Marques De Vallejo - Logrono, Spain     

I first stayed here in 2005 and was lucky to find a room in a crowded city-- 7 hours of rain left me fairly dispirited and exhausted and the staff was friendly and helpful to the drenched pilgrim, arranging for laundry service and a hot drink before I left the reception for my room. The room was comfortable and modern, The buffet breakfast provided eggs and hot sausage, as well as the usual continental stash of cheese and cold meat, with plenty of orange juice, and attentive staff ready with refills of coffee. When I walked the Camino again in 2007, I immediately sought out the Vallejo, its facilities a pleasant and cool respite after a long and very hot walk from Los Arcos. Again, staff were friendly and helpful, sending up ice for my knee. The outside of the building is not very impressive, and it hides an interior which is modern and imaginative in its layout. While there is no restaurant, the nearby street is known for a range of restaurants and tapas joints. The upstairs library offers a quiet place for a drink on a very hot day, with free internet-- an example which could well be followed by more expensive hotels.