María Fernández
Stones, walls, beams, and foundations marked by the magical rhythm of historical evolution. Rooms and dwellings in which history, with capital H, is recreated.
Paradores has a wide range of special rooms. Magical rooms, where you can indulge in the dreams of a famous emperor or the unyielding passion that drove the heiress to one of the mightiest Spanish kingdoms to madness. These are Unique Rooms. Dwellings in which one can relive the stories of distinguished and notable historical figures or succumb to the wonders of legends and myths.
314 Zafra: Lordly Stronghold
The Palace of the Dukes of Feria stands on top of a majestic 15th-century castle of spacious and elegant rooms, built in 1437 as the residence of the Dukes of Feria.
The most noteworthy of its rooms is bedroom 314 in the upper cloister. At the entrance, there is a magnificent original coffered ceiling from the XVI-XVII century, trimmed with the coats of arms of the first Lords of Feria (XV century) and the first Dukes of Feria (XVII century), as indicators of the Palace’s glorious past.
The large terrace, for the room’s exclusive use, overlooks the square and its window boasts one of the large grilles characteristic of the period, sealed rivetless with a hammer.
107 Olite: like a queen
One of the unique rooms in the Parador network was occupied by Queen Leonor de Trástamara, wife to Charles III in Olite, the kingdom of Navarra.
The Palace-Castillo Primitivo, declared National Monument, is the most outstanding example of Navarre’s civil Gothic style and one of Europe’s most notable. This was the king’s favorite residence, in which his wife lived from her marriage until the construction of the New Palace.
The noble floor houses the rooms occupied by both monarchs. Moreover, the 107 still maintains the large window from which the queen admired the Monastery of San Francisco and the Sierra de Ujué. The room, divided into two chambers by an original beam, is arranged to shelter two breathtaking canopied beds and a portentous chimney in stone masonry and brick. Exceptional medieval atmosphere softened with modern comforts.
140 Chinchón: The Holiness of Philip V
The monks’ peace and serenity lies embedded in every stone of the Chinchón Parador, an ancient Augustinian convent with large windows. Between its rooms, the 140 holds the particularity of having been Philip V’s old chapel.
The royal choice was not made at random but rather motivated by its vault reminiscent of the celestial dome. A magnificently illuminated cupola, over seven meters high leading to an enormous window, allows viewers to admire the splendid loquat garden of the Parador.
The bedroom is decorated with wallpaper murals inspired by the gardens of Aranjuez and wrought iron furniture with a multitude of details. The vaulted ceiling continues into the room’s bathroom, where baroque details are mixed with avant-garde lighting.
204 Oropesa: The Queen’s hairdresser
The Oropesa Parador Museum is a beautiful building that transmits its history and legends through impressive halls, columns and arcades, an imposing courtyard and the enigmatic Torre del Homenaje (Homage Tower). It was once the ancestral home of the Álvarez de Toledo, Counts of Oropesa, and served as a refuge for soldiers, religious and nobles in later times.
The room El peinador de la Reina (The Queen’s Hairdresser) is the largest and most comfortable in the Palace. Located in a tower attached to the building, it has a large living room and a bedroom with seven balconies overlooking the Castle, the old part of Oropesa and also the Campo Arañuelo and Gredos. The chamber features a stunning, hand-painted 2×2 meter canopied bed.
323 Baiona: Gazing at the Virgin
Elegant and unique is the Baiona Parador, to the south of the Rías Baixas, on the Monterreal Peninsula, sheltered from the open sea by a splendid bay.
The fortress lends its walls to promenades and rest by the sea. In the distance, the Cíes Islands demand a visit to the enjoyment of cliffs, beaches, dunes, and virgin paths.
There is no better way to appreciate the beauty of these sites than to stay in the Parador’s Unique Room.
A sort of lookout with five windows, facing the mountain that houses the monument to the Virgen de la Roca (Virgin of the Rock).
The bedroom is equipped with a large 200×200 canopied bed, private lounge and a large bathroom with whirlpool bath.
