen in few other places in the world. The infrastructure is very well conserved and cozy. However, as a hotel it does not fit into its 5 star classification. The hotel feels like it depends solely on its reputation and experience but everything else is lacking. For example, its bar/ restaurant area does not offer anything to eat for most of the afternoon. The service is very bad, with there being very little employees for the enormous size of the hotel. The rooms hair dryer did not work, there were no towels and the beds are very uncomfortable. Also, small details like overpricing guests for an umbrella and having bad directions for the rooms reduces its image as a 5 star hotel. All in all, in any other place I would recommend another hotel but there are very few options in Santiago so it is the best you will get.

Have stayed in a number of Paradors. This one is rated the best by a number of sources which is justified in my experience. AC works. If you probe the staff will demonstrate a good sense of humour bearing in mind the Paradors are 'institutional' ie state run. Room 435 was a good size but had twin beds. Huge history. Perfect location. Revommend out side terrace for drinks and tapas. Buffet breakfast was comphrensive.

Beautiful facility in the best location of the old town. The staff were so friendly, attentive and helpful! Comfy beds, well appointed nice size rooms and a great mix of keeping the old with the needed modern conveniences. Great breakfast and service! So many details in this wonderful structure! Thank you a wonderful stay!

Simply stunning! The history is everywhere. Beautiful iconic building set in the heart of Santiago. Surrounded by medieval cobbled streets, wonderful restaurants and achingly beautiful buildings. Stay here - you won't regret it. 👌

We were assigned a breakfast time and couldn't change it, which was very inconvenient when we wanted to make an early morning trip to the Cathedral. The rooms are tired, the furniture scuffed, and the bathroom is badly designed - there was no bidet, the buttons for the toilet flush are immediately behind & covered by the toilet lid. The bed is on wheels, on a polished floor, and there is no headboard so if you try to sit up in bed, the bed slides away from the wall. They advertised parking but we were told, when we arrived, that there was no parking. The manager of the restaurant was offensive. I've stayed in many Paradors and I know what to expect. This falls far short and I'd advise people to give it a miss.

The best of Paradores hotels in Spain. We have an excellent dinner with live piano music.

Beautiful hotel in an amazing location, just steps from the Cathedral of Santiago. Delicious food served in both restaurants. Great breakfast and fantastic service. I can't wait to back!!!

If you’re expecting a five star hotel, this is not one. Yes, it’s clean, quiet, and convenient, but it’s poorly staffed, cheaply furnished, with small hard beds and a single thin pillow and towel. There is no luxury, charm, or elegance. The entrance is a stream of tourists coming to see the public spaces, so don’t expect a quiet private lobby. Rather than having the rooms face the beautiful city and cathedral square, most of the rooms face the cloister, so don’t expect a view. If you’d like a leisurely morning and breakfast, you won’t get one here because you have to make a breakfast reservation at one of the fixed times and you only have 45 minutes before your table is given over to someone else. Stay here if you’d like to be in the square, but don’t expect a five-star experience.

Hotel rated 5 star. It is not. Very nice property in need of some repair. Internet in hotel almost nonexistent. Food over priced and not very good. I believe they use leftover breakfast buffet food in bar menu. Breakfast buffet is very nice, but that’s not too tough. Restaurant 2 star at best. Staff is generally aloof and, somewhat, stand offish. Book somewhere else. Until all the above is resolved you should have a much better place to spend €350.

The best architectural building since ages and well restored. I love the placement, just in front of the cathedral. Service is good and restaurant with local dishes. Amazing building.

Full disclosure: I did not stay the night in the hotel I had lunch here, so this review is for the restaurant only. I had a very pleasant 3 course meal here which was very well prepared and presented. The wait staff was outstanding too.

Staying at this hotel is like staying in a museum: great historical experience, not exactly quotable for a pleasant overnight. Sink was badly clogged and needed plunging. They failed to do it while we were away, so we got to enjoy the musical stylings of a vomiting sink over the constant drone of bagpipes that play 6am to 10pm. We had to have a brief argument to get a “do not disturb” sign because the staff did not believe us that it wasn’t in the room (it wasn’t). The room smelled of very strong cigarette smoke. For the two nights we stayed, we could not wash the smell from our bodies. Some of the fixtures and furniture in the room was not safe for guests. The chandelier in the center of one room was hanging by a thread. One of the chairs collapsed under my weight—and listen, I’m a skinny man. Upon further inspection, the leg had been previously repaired by masking tape. That is how a 5 year old would hastily cover up a mistake, not how a hotel should mend furniture. All that said, it was a fantastic place to explore and have a coffee in the morning. And most of the front desk staff were very helpful, there was just one guy who gave us trouble. Would have been worth it for 30% of the asking price. My advice: sneak in, explore, then return to your nice hotel far from bagpipe noise.

Not a 5 star hotel, rooms are old and tired, I appreciate its a historical building but the beds needs to be updated as they are awfully uncomfortable, It doesn’t feel like 5 stars at all, more like a hostel, Staff need more training in customer service. My room had the ventilation covered in mould making the room very smelly and a health hazard and when I reported it in reception I was mocked by the lady at the desk, she only changed my room after I showed her a picture of the mould as she wouldn’t believe me. Terrible experience, avoid at all costs

Exceptional hotel and with historic location since it's right next to the cathedral. My room had a lovely bathtub.

Buen Camino! This is a top tier hotel with great breakfast! All the staff members from front desk to house keeping are very professional and helpful.

Ideally located. The rooms are very spacious with a touch of the past, which we found enchanting. The beds were very comfortable. The restaurant meals were very tasty and care taken with the presentation. The service in every department was excellent. Personally, I could not fault this hotel. However, just a small detail, the hotel is very large and may not suit if you prefer a smaller setting. Certainly a hotel where I would make a return visit.

Great hotel and right on the square when reaching Santiago . Historic and very friendly service with excellent restaurant. We had the half board. You can also store luggage. Great breakfast spread with cook to order eggs, Galician soup, padron peppers etc

Famous hotel with excellent service, spacious and calm rooms and fast and reliable Wifi. We had an excellent dinner in the restaurant of the hotel. Highly recommended

Fawlty Towers has nothing on the Parador at Santiago de Compostela We went for a snack and a drink and asked for the allergen list before ordering; one of our party is a coeliac. 30 minutes passed and we repeated our request for the list, as we wished to order. We ordered two dishes (plates of tomatoes and cheese), which the staff confirmed orally to be gluten-free. A further 30 minutes passed and no food or allergen list arrived. We were told there was no list available. We reminded the staff that they have a legal duty to supply the list. A number of flustered staff quickly produced bread for the table. Gluten-free bread followed shortly after but was mouldy. The excuse given was that the chef had found it at the back of the fridge. Our other food arrived. The waiter offered two free desserts to be shared between the four of us if we would forgive the Parador for the experience we had had. We paid our bill and as we were leaving said that they had found the allergen list and asked if we would like to see it.

This is a spectacular hotel in an unbeatable location, right on placa do Obradoiro, literally next door to the Cathedral. Check in was efficient and although I had arrived early in the day they had my room ready. Stayed for three nights and had lots of interaction with the staff, all good. The terrace bar was always crowded and I’m surprised they have more tables there but they don’t. The breakfast buffet is very impressive. Did not try the restaurant but talked to others that did and they were not particularly impressed. My room had a beautiful view of an interior courtyard garden and the bed was very comfortable. Overall my stay was perfect and I give it a rare five clams on the coveted Five Quahog Rating Scale.

It really is the most beautiful hotel in the world. You could spend a whole day of your stay exploring the inside and outside spaces, enjoying the salons, taking quiet time to reflect in the garden. The rooms are spacious, and have everything you need for a comfortable stay, including (in our room) a bath which was appreciated after completing our Camiño walk. The basics - shower pressure, wifi - were more than adequate. The breakfast buffet was divine, with lots of choices, all fresh and tasty. We had to work hard to get served with hot food and coffee, but it was generally pretty busy. The location is superb, right by the cathedral which made it a perfect base for exploring Santiago for the 2 days we were there. The staff are generally pretty accommodating and friendly enough, but as a big, busy hotel, you may not get a warm friendly reception (if indeed that’s even important to you).

This is the ultimate highlight of my trip to Spain 🇪🇸. The room was luxurious, ambience very grand, service excellent and friendly. Only issue was that the restaurant was booked out every night. Keep up the fantastic job!

Ver nice and comfortable hotel in the absolute center of town.Charming ambiente. Rooms and furniture are old but comfortable. The breakfast buffet is a bit limited (no real Müsli) but of good quality.

Staying in absolute history in a magnificent old building like this Parador cannot be beaten. Guests must expect that the floors might make a noise when you walk and some of the doors or windows are not the most modern style but this is an iconic 500 year old building! Its beauty and history is why you are here in the first place. The front office staff very friendly and helpful, as are the breakfast restaurant staff, however, a few staff members in the bar/lounge area are more “functional” than “5 star,” in terms of proactive service,…meaning they’re more reactive when you approach them with a request than proactive. Breakfast is decent enough if included in the rate, but I would not pay for it as a standalone service and feel I’m getting value for money. The five star rating is predominantly for the history of this magnificent hotel. Nonetheless, it is a fantastic stay in an amazing location.

Magical place with impeccable service, fantastic accommodation and delicious food. The restaurant Dos Reis was booked out but looked fantastic. The breakfast buffet was incredible. Highly recommended. Right on the cathedral square.

It’s a stunning hotel in an absolutely beautiful, historic monument in the most amazing location at the centre of Santiago de Compostela - the rooms are lovely and despite it getting very busy at times - service is efficient. Finding the Parador by car is not easy and actually involves having to drive through a controlled pedestrian only area and then leaving your car outside the Parador on ‘Plaza del Obradoiro’ The hotel will park your car. We found it far easier to park at the San Clemente public car park - it’s cheaper and literally a 5 minute walk away. The Dos Reis restaurant in the Parador is a really lovely setting and service impeccable. We had the tasting menu which was great but quite pricey.

At the end of my second Camino, Frances and my husband’s first we spent our 21 anniversary at the Parador Hotel in Santiago de Compostela. It was such a beautiful hotel, and the artwork was captivating.

Historic building that is now the perfect Hotel in Santiago. Situated on the square with the Cathedral. No better location!

You pay a premium for this hotel’s convenient location and for the history, but not much else. Paradores seems to be milking the building’s history and location in any way they can. We finished the Camino and we were happy to find the hotel right across from the cathedral. The staff was professional but definitely not the most hospitable we encountered on our Camino, and definitely not the level of hospitality I would expect from a “5*+ Grand lux” category hotel. The breakfast was great but the staff working the breakfast room couldn’t be bothered about a single thing. Hotel amenities for a hotel of this category were lacking. We only received a free water bottle on our first night, we stayed 3. It was raining during our stay and we needed an umbrella. The reception told me they did not have complimentary umbrellas, but that I could purchase one from them! Less importantly for us, there is no pool, and no fitness center. We reserved a room for 3 people which according to photos on online travel agencies like Amex show 3 twin beds. Our room had two twin beds pushed together and a pull-out sofa bed. We paid a premium for a room that was less than adequate for 3 adults. I recommend getting a room for 2 adults and requesting a roll away bed for about 90 euro extra a night which will save you some money for the same level of comfort. The room overall was pretty clean, reasonably updated- but the shower was kind of moldy, and we found a nail clipping under the pull out couch. Since we were also in town for a med school graduation we were surprised to find that the room was not equipped with an iron. We also got to experience the hotel’s catering during a private lunch in the basement to celebrate the graduation. The staff working the private room were professional but again, nothing notable about their hospitality. The catering was fine. Overall, this hotel was convenient for us given all the graduation activities were nearby, but it was definitely not worth the premium. Also it used to be a hospital so if you believe in the paranormal maybe this isn’t the place for you.

We visited this beautiful city for the second time because two years ago the Cathedral was not fully restored now it is. We stayed in the Parador and it was fabulous. The location is unbeatable, the room was great and so was the staff. Definitely would stay there again.

I fell in love with the hotel decor , as it was well-restored and gave an ambiance that is so welcoming . I immediately booked another day to stay . But the hotel staffs need to have customer service orientation . 😱 OMG! They don't give a genuine greetings , they are so blank and cold and no eye contact . At the buffet this morning , staffs are not welcoming and accommodating, they don't smile , one even is so rude to just clean up our table even when we are not finished eating yet . I did not expect this in a five star hotel . I hope you can improve on this aspect as I feel that you wont get repeat customers with a lousy service .

It was overwhelming experience when I stayed just one night. I was finished pilgrims and I would celebrate from myself. It was really right I slept very comfortable and dinner and breakfast were very tasty. There is nothing compared place to me.

We were on the whole very pleased with our 2 night stay. A most beautiful building, bursting with history and character. Immaculately maintained. We dined one night in the Enxebre (informal) restaurant which was ok but not outstanding. Room was very comfortable and we had all we needed.

Forty odd years ago my wife and I looked into the door of this Parador in Santiago's pedestrianised main square and joked that we'd stay here ... one day. So 2022 let us achieve the ambition to explore this palace of a building which sits beside the city's Cathedral. As yet another group of pilgrims arrived in the square outside, we were able to drive up to the front door of our hotel and book into a fascinating building. It has history as a convent, a resting place for pilgrims, an orphanage and much more. We breakfasted in the Pilgrims' dining room, and descended to the restaurants for supper. With its four courtyards and chapel, this was a very special place to stay with a professional, if aloof, staff.

Fantastic location wonderful rooms very good food restaurant staff attentive and pleasant, so why did I not give it 5 stars. We paid two visits to "The Cafe" on both visits we found the Male members of staff very aloof and abrupt in their manner. Management need to look at some retraining of the Male staff in that area and remind them they are not doing the customer a favour in serving them. We stayed there from 15th July to 18th July

The location of the hotel and history of the building makes it one of the best you could wish for in Santiago. However, this and the name of the hotel seems to be the only thing maintaining its reputation. We were disappointed in our stay and it did not meet the expectations we had for a 5 star €€€ hotel. Sadly, the staff are aloof, even rude at times. Two emails (ignored) and two calls were needed to get a confirmation for a double bed. Comments that we were celebrating a special milestone event in our lives were fully ignored. On arrival at reception, the initial receptionist was uninterested in serving us and handed us over to her colleague who did not speak our language (though she did). We observed her serving the next customer in a far friendlier manner. We directly felt unwelcome in the hotel. The room showed the charm of the old building but was lacking 5 star amenities. We liked the use of sustainable toiletries, but several basics were omitted. During the night, a trail of ants emerged from the window frame in the bathroom. To be fair to the hotel, we did not bring the point of the ants to their attention during our stay as we already felt unwelcome and did not want to cause a fuss. One negative point that stood out for us was when we asked reception if there was any hair straightener available for guests to use. Not every hotel has this, but we expected a 5 star hotel to at least be able to assist us in locating one if not available at the hotel. Instead, the receptionist just said "no", smirked and moved on to the next customer. The following night, we stayed at a 2 star hotel in Fisterra where customers were invited to ask for hairdryers and hair straighteners at reception if needed. Breakfast in the morning was a good experience, but not excellent. There was a selection of fruits, cold meats, pastries and breads. However, the table service was abrupt and the hot food offerings were limited and mediocre for a hotel of this calibre. Overall, we sadly would not recommend the Parador to friends and family based on our experience this stay.

The building itself is amazing but the service of the staff and quality of the rooms themselves is very poor. Bar and restaurant staff take ages to do anything and can actually be rude and insulting at times, whilst staff at the desk don't want to do their jobs. For example I ask them whether there is a laundry service, they say yes, but when I ask the price they tell me to scan the QR code in my room... it was obviously too much work for them to check it themselves. The rooms are also not up to scratch, mine had multiple scuff marks and the chandelier was almost falling off the ceiling as the wires were loose and could clearly be seen. Additionally the bar plays music until 12/1 so you can hear bass thumping in your room even with earplugs, frankly I think they put me in a bad room (those in another cloister will not have this issue) because I had the pilgrims discount. To add insult to injury they decided to go on strike two days after I left and made continuous noise and a general nuisance of themselves all day insisting that they should be paid a just wage. Frankly, considering how poor their customer service skills are they should be happy they have jobs at all. And all this for a *discounted* price of €280! A total joke I'm afraid, stay elsewhere. Oh, and the food isn't that good either.

Visited in early April - this hotel is absolutely amazing! Location could not have been better, right on the same square as the Cathedral. The building itself with its grand entrance, many halls and courtyards is a sight to be admired. Would definitely recommend exploring the place - love the different common rooms - very well designed. Service was impeccable - love the fact that they took care of parking the car - one can drive right in front if the hotel and then they take care if parking - made it really easy. Breakfast was great, too. Rooms are large and well designed - only downside was the wooden floor making screechy noises when walking on it - but guess that’s inevitable in an old building. Looking forward to coming back.

Did not actually go into the hospital but walked past it on a walking tour. A beautiful city, with many churches , statues and memorials.

This hotel is an old hospital that used to also have an area that was a convent and a orphanage. The renovation is a little older and there were areas that showed wear including a little bit of mold on the molding at the bathroom and shower. Despite the mold, we enjoyed the large bathroom with the tub and marble shower. The service was excellent as you can expect from a nice hotel they helped us with our bags and printed off some documents for us and arranged a taxi. Our room had some noise from the street even with all of the windows closed and the windows replaced quite high so it was hard for the vertically challenged to look out the windows. We enjoyed walking around and reading about the history of the hotel. It’s set up like a museum with multiple courtyards and relics displayed throughout. There are two restaurants and the bar. Breakfast was included. The Wi-Fi was good and it was easy to make a reservation on booking.com. I liked the Parador in Lyon better than this one but this location was amazing as it was right next to the Cathedral and walking right in after a long Camino was amazing. Expensive but a nice treat at the end of the Camino.

Staying in the castle hotel with a history of more than 600 years, the design is exquisite and classical, very charming and comfortable. The service here is very good. When you have questions, will patiently help you.