The Most Luxurious Hotels to Book in Santiago de Compostela

Occupying a former convent on the outskirts of the historical centre, rooms in this five star Marriott revel showcase original features such as beamed, vaulted ceilings, pale stone walls and floor-to-ceiling windows – book the King-size suites or the View Room for cathedral views. Visit the fitness centre here to make use of the indoor pool and decently-equipped gym. Cold buffet or cooked English breakfasts are served in the Camelio restaurant – where you can also call in for creative versions of Galician classics for lunch or dinner.

Doubles with terraces at this historic hotel feature parquet floors, twin beds embellished with dark red cushions and balconies overlooking Plaza de Galicia, the meeting point of Santiago’s old and new districts. Pillow menus and a selection of international newspapers are also available in all rooms. Start your day of sightseeing with a breakfast of juices, fruits, cereals and cold cuts in the onsite cafe – where you can also relax with a beer or wine and enjoy dinner upon your return.

Hotels in Santiago de Compostela can be educational, as well as comfortable. This luxury base has the only museum in the world dedicated to holy relics from Jerusalem – over 700 of them – dating from the Paleolithic Age to the present. Other benefits spread throughout the cloistered, Harry Potter-esque building include an indoor pool and jacuzzi with views of Monte Pedroso, an elegant a la carte restaurant and a stone-walled cafe and bar. Even the basic double rooms feature generous dimensions, beamed ceilings and views of the Old Town, the cloisters or the gardens.

Art and luxury are the dominating themes at this opulent Eurostars hotel, in which works by modern Spanish masters such as Anton Patino and Felipe Criado enliven corridors and bedrooms. Rooms range from the classically luxurious, with deep-pile carpets, mahogany headboards and antique furniture, to contemporary spaces with black leather sofas and designer lamps. Amenities include a horse-riding complex, sauna, gym, outdoor swimming pool and the celebrated Caney Restaurant – where the Galician-style ribs are a must.

Set in 1,400sqm (1,5070sqft) of parkland on the edge of the city, this five-star complex offers indoor and outdoor pools, a high-tech gym and an extensive range of massages and beauty treatments. Double rooms and suites feature a soothing brown-and-white decor and most have views over the gardens to the cathedral. At the on-site restaurant, Abeiro, top-notch Galician ingredients receive creative treatment in dishes such as scallops with pumpkin pie and steamed hake skewers with green asparagus and broken potatoes.

Often the final resting place for walkers finishing the Camino de Santiago – offered free meals in the staff dining room – this extravagant Parador claims to be the oldest hotel in the world. Built in 1499 next to the cathedral, its regally opulent rooms feature exposed stone walls, stone-vaulted ceilings, antique furniture and four-poster beds. Specialties served in the cavernous dining halls – formerly the stables – include octopus with paprika and Caldeirada dos Reis, a stew made with lobster, scallops and prawns.

Surrounded by 10,000sqm (10,764sqft) fairytale gardens cleaved by the Sar River, A Quinta is ideal for a nature-orientated wellness escape. For the best views of your Arcadian surroundings, book the Grand Suite – which features nine windows overlooking the river and forests. Kick back with a book by the fireside in an antique-filled lounge, rejuvenate with a hydro-circuit in the spa or try traditional Galician fare at fine dining restaurant, Filigrana. Santiago is a 45-minute walk or 10-minute drive away.