One of my favorite places to stay while walking the El Camino! The staff is so sweet and caring…read moretoward their guests and even gave us a ride to dinner in town since we have been on foot for miles. They strive to create a community like atmosphere while keeping their rooms clean and up to date :)

Unplanned stay at this hotel on 10 Jan 2018. Have been visiting my elderly Mom in a nearby town,…read moreabout 30 mins away by car. She is hospitalized here due to the "gripe" (flu) epidemic. Anyway, had stayed at the San Martin, summer 1968, with my parents, as a teenager. At the time, this was the newest and grandest hotel in this mid-size city. Decided to stay here to be close to hospital, reasonable rate 63 Euros including breakfast. Disappointed. The hotel is undergoing renovations since last April, expected to be completed March of this year. Cab driver told me that the main entrance is closed. Got there about 1015PM on a rainy night. Very dangerous entrance to rear lobby, which looked very somber at night. Construction cones, tape, equipment scattered about in your path outside. I actually went over to a terrace cafe next door, to ask if I should be trying that entrance. Rooms are quite a bit smaller than what I had experienced 50 years ago. Did not ask, but I think my room 709 was one of the newly renovated rooms. Totally exposed bathroom area. Just partial glass walls. No door. Minimal amenities. Just shampoo, bath gel and a tiny bit of bar soap. No tissues, hair dryer, lotion, shower cap, bathrobe. No place to hang the bath towel. Bedroom area was good. Comfortable queen-size type bed. Great recessed lighting. No closet or drawers, just shelving with a rack to hang a few items. Restaurant closed for renovation, so an abundant (for Europe) buffet breakfast delivered to room, at exactly the time requested, by a grumpy man. Rear entrance check-in/out staff were very polite and professional, especially Antonio. Did not explore the hotel. Left at 900AM the next morning. No rewards plan affiliation.

This is a beautiful small old house that was completely redone and fitted out for 4 persons. I was…read morethe first visitor this year - and an unexpected one at that - but still got a warm welcome. The garden surrounding the house of the hosts is wonderful and very well maintained. I did suffer from the cold the first night, but that was OK after. I didn't come by car (automatic car rental is more expensive than taking a taxi) which had its challenges: I had to go down 500 m on a steep hill to be told on the first day that the bread hadn't arrived yet. I did take the taxi to get in and out of Paredes de Coura, although one could also walk it: about 2.5 km.

This is not the ideal place if you are on a hiking tour as it is about 5 kms out of the way to…read moreSantiago. On the other hand, there are compensations. It is an old manor house on a hill that overlooks a bucolic landscape. The room we had was rather old-fashioned, but some would call it romantic. The bathroom was definitely 'romantic': the owner (who speaks only Portuguese) needed 1/2 hour to get it going. There is no dinner facility either at the manor nor in the hamlet. So much for all the negatives! The owner proved himself the perfect host: he drove us to Paredes de Coura, pointed out possible places to eat, came to fetch us, invited us for a drink in the re-furbished stables (he could open a small museum with all the old things he has all over the place), and brought us after breakfast to the place where we could continue to Santiago. There is a swimming pool (and lots of outhouses) outside, but unfortunately, it rained when we got there to