Parador de La Palma

Very comfortable, good location and nice views from our room. Great breakfast and good service from the satff.

Excellent hotel with great character. Stayed for a week and overall it was a very good experience. My room was superb with a lovely balcony overlooking the beautiful gardens and down to the sea. Everything you needed was in the room, kettle, fridge and an adequate bathroom, although it would be nice to have a proper shower rather than a hose over the bath. The restaurant had excellent food. Nice well equipped little gym, comfortable public areas and was clearly well managed as all the staff were very well trained and super helpful. The whole place was very clean and well maintained, room servicing was very thorough with great attention to detail. The hotel has a very nice atmosphere and after a week felt like home. The only very small area of future improvement would be the inside bar area. It is furnished with cheap looking tables and 1980’s style hard uncomfortably plywood chairs. However the out side bar areas are very comfortably furnished, unfortunately when I was there, February, it was a bit too cold to use them. Overall I will be back.

We are fond of Paradores. But we do find sometimes quite a difference in quality, from super quality to even below 3 star level, and the charging a 4 star price. Perhaps next time the La Palma Parador is living up to 4 star level? It deserves it, with a splendid location, and quality improved, we may consider to return…

We visit Paradores regularly, and La Palma was probably the best Parador experience we ever had. The building is conveniently located, with amazing views of the island and sea. The premises are worth exploring, with a gorgeous garden that extends down the hill. But what made our stay truly special was the team working at the Parador. Everybody was extremely friendly and accommodating, and by the time we left we truly felt at home. We look forward to visiting La Palma again, and we will certainly stay at this Parador.

The restaurant dinner was excellent and the restaurant staff efficient and charming. However, an unpleasant smell of drains in our room (110) got worse through the night, very strong by the morning. Also the kettle socket did not work and the room did not have a good view, despite having requested a view. We had just arrived in La Palma and were staying for one night only so did not request a change of room. When I mentioned this problem to the receptionist at checkout, she made no apology and immediately became defensive, repeatedly saying that we should have contacted reception. Certainly no offer of a reduction in the bill was made. My husband told me that the couple in the next room had complained of a similar problem. I also recalled that the (different) receptionist on arrival had behaved a little oddly, as though uncomfortable. I therefore believe that the hotel management were aware of the problem and yet allocated these rooms anyway. Unacceptable, particularly for a ‘superior’ room at 200€ a night.

It’s been a while since I stayed in a Parador. It’s nice to know that the experience hasn’t changed much and the traditional standards and ambience have been maintained. Although not an old building, the Parador de La Palma has the essential elements of the Parador style. It offers a relaxed stay in pleasant surroundings. Set on a hillside, the Parador has lovely views across the sea with Santa Cruz in the distance. My sea view room was comfortable although the sea itself wasn’t always visible due to mists in the early morning. The Parador’s gardens are extensive and very nice for a walk. The staff were welcoming and friendly. I stayed on a half board basis. The food was relatively expensive compared to offerings elsewhere but the standard was good. Both meat and fish courses were of a high quality. One of the quirks of Paradors in my experience is that, in whatever location, they’re geared initially to the requirements Spanish travellers. Things have moved on a bit though since my last experience - the Parador de La Palma has menus in English and most of the staff speak a little of the language. Halting attempts at Spanish from the British guests are nevertheless appreciated! However, this only goes so far - although the Parador has invested in TVs in the rooms with 40+ channels, not one of them carries an English language news channel, which is a little surprising. The facilities are also somewhat behind what you would expect in an ordinary hotel of equivalent standard - for instance, the gym is in a small room in the basement and has only a few pieces of equipment. The rowing machine was broken. These small points rate the experience as four rather than five stars, but I really enjoyed it and plan to return.