An exceptional variety of visitor accommodation can be found in northern Spain and Galicia Accommodation can be found that will fit all forms of budgets and even the most particular tourists will find something to suit their particular needs.
Those searching for luxury will just head straight for the exclusive hotels and "Paradors" whilst even the family run "casas rurales" are excellent places to stay and escape the hustle and bustle of the city. The region is dotted with mountain refuges with stunning views not to mention that in the coastal areas you can find quite a few campsites.
As expected the hotels in Galicia and Northern Spain are extremely spacious very clean and comfortable. The hotels are awarded between one and five stars and these are allocated by the local tourist Authority. If you need actual visible proof of the standard of your hotel you can find confirmation indicated by a small blue plaque near the hotel front door.
You can usually find en-suite bathrooms or at least a shower in each Hotel bedroom. You may well be surprised but it is unlikely that these sorts of facilities would be found in the smaller hostels and "Pensiones".
Don't assume that just because you might be forced to stay in a one or two star hotel that the quality of the service is inferior to a five star hotel because in some cases it might actually be better because the stars are allocated for the facilities the hotel can offer not the quality of the service. As you would expect the range of facilities on offer in the more exclusive hotels would run to air conditioning, on site parking, televisions in each room, facilities for the disabled and in some cases internet-access.
Two or three star hotels are the most popular in this region and their rates vary on the season or time of year that you stay there. It has been found that in this area quite often the hostels (hostales) and guest houses are actually more popular; the fact that they are cheaper may have something to do with this. Quite often these small establishments are family run and may be limited to just the few beds so yet again it is wise to plan ahead.
This area of Northern Spain otherwise known as Green Spain claims to have a total of 92,000 beds registered over 1,500 Hotels, Hostels and "Pensiones".
The biggest hotel chains in northern Spain are the Grupo Sol-Melia and NH with hotels in the main towns. Their facilities are of a high standard and include internet-access amongst other features. There are a growing number of small privately run hotels that have quite distinctive character and charm and can also provide a quite relaxing and memorable stay.
In Spain they have dotted throughout the country a series of state run hotels that are known as Paradors. Paradors are between three to five stars in accommodation standard. Spain's first Parador opened in 1928 and now there is a wide network of them throughout the country. The idea behind the hotels when they were setup was that there should never be more than one day's drive from one Parador to another. The best known Parador in the area is the Parador de los Reyes Catolicos in Santiago de Compostela and this is in a former royal hunting lodge. Other Paradors can be found in Castles, Monasteries and various other monuments'. More recently a growing number of Paradors have been purpose built and these are usually located either in areas of spectacular scenery or towns of historic interest.
You can rely upon the Parador to deliver a consistently high level of comfort but it might not necessarily be the best hotel in town. The standard of each Parador is extremely consistent with comfortable and spacious bedrooms all furnished to the same high standard. Quite often you will find that they offer outstanding samples of regional cuisine. It might be wise to book in advance if you are planning to visit the area either during the high season or if you wish to stay in one of the smaller Paradors. Bookings can be made either using the Central de Reservas which is a centrally based service based in Madrid or you can contact each Parador direct. Rates can be expensive it is worth looking for special deals especially in the high season but to be brutally honest this has to be the same anywhere you go.
