We booked the San Roman as our last stop of a week's holiday in Northen Spain, partly because of positive reviews mentioning a Michelin star and Relais & Chateaux status. We should have checked more carefully. Unfortunately it no longer has a Michelin recommendation and although the hotel's website claims that it is in the R & C group, this does not appear to be the case. The "superior" room was large, with a small balcony looking out onto some uninteresting farm-land. The decor was somehat bizarre ( Roman pillars and abstract modern art), the furniture a bit tired, but the overall comfort was satisfactory.
Although this was a Friday evening in early September, the hotel was practically empty and lacking in atmosphere.
We were looking forward to a gastronomic experience but were disappointed. My iberico ham was OK but nothing special , whilst the addition of chocolate to the fois gras terrine did nothing to improve it. The hake in green sauce is a local dish, but the execution was unremarkable and no better than you could expect in a modest village restaurant. The meal was slightly redeemed by the chocolate (again) fondant desert.
This hotel seems to be run with minimal staffing. The one person on duty in the morning was surprised to have to set out breakfast as early a 9.a.m, and then prepare our bill, as the receptionist doesn't arrive until 10. Unfortunately she couldn't give us any advice about the best way to get to the Gugenheim in Bilbao, as she had never been to Bilbao!
