Parador de Santillana Gil Blas

My wife/I stayed here for 2 nights on a touring vacation in northern Spain. The hotel is a typical parador - a magnificent old building, well refurbished and well maintained. Everything worked as it should.||The location is perfect - directly on the main square. The staff were discrete, but always friendly and helpful.||Parking was easy, at €10,50 per night in the hotel car park.||The breakfast was a typical hotel breakfast with a northen spanish twist, which means a good selection of nice foods.||My only very minor disappointment was the bar. The drinks/bar food was fine. But the bar lacked ambience - upright seats at tables (dining room style) with over bright lighting. We did not feel like lingering here.||But this is a minor quibble, the overall experience was very good.||

First off, this Parador is top notch. Truly excellent in every way. Nevertheless the streets of Santillana Del Mar are so thick and treacherously paved with cobblestones that it is quite difficult to walk around the town. The parking lot is also a treacherous drive down a narrow passageway. I only mention this because while the parador is truly stunning and I highly recommend visiting, it’s not that fun to limp around town, especially if you have the slightest imbalance issues.

A parador full of charm, both rustic and authentic, set in a superb manor house right in the centre of the old town. The rooms are spacious and comfortable, well-equipped and full of old-world charm. The breakfast is rather copious, even if the coffee is undrinkable (although I'm not fussy...). In any case, the location is unbeatable, given that the historic centre is car-free, and the staff are very welcoming. A very nice stopover.

came for a club sandwich for a snack at the bar they have next to the restaurant, the food was good and we didnt wait too long. the lady with short dark hair was specially kind to us and we appreciated her help and always checking on us/our table.

Stayed for just 1 night at Gil Blas which was great! Excellent service and good food in a wonderful environment. Definitely worth a short stay…..

Very well located classic style Parador smack dab in the center of Santillana. We found the room to be acceptable, although the air conditioning could not keep up with the heat outside. Having stayed in close to 20 Paradores over the years, I would say that this was probably one of less exciting ones. However, they always do maintain a minimum standard, which is important in Spain. Would recommend with some hesitation, depending on room rate.

Wonderful hotel, very old and quirky in a beautiful location surrounded by historical buildings and a few quaint shops. Staff were lovely and very helpful too. Private car park nearby too

The hotel is located in the citadel and is within walking distance of the main attractions in Santillana del Mar. The rooms are clean, however, they are small and they do not have the same amenities as other Paradors have.

Great spot that served earlier than 8:30p (much of the town stays closed until then)... had a bunch of great appetizers and a super nice / responsive server.

Another wonderful, but quite interesting visit by our Tauck Tour. The town, which dates back to the 8th century, is acknowledged as national monument. This historic town center of Santillana del Mar is only open to pedestrians. Our coach bus dropped us just outside of the entrance to the town where we began our short tour. The town has maintained its original character for hundreds of years. Some of the most interesting buildings were the Casa del Águila or the House of the Eagle and the Casa de la Plaza or the House of the Square. Since the weather was not in our favor, we were unable to truly discover many other qualities of the historic town. However we did enjoy a fabulous lunch in their Hotel dining area with once again lots of wine.

A wonderful place to stay in Santillana Del Mar. Very comfortable rooms, with lovely views, a very friendly staff, and walking distance to many excellent restaurants as well as the Alta Mira cave painting site. You will not be disappointed.

Santillana del Mar is delightful and architecturally fascinating stone village that is well worth at least a 1 night stay. It was a great choice for Gayle and me as we enjoyed strolling around (day or night) and taking in the charming "time warp" qualities of this place. We also had a great time taking our rental car out and exploring coastal towns (like Comilla and San Vicente de la Barquera), visiting the Altamira Caves, or hiking around Los Picos de Europa. The joke is that Santillana del Mar is a Town of 3 Lies, as it's neither Holy or Flat, not is it on the Sea. This Village also has a very nice Parador, which is also a National Monument. The Parador Hotel Santillana Gil Blas, is a modernized Palacio located on a beautifully bare Plaza Mayor (except for the roaming tourists). It is named after a fictional character from Santillana by the French novelist Lesage in the 18th Century. Our Bedroom and the common areas feature heavy wood beams and marvelous antique furniture. The Dining Room, Bar Area, and outdoor Patio areas were also very nice, and the whole complex exudes a storybook vibe. A really good breakfast is also included. There were a few things that held Gayle and I back from full 5 Star praise: - It was October and the Parador was a little quiet and chilly. Hence, it really wasn't Patio season. Then there was the Lounge off the main hall that threw off a moldy smell, probably from lack of ventilation and disuse. - Gayle and I enjoyed our room and the bed was very comfortable. However, our door didn't quite align, the manual key lock system (both sides) was confusing, and the outer wall was pulling slightly away from its molding. In other words, keeping historical buildings up can be a challenge. - Service was prompt and efficient, albeit a bit too stuffy proper. If you have the chance, come here. And if you can't stay overnight, at least stop by for Dinner. Our room reservation also gave us a place to park across the Square at the nearby Parador Santillana.

Seafood stew. Good kids menu. Seafood salad outstanding. Quality food. Outside patio extra 15%. Stayed next door.