Hotel Asturias

It was okay.

The room was basic, though the bed itself wasn't uncomfortable. The TV was tiny and set a long way from it. The building also seems to allow smoking in some rooms, and a strong cigarette smell lingered throughout the interior. It's a family house converted into a hotel, yet breakfast isn't offered. It left me wondering why it is called a hotel, and whether guests are being misled. My biggest problem was the bike storage. I'm returning from my pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela after more than thirty nights staying around Spain, traveling with an electric bike, a trailer with a large bag, and two panniers. I only bring the large trailer bag into my room at night, so I always state in my booking that I absolutely need a secure, enclosed place for the bike, trailer, and panniers. A hotelier had refused before, but this place specifically assured me that storing bicycles would be no problem, so I arrived confident. The space they showed me couldn't even fit an electric bike, never mind my full setup. For the first time on the trip, my bike had to stay outside. When I asked to leave at least the trailer and panniers in the space they'd promised, management refused, saying it was private. I had to untie everything and carry all my belongings upstairs to the first floor. That lack of flexibility toward cycle tourists was unacceptable. The room faced straight onto a busy road, and the soundproofing was awful. Noise also came through from inside the building: I could hear constant footsteps, a neighbor's television, and people talking in the hall. After a long day of cycling, getting any rest was impossible, so I ended up wearing earplugs as I would in an Albergue. The bathroom had an old clawfoot tub that felt outdated and was awkward and dangerous to shower in, with a very slippery floor and no non-slip surface. The electrical wiring seemed just as old, and none of the outlets had grounding. At reception, the woman saw my ID and knew I was French, but kept using Google Translate from Spanish to English. She made no effort to accommodate someone who doesn't speak Spanish. This was one of the first times in Spain I'd met someone unable to pronounce or understand even two words of English.

At around 8 am, or a little later, noise from the other rooms started up, even though guests don't have to leave until 12. Why couldn't we rest until then? The room itself faced a road with heavy traffic at all hours. Its two old wooden windows didn't close properly or block sound, and air came through as well. With cars seeming to roar straight through the room, resting day or night was impossible. The place is very expensive for this quality and needs a small renovation and more consideration for guests.

Even with the town celebrating its festival, the area just outside town was peaceful, and the center was still an easy walk away. The owner is a kind, attentive woman. It's a charming old house, kept clean and well maintained.