Where to stay in Castile and León, from Camino hostels to country houses

Where to stay in Castile and León by area

Castile and León is so big that the sensible thing is to choose one area and move around it as little as possible. Here are the twelve places grouped by how close they are, so you can decide on the area first and then the place.

El Bierzo and the Camino de Santiago

This is the greenest and most mountainous part of the region, with the Camino running through its valleys. Most of the places for pilgrims and walkers are here.

• Albergue El Castillo, in Villafranca del Bierzo. A small hostel right on the Camino, with a garden with views and a communal dinner. It suits pilgrims who want a friendly welcome, not those who arrive late.
• Albergue Casa del Pescador, in Vega de Valcarce. It is in Ambasmestas, in a valley with a garden, a pool and a small lake, and it cooks with produce from its vegetable garden. Watch out for the shared bathroom and some complaints about the service.
• Hotel Rural Camino Médulas, in Ponferrada. A family-run feel, with a large garden, a bar-restaurant and free parking, set up for visiting El Bierzo and Las Médulas. The reviews warn of ups and downs in cleanliness and maintenance.
• Vivienda Turística Los Sitios, in Astorga. A flat in the centre, a few steps from Gaudí's Episcopal Palace and the cathedral, with a terrace. It has few reviews, so read the ones about cleanliness carefully.

Burgos, Palencia and the Ribera del Duero

This is wine country, with open fields and roads that carry a lot of traffic. The places here work mainly as a base for a food-focused break or as a stop on a longer drive.

• Hotel Los Rastrojos, in Aranda de Duero. A rural hotel with a rustic feel on the edge of town, right in the Ribera del Duero. Quiet, roomy rooms and good food. Check before booking that it is still open.
• Hotel Mirador del Arlanzón, in Los Balbases. Next to the Autovía de Castilla, with a bar and restaurant. Aimed at travellers on the road and lorry drivers.
• Hostal Restaurante Catalina de Austria, in Torquemada. Simple rooms and a restaurant serving homestyle Castilian cooking, very well reviewed. I would see it as a stop on the road or a base for work, without frills.

Soria and Segovia

The quieter, emptier side of Castile. It works with small country houses, for switching off properly.

• Casa Rural "la chascona", in Pedrajas. An equipped kitchen and free parking in a small village near the provincial capital of Soria. Guests mention its rustic feel and the host.
• Casa Rural La Casa del Cartero Pablo, in Saldaña de Ayllón. A two-bedroom house with a garden and a terrace, near the Tejera Negra beech forest. If you are travelling as a large group, I would ask about hot water before you book.

Salamanca and Ávila

A monumental city on one side and the Gredos sierra on the other, with places designed for groups and families.

• Casa Rural El Carmen, in Ciudad Rodrigo. A large house with a fitted kitchen, a garden with a barbecue, a pool and private parking. Good for group getaways, though not for total privacy.
• Casa Rural Atardecer en Gredos 1 y 2, in San Bartolomé de Tormes. Two separate houses with views of the sierra, a pool, a hot tub and a barbecue. They suit couples and dogs, with strict house rules.
• Los Riveros Restaurante, in El Raso. Mainly a much-loved restaurant and picnic spot beside a gorge with rock pools, with simple accommodation and parking. For families and groups who want to eat well and go swimming in summer.

What kind of accommodation you will find in Castile and León

Country houses, Camino hostels and roadside or village hotels are the most common. There is little luxury and a lot of simplicity, and that is part of what is good about the region.

Country houses are almost always rented as a whole, which makes them worth it for groups and families. Hostels are for walkers and for anyone who needs nothing more than a quiet bed and some company. Hotels and guesthouses with a restaurant, such as those in Torquemada or Los Balbases, make sense when you are passing through and want dinner without getting back in the car.

Which one to choose for your trip

It depends less on the budget than on the plan. Use this table to go straight to the kind of place that suits your trip.

What to check before booking

In a region with so many small businesses, it is worth reading the recent reviews. Several listings have few reviews or mixed comments about cleanliness and maintenance.

My advice is to confirm that the place is still open if it is a rural hotel or restaurant, and to ask about whatever matters most to you, whether that is hot water, a shared bathroom or the arrival time. If you are going to a hostel, arrive early, because they tend to have set hours.

When to go to Castile and León and how to get around

The best time for most plans is spring and autumn, when the countryside looks its best and walking is pleasant. Summer is hot on the plateau, though the gorges and the sierra are easier to bear, and winter is cold and long.

To get around, the usual choice is to go by car. The distances are large and public transport does not reach every village. If you walk the Camino, plan your stages around the hostels, and for the rest of the region, group what you want to see by area rather than by province.