Hotel Estado del Duque

Fine.

The restaurant used to be the best part of my stays. The tapas were tasty, generous and inexpensive, even though the hotel rooms have always been old and dirty when I’ve visited for festivals in the nearby town, where there are no hotels. This time, the weekday set lunch on Wednesday cost 12 euros and included a good first course, a second course, dessert and a drink. We took the leftovers home, and the waiters were very good. On Thursday, August 28th, we returned for the same set menus, not realizing the price had changed. It was a holiday in Fernanda Caballero, not Malagón, but they charged us 18 euros, saying it was a holiday. We’d come from the neighboring town to eat. It felt unfair, misleading and opportunistic, and I’ll think twice before eating there again. The two waiters were fine, but when we raised it with another waitress, she just pointed to the menu. Do they make up holidays in Malagón?

The portions were generous and the service was good quality. We had the set lunch, though, and it was very expensive.

We expected a disaster after reading the bad reviews, but it turned out to be a quiet place with a nice terrace for a drink or a meal. The €15 restaurant menu was good value and plentiful. It’s a simple, modest one-star hotel, but the price and quality work well together. Our room was bright and clean, with a lock on the door so nobody could get in from outside, something I’d seen mentioned in other comments. The bathroom had the essentials, including toiletries and plenty of towels. The staff were very pleasant.