Hotel & Spa Balfagón

The rooms are really nice, and breakfast was alright. Just be aware that access to the spa facilities and hotel pool costs extra. The pool alone is 12€ per person per day, which I think is outrageous.

We went for lunch at the restaurant inside the hotel spa, expecting a lot, but left disappointed. We picked the Menu del dia from three meal options. The service was good, and the pork was tasty; the desserts were nice and the red wine included with the meal was okay. But the fish arrived lukewarm, and its brown sauce was much too salty and didn't taste good. For that food quality, lunch felt expensive.

The breakfast chef's sarcastic reply and apparent annoyance were what kept this from getting a fifth star. Maybe neither of us had had enough caffeine yet, but that sort of interaction is unusual for me, and it stuck with me for days after we left. My wife, our 9-year-old daughter, and I booked the Family suite, one of the nicest rooms we've stayed in. It had an entrance area, two rooms with double beds, and a bathroom, with quality custom-fitted dark wood beams throughout. Even the bathroom was an experience. Dinner and breakfast were top notch, the place was clean, service was generally good, and there was plenty of free parking. The hotel looks almost like a royal castle, perched on a hill in a setting that feels UNESCO-like. The town has around 700 people, last I checked Wikipedia. If you're coming via the A-7, it's at least an hour off route, though the drive itself is worth the detour.

The food was fine, and the pool was a highlight for me, though it costs €9 to use. The A/C also felt a bit weak. The staff weren't especially warm, and the whole place felt rather business-like. Hotel Balfagon seems oddly large next to Cantavieja, which is worth visiting, especially for its huge church. The style is eclectic. A mixed experience, but acceptable if you're passing through.