Parador de Santiago de Compostela Hotel

I stayed at the Parador after finishing my pilgrimage on the Camino de Santiago. It is literally next door to the Cathedral, which makes the issue of 'no backpacks in the church' no problem. The hotel will hold your bag for you, even if you arrive too early to check-in to your room. The room was gorgeous. I had wanted to pamper myself after walking for so many days and, for me, all I wanted was a fantastic room to myself and a giant bathtub. The hotel has restaurants and your meals are included in your room price, so make sure you take advantage of that! The grounds of the hotel are fascinating. The room was quiet. I had an interior room, so there was no view through the window except to the hallway. It was fine for me. I used their laundry service for my gross pilgrim clothes and my clothing smelled so wonderful when they returned them to me. The food wasn't as good as I was hoping for from the standard of restaurant. I guess I wasn't sure what to expect. I'd never have ordered octopus pate' on my own, though. I'm afraid my taste was a little more low-brow than their targeted clientele, but it was definitely something I was splurging on. I would recommend this as a splurge for pilgrims. The price is hefty, I grant you, but honey, you're worth it.