If you want something slightly different then most people would head for one of the various exclusive hotels throughout the region or one of the ?Paradors? that can be found in various key places throughout the area. The region is dotted with mountain refuges with stunning views not to mention that in the coastal areas you can find quite a few campsites.

As expected the hotels in Galicia and Northern Spain are extremely spacious very clean and comfortable. Hotels are categorized and awarded stars by the regional tourist authorities. Hotels (indicated by ?H?. on a blue plaque near the hotel door] are awarded from one to five stars from the local Tourist Authority.

You can usually find en-suite bathrooms or at least a shower in each Hotel bedroom. You may well be surprised but it is unlikely that these sorts of facilities would be found in the smaller hostels and ?Pensiones?.

Spain's star rating system reflects the number and range of facilities available rather than the quality of service one star is given to the most modest hotels and five stars to the most elegant and expensive ones. As is usual in most quality hotels the standard facilities on offer include air conditioning, televisions in each room, facilities for the disabled, Internet access and on-site parking.

Two or three star hotels are the most popular in this region and their rates vary on the season or time of year that you stay there. It has been found that in this area quite often the hostels (hostales) and guest houses are actually more popular; the fact that they are cheaper may have something to do with this. These are usually small family-run establishments offering just a few beds.

This area of Northern Spain otherwise known as Green Spain claims to have a total of 92,000 beds registered over 1,500 Hotels, Hostels and ?Pensiones?.

The biggest hotel chains in northern Spain are the Grupo Sol-Melia and NH with hotels in the main towns. The quality of these hotels is extremely good. There is also now a growing number of small individually run hotels with a distinctive character and charm, for a memorable and relaxing stay.

In Spain you'll find an establishment called a Parador. These have classifications of anything between three to five stars in accommodation standard. Spain's first Parador opened in 1928 and now there is a wide network of them throughout the country. The idea behind the hotels when they were setup was that there should never be more than one day's drive from one Parador to another. In Santiago de Compostela you can find possibly the best known Parador in the area and this is the Parador de los Reyes Catolicos. Various monasteries, castles and other monuments have been used for Paradors elsewhere. More recently a growing number of Paradors have been purpose built and these are usually located either in areas of spectacular scenery or towns of historic interest.

The local Parador might not be best hotel in town but it will usually deliver a predictably consistent standard of comfort. The standard from each Parador to Parador very rarely varies with comfortable spacious bedrooms to be found throughout. Quite often you will find that they offer outstanding samples of regional cuisine. It might be wise to book in advance if you are planning to visit the area either during the high season or if you wish to stay in one of the smaller Paradors. Paradors can be booked through the Central de Reservas in Madrid or by calling each Parador direct. Rates can be expensive it is worth looking for special deals especially in the high season but to be brutally honest this has to be the same anywhere you go.