Hotel Capital De Galicia

We left after the first night of a three-night booking, and no refund was offered because nobody was at the front desk. My wife had been bitten by bed bugs. The rooms looked dated, with carpets from the 1970s that didn't look clean at all. There is no elevator, so my elderly parents had to carry their bags up the floors. Finishing El Camino, we were booked into this substandard place by Santiago Ways. Check-in was very complicated: no one was there in person, and the whole online process took about 15 minutes outside in the rain. We had to photograph each passport to get codes for the main entrance and our room.

The rooms were clean and reasonably appointed, and breakfast was more than enough to get the day started. What really made this family-run hotel a five-star experience was the personal attention: the staff were happy and available whenever guests needed them. Laundry was a bonus and came back very quickly. Their English was excellent, and they were a huge help when I unexpectedly needed to find a physiotherapist. I wouldn't have finished my Camino without their help.

We spent two nights with our car on the street because there was no car park, despite parking being included in the booking. Breakfast was supposed to be included too, but it was served at a bar/hotel 400 metres away. It was raining, so we couldn't have breakfast. Other guests we met outside the building were just as disgusted. We had booked 20 days ahead and the credit card was charged right away. When we arrived, the hotel was closed. A notice on the wall told us to call 620 80 10 57, but several attempts got no answer. Once I finally got through, the person said they'd email us codes. It took hours before we could get into the flat, which did look clean. There was no reception or service and nobody to ask for help. We felt like dirt. It was awful. DECEPTION, DECEIT. DECEIVING. The worst experience of our lives. They cheated us and they will cheat you. We don't recommend this place.

Breakfast was fantastic, and the beds were really comfortable. Our rooms were extremely clean and quiet too. The staff went out of their way to help with every little thing during the couple of days we stayed. It's close to the city centre and cathedral, and we could see the enormous shopping centre Cancelas from our bedroom window. We'll definitely come back on our next visit to Santiago. See you soon!