Parador de La Palma

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.

Lovely relaxing holiday in a quiet location close to both Santa Cruz and the airport. Scrupulously clean, and phenomenal service. Just perfect.

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.

A nice, but not great, classic hotel with lovely rooms and common areas. We had a “standard room”, which was quite spacious and had a sweet, private balcony from which we could see the sea. The botanical garden was a delightful surprise and nicely maintained. The biggest downfall was the bathroom. It was spacious, with dual sinks and good water pressure, but there was mold on the shower tile grout (a little bleach could’ve killed it); the hair conditioner had liquified (I had to get out mid-shower, dripping wet, to find my own conditioner) and the sparse overhead lighting was like applying makeup in dark tunnel. We opted for the buffet breakfast, which was nice enough. Along with the usual cold meats, cheeses and breads, the fresh fruit was gorgeous, and there were a few hot dishes you could order (cheese omelette, bacon, scrambled eggs), Some self-serve hot items would’ve been nice, as would have self-serve coffee and tea, making refills easier.

Excellent service with friendly staff. Breakfast is quite good and dinner, though expensive for the island was ok. We ordered and dined once in the restaurant and once in the bar. It is the same menu; one is formal the other not. There is a wonderful walking garden in front of the hotel and most rooms have a good view of the ocean and sunrise.

A very relaxing Christmas at the Parador, La Palma. Typical Parador, very comfortable rooms, first rate service and all the staff were excellent, nothing was too much trouble for them. Brilliant food in the restaurant for Breakfast , Lunch and Dinner and the prices were very good for food and wine. The Festive Dinner on Christmas Eve was first class and a local menu. Make sure you stay in the Parador, La Palma and be sure to use the local bus to travel to Santa Cruz as the stop is right outside the hotel - a 20 minute journey at a cost of €1.50. Everything at the Parador was perfect 😃👍😃👍