juliesW7384AO
Google
We'll always be glad we stayed overnight at Hotel de Tres Coronas, but other travelers may benefit from knowing the quirks of staying here. I don't pretend to understand the why's of it (why the hotel doesn't block off the days of these all-consuming family events), but it seems not uncommon that the hotel is overtaken by large parties of the extended family of the proprietor's. Even before we visited I had read reviews on TripAdvisor mentioning that the hotel was full with some family celebration, and that they as paying guests could not eat in the hotel's dining room and were sometimes rather ignored. || Well, this also happened to us during our overnight in October 2015...although we sort of didn't mind! We were not really unhappy about it, because the hotel is beautiful, on the small square and just across from the monastery, which was our main reason to visit. We were given a very nice room upstairs with one of the few double beds. When we arrived the young woman at the front desk told us she had no room for us to have almeurzo, but to return after 3:30. But when we returned she had no place for us. A large baptismal party was in full sway in the dining room. The woman offered us a sofa and low table in the lobby, to have a glass of wine. She eventually came out and asked if we'd just like to dine there? Sure, we said. She brought us the specialty, roast baby lamb, which was easily the best roast lamb! I knew the food would be good based on Penelope Casas's mentions of it in her excellent books on Spain and Spanish cooking.|| So, we ate delicious ham soup and then perfect roast lamb at a cocktail table at about our knee level, watching the young children of this family entertaining themselves politely and charmingly nearby, and other older family members come and go from the dining rooms. One young mother of the baptismal group very kindly approached us, to say that the hotel isn't usually this chaotic. We said we didn't mind. (Of course, we were being extremely polite, because we do think family sacramental celebrations are important, far moreso than our little meal.... but we did pay full fare to dine in a busy lobby, front door opening to cold wind at our right elbow.) || So, while we truly didn't mind being kept on the periphery of the hotel's facilities, we think others might ask about this when booking a room. In the evening, after attending Vespers and before attending Compline at the monastery, we did manage to find a spot at the bar for some nice ham and cheese with wine. Morning breakfast was tasteful and peaceful, very good breads and cafe con leche. Also, the staff is very courteous. In the morning one woman kindly insisted on carrying my suitcase down the stairs for me. And, the children in the celebrating family truly were polite and amusing. Several of the little girls jumped up to assist me when I asked them how to use the WiFi. And in the morning, the proprietor was helpful in providing a map for our drive to Leon.