| An exceptional variety of visitor | | | | beds. |
| accommodation can be found in northern Spain | | | | |
| and Galicia Accommodation can be found that | | | | There are in excess of 1,500 hotels with a |
| will fit all forms of budgets and even the | | | | total of 92,000 beds registered in the |
| most particular tourists will find something | | | | territory of "Green Spain" -- the Atlantic |
| to suit their particular needs. | | | | regions of Galicia, Asturias, Cantabria and |
| | | | the Basque country. |
| If you want something slightly different then | | | | |
| most people would head for one of the various | | | | The largest hotel chains in the area are |
| exclusive hotels throughout the region or one | | | | called Grupo Sol-Melia and NH. The quality of |
| of the "Paradors" that can be found in | | | | these hotels is extremely good. Latterly |
| various key places throughout the area. | | | | there have been a growing number of smaller |
| Throughout the region there are various | | | | privately run hotels that offer memorable |
| mountain refuges with stunning views as well | | | | relaxing accommodation available. |
| as campsites in the coastal areas. | | | | |
| | | | In Spain they have dotted throughout the |
| As expected the hotels in Galicia and | | | | country a series of state run hotels that are |
| Northern Spain are extremely spacious very | | | | known as Paradors. These have classifications |
| clean and comfortable. The categorisation | | | | of anything between three to five stars in |
| for the hotels is awarded on a star system | | | | accommodation standard. There is now quite a |
| and these are allocated by the regional | | | | wide network of Paradors throughout the |
| tourist authorities. If you need actual | | | | country, the first one opened in 1928. The |
| visible proof of the standard of your hotel | | | | theory behind them was that they should never |
| you can find confirmation indicated by a | | | | be more than a day's drive from one to |
| small blue plaque near the hotel front door. | | | | another. In Santiago de Compostela you can |
| | | | find possibly the best known Parador in the |
| Hotels usually have en-suite bathrooms or at | | | | area and this is the Parador de los Reyes |
| least a shower in the room. You may well be | | | | Catolicos. Various monasteries, castles and |
| surprised but it is unlikely that these sorts | | | | other monuments have been used for Paradors |
| of facilities would be found in the smaller | | | | elsewhere. Some Parador's have been purpose |
| hostels and "Pensiones". | | | | built often in spectacular scenery or in |
| | | | towns of historic interest. |
| Don't equate the number of stars on the | | | | |
| outside door of the hotel to necessarily | | | | The local Parador might not be best hotel in |
| match the standards of the accommodation that | | | | town but it will usually deliver a |
| is on offer and this is because in Spain the | | | | predictably consistent standard of comfort. |
| stars are allocated on the facilities on | | | | The bedrooms are usually spacious and |
| offer not necessarily the quality of the | | | | comfortable, and all furnished to a standard |
| service. As is usual in most quality hotels | | | | that varies little from Parador to Parador. |
| the standard facilities on offer include air | | | | Quite often you will find that they offer |
| conditioning, televisions in each room, | | | | outstanding samples of regional cuisine. It |
| facilities for the disabled, Internet access | | | | is usually wise to plan ahead and book your |
| and on-site parking. | | | | accommodation if you wish to use the network |
| | | | of Paradors. Bookings can be made either |
| The cost of accommodation as in most cases | | | | using the Central de Reservas which is a |
| varies from season to season therefore it is | | | | centrally based service based in Madrid or |
| wise to plan in advance. A popular option | | | | you can contact each Parador direct. Rates |
| available in all of the autonomous regions of | | | | can be expensive it is worth looking for |
| northern Spain are hostels (hostales) and | | | | special deals especially in the high season |
| guest houses (pensiones) which are cheaper | | | | but to be brutally honest this has to be the |
| than hotels. These are usually small | | | | same anywhere you go. |
| family-run establishments offering just a few | | | | |