Santiago de Compostela, Spain
The 5 best boutique and luxury hotels in Santiago de Compostela, Spain
Santiago de Compostela’s most luxurious boutique hotels
Santiago de Compostela might be best known as the final stop on the Camino, but it’s not just pilgrims who find something sacred here. Located in Spain’s misty northwest, in the heart of Galicia, you’ll find baroque spires rising over cobbled lanes, the scent of octopus and woodsmoke drifting through granite alleyways and a rhythm of daily life slowing down to something far more thoughtful. It’s a place that feels ancient, yes – but not stuck in time. And when it comes to where to stay, Santiago has quietly built up a small collection of boutique and luxury hotels that are just as characterful as the city itself. We’re talking reimagined monasteries, design-led guesthouses and hideaways where Galician heritage gets a subtle, stylish refresh. These are the hotels that left the biggest impression on us – and each one is worth the trip, even if you’re not walking the Way.
Top photography courtesy of Hotel Palacio del Carmen
01
A Quinta Da Auga
A Quinta Da Auga occupies a restored 18th-century paper mill by the Sar River, where Don Nicolás de Santamarina’s Laraño mill once churned out paper in 1792. As you wander the original stone façades and restored canals spread across ten thousand square metres, it’s clear every intervention was made with restraint and respect for the building’s past and for the landscape. Inside, each of the 30 rooms feels bespoke – antiques and local art mingle with contemporary furnishings, creating a quietly elegant European look that nods to Galicia’s heritage. At the heart of the property is the Filigrana Relais & Châteaux restaurant, where high-Galician cuisine can be savoured with tasting menus spotlighting local produce. Other key features you can look forward to when staying at A Quinta Da Auga are an outdoor pool, fitness centre and on-site spa offering a hydrotherapy circuit, bespoke treatments and a flotarium that invites you to unwind against the soothing sound of the river.
A Quinta Da Auga
Paseo da Amaia 23B
Santiago de Compostela
A Coruña
Spain
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Photography courtesy of A Quinta Da Auga
02
Casa Beatnik Hotel
Set just 20 minutes outside Santiago, Casa Beatnik Hotel is housed in an 18th-century stone manor that was once the familial Pazo dos Galegos. Today, Bonhomme Group has channelled the beatnik generation’s sense of style, aspiration and rebellion to create a boutique escape covering seven acres of vineyards and gardens. Casa Beatnik Hotel features 13 suites and seven luxury yurts, each expressing a different design narrative – from detailed handmade suzanis from Tashkent, draped over minimalist beds, to armchairs by Gio Ponti that beg you to stay another hour. You can enjoy two in-house restaurants – Bambola, an Italian Silk Road-inspired kitchen and Tribu, a modern take on Galician gastronomy. Beyond dining, amenities include a heated saltwater pool, Iglusaunas from Estonia, tennis and pickleball courts, private winery tours and a wellness studio offering yoga and massages.
Casa Beatnik Hotel
Lugar de Galegos 6
Vedra
A Coruña
Spain
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Photography courtesy of Casa Beatnik Hotel
03
Parador de Santiago de Compostela
Occupying the Plaza do Obradoiro beside the Cathedral, the Parador de Santiago de Compostela began life as Hostal dos Reis Católicos – a royal hospital commissioned in 1499 by the Catholic Monarchs to shelter pilgrims at journey’s end. Overseen by Renaissance architect Enrique Egas, construction from 1501 to 1511 yielded a Plateresque façade, four grand cloisters and stone-vaulted halls that blend Gothic and Renaissance elements. After serving pilgrims and the sick for four centuries, the site was converted into a hotel in 1954 and joined the paradores network in 1986. Today’s five-star establishment offers 137 rooms that honour the building’s heritage through handcrafted wooden furniture, vaulted ceilings and tapestries alongside modern amenities. The legendary Restaurante Dos Reis, set in former stables, features vaulted stone ceilings and a menu that offers Galician cuisine with refined technique.
Parador de Santiago de Compostela
Praza do Obradoiro 1
Santiago de Compostela
A Coruña
Spain
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Photography courtesy of Parador de Santiago de Compostela
04
Hotel Palacio del Carmen
Just a five-minute stroll from the Cathedral, the 18th-century former Oblatas convent, once a tannery converted to a convent in the 19th century, now houses Hotel Palacio del Carmen. The hotel’s restrained modern interiors – crisp white walls and contemporary furniture – are layered over original stone arches and cloistered gardens, where camellia trees bloom and a colony of 15 garden cats roams freely. Rooms at Palacio del Carmen are wrapped in exposed stone arches and original pine floors that whisper of its convent past. No two layouts are exactly alike – some overlook the secret gardens, others frame slivers of the cathedral spires from their balconies. Hand-finished wood desks and tapestries lend an artisanal warmth, making it easy to imagine monks once pacing these. You can also enjoy a Mediterranean feast at the on-site El Camelio Restaurant or sip on a cocktail at sunset at the Suite Bar.
Hotel Palacio del Carmen
Rúa das Oblatas
Santiago de Compostela
A Coruña
Spain
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Photography courtesy of Hotel Palacio del Carmen
05
Hotel Pazo de Altamira
Built atop the mediaeval Pazo de Altamira – once the Count of Altamira’s palace – Hotel Pazo de Altamira occupies a symbolic site once bordered by palace gardens and today fronts the bustling Plaza de Abastos. Restored with a functional and contemporary design, original pinewood floors and a hidden basement well remain visible, grounding the hotel’s aesthetic in centuries of local life. The rooms at Hotel Pazo de Altamira each come with a balcony framing views over Rua Ameás and Mt Gaias. Inside, you’ll find deep bathtubs, smart lighting and memory-foam mattresses designed for late mornings. We’re drawn to Pazo de Altamira’s clever dialogue between past and present, where intimate scale and thoughtful service bring the essence of Compostela’s historic core directly to your room.
Hotel Pazo de Altamira
Mercado de Abastos
R. de Altamira 18
Santiago de Compostela
A Coruña
Spain
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Photography courtesy of Hotel Pazo de Altamira
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