Parador de Cuenca

The Parador is right among the tourist sights, so it’s convenient for sightseeing and going out for food or drinks. The views of the hanging houses and bridge are outstanding. The buffet and dinner options were good, with really good food and service. Our room was spacious, clean, and quite modern. A nice place to unwind for a weekend.

I’m glad Cuenca was my first Parador stay. I knew very little about them beyond understanding they’re a Spanish tradition. As an American, I’d compare one to an inn in a national park. The architecture is gracious and impressive, and there’s room to settle in, spend time in the generous public areas, meet other guests over meals, and wander around spaces that reflect the region’s culture. Our room was huge, with an antechamber and incredible views from every part of it. The wide halls had sofas, chairs, and library tables. We ate most of our meals at the Parador, and they were good. Each day we crossed the suspension bridge into Cuenca, then walked up the steep hill for sightseeing and exercise. This kind of hotel suits someone looking for an immersive stay in a more or less old-world setting. It suited me just fine.

We had a great stay at Parador de Cuenca. The room was lovely, and the place felt peaceful and quiet. Breakfast was very enjoyable with an amazing selection, so I recommend choosing the booking option that includes it. After a lot of walking one evening, we didn’t feel like going out for dinner. We stayed in and had cheese and wine at the beautiful hotel bar, which was perfect. The location is super convenient too: Puente de San Pablo crosses the river Huecar right by the hotel, with the old town and cathedral at the other end. Bus lines 1 and 2 stop at plaza Mayor in front of the cathedral, an easy walk from the hotel.

We stayed from Nov 29 to Dec 1, 2025. The hotel and room were very nice and comfortable, with easy access to the old town, and breakfast was good. My one complaint is that in a tourist town, and at a Parador, I expected at least one English TV channel. There wasn’t one, and they had disabled the option to play shows in their original language, which other hotels offer. My husband doesn’t speak Spanish and was very bored in the room at night. We’ve stayed at other Paradores in Spain, and they always had English channels. Update 12-20-2025: In response to the hotel’s comment that it has Chromecast for connecting personal devices, it’s unfortunate reception didn’t explain that when we arrived. How could I have known? There was no information about it in the room. That was very poor customer service.