Simple Pleasures are always The Best
The Hotel Real Monasterio de San Zoilo is located nearby to Carrión de les Condes in the Province of Palencia in Spain. For those of you whose Spanish geography may be limited to the resorts along the wonderful coast, you may be wondering where this is? It is in the heart of Spain, about 300 km north north/west of Madrid (3 hour drive) and approx. 90 km from Burgos airport. The drive from Madrid (which is what I did) was a hard slog so I would recommend flying to Burgos. This is particularly true of travelling in the winter as it snows in the northern part of Spain.
Carrión de les Condes is on the Santiago pilgrimage route so if you want to rest your weary bones in something a little more upmarket than the usual albergues this hotel will suit perfectly. The original Monasterio de San Zoilo dates back to the 10th century and is named after St. Zoilus, a martyr from the 4th Century. This whole region has a staggering number of monasteries, which are named after various saints and martyrs, most of whom I have never heard of. I regret that whilst I believe there are relics of St. Zoilus in the Abbey I did not get to see them nor could I elicit that much information – so I can only guess this is restricted to more important people than yours truly.
From the moment you enter through the main doors you can almost hear the rustling of the monks habits and the soft clicking of rosary beads. It is authentically unfussed and its charm is very much that of simplicity and quietness.
Reception: A large and airy entrance space in part of the original restored Monastery, which dates from the 16/17th century. The floor has large red floor tiles so reminiscent of convents and churches. Most striking is the adjacent Gothic cloister which almost echoes of Gregorian chant. This is a wonderful space to chill out with a book and take a break from scrolling on your mobiles.
Bedrooms: There are 47 bedrooms and 7 suites in the Monasterio de San Zoilo. They are furnished in a rustic style in keeping with the actual building. The whole hotel is clustered around the central courtyard with many rooms having previously served as cells. My particular cell was a little on the chilly side, despite central heating as the old window refused point blank to close completely. Having treated myself to a mini bottle of champagne this did have the benefit of the outside window sill acting as a fridge. The furnishings are fine but not luxury standard. A lot of the paintings in the bedrooms were copies/reproductions. However, the most important aspect of any bedroom is a good night’s sleep and a cool room is best for that.
Dining: As I was with a group I didn’t get to enjoy dinner in the Las Vigas restaurant. Instead I attended a banquet in the main Banquet Hall. This was a similar banqueting experience to that of the Bunratty Castle banquets in Ireland. There were a lot of speeches in Spanish, most of which I didn’t understand as Spaniards speak very quickly. I am sure the food was excellent, but it was a little too traditional for my taste; being a large sausage that appeared to be swimming in a greasy clear soup. The desserts were gorgeous with lots of chocolate. Breakfast in Las Vigas restaurant was buffet style and a more cosmopolitan affair with the regular breakfast offerings and I did enjoy my breakfast sausage!
The surroundings and interiors of the Hotel Real Monasterio de San Zoilo are full of hidden treasures from statues to divine Gothic cloister ceilings. The local town of Carrion is small with just a couple of bars and shops. We frequented one local tavern for a most enjoyable few drinks but don’t ask the name as I have totally forgotten it! Be prepared if you go in the summer it will be very hot and in winter it is cold and it does snow there. This is a location where you can be assured of proper seasonal changes so be prepared.
Most importantly the Hotel is located on UNESCO Routes of Santiago de Compostela: Camino Francés and Routes of Northern Spain (1993) whc.unesco.org/en/list/669
