Casa de Santiago

The building has some charm from the outside, and breakfast was decent. The location is very quiet at the top of the old town, with no car traffic and hardly anyone walking past. We booked the “loft,” but it was very damp, with peeling paint and plaster, dark, and badly cleaned. There was hair between the sheets, and stains on the shower enclosure and toilet. The bathroom had no door or curtain separating it from the living space. We weren’t given room keys, so we had to call the host back. We then had to call again because the lock was very hard to work. It took him five minutes to figure it out too. There was no key for the front gate either. We were told to ring the outside bell whenever we needed to get in, but ringing it when we arrived during check-in hours didn’t work because the host was temporarily away. We had to leave suddenly in a hurry after just one night, so we couldn’t raise our complaints in person. When we emailed, the host gave only generic explanations. At checkout, nobody mentioned a refund for the nights we hadn’t stayed, though we’d paid in advance. After we complained, one was suddenly offered without us asking, with the host saying it had to go through Booking. Weeks later, it still hadn’t come through. You can make up your own mind. It was a very disappointing stay. An old building with possible charm isn’t enough to stop a guest feeling cheated. Basic upkeep and cleanliness matter.

Right beside the castle, this guest house is furnished in a historic style. It was spotless, with very friendly staff, lovely views, a garden and a pool. It also works well for bike touring. Highly recommend it!

The warmest part of staying at Casa de Santiago was how Joanna and Artur looked after us. They’re so kind and welcoming, they really make you feel like part of the family. Breakfast was another highlight, with fruit from the garden and the most delicious homemade yogurt I’ve ever had. The house itself is an amazing old family manor, with much of its original furniture and interiors still there. The garden is beautiful too, full of trees, plants and flowers, and the pool is wonderful to relax by. My stay was perfect, even better than I’d expected.

It was quite nice, but the little town is a bit odd and doesn’t have much to recommend it. For what you get, it’s very expensive.