Pousada de Portomarin

The location and rooms were disappointing too: it’s overpriced, far from the Camino on the edge of Portomarin, and the rooms are old. I’ve slept in 10 euro albergues that were much cleaner and more comfortable. But the main issue was hygiene. I woke during the night to find bed bugs. Staff offered less than half my payment back and suggested a room beside the one I’d been in, which was no help with bed bugs. Booking.com’s customer complaint team has been ignored. Booking.com is now giving me a partial refund itself, out of goodwill. Don’t let Pousada Portomarin tell you the problem was “resolved” on site. Don’t risk staying here.

The beds felt a little hard, but the rooms were clean and a generous size. We had a very pleasant night here on the Camino, with excellent food. The Portomarin Cake was especially good: almond cake, gluten free, with local port and a little orange zest. The service really stood out. Rony and Fabi were charming, funny wait staff who had us in stitches and couldn’t have been more helpful. Best service we’ve had in Spain so far.

We had a noisy spot in room 122, on the first floor beside the elevator and just above the shared terrace. We could hear suitcases moving in the elevator and people talking outside. Next time I’d ask for another room. Aside from that, everything was good. The hotel is older but in good shape, our room and the pool were clean, and the restaurant staff were very nice. We enjoyed the food too.

The room had no air conditioning, which was the one downside. I’d recommend this hotel for cooler weather. The food and staff were great, and the hotel itself is top class.