Our trip to Santiago de Compostela was semi-spontaneous and, as such, in the summer there were few choices left to accommodate our family of four. Given that the TA reviews weren't entirely horrible, we booked two nights at Hotel Santa Lucia.

Phoning for reservations two days in advance of our arrival from Sevilla, the clerk was professional, pleasant and accommodating.

We arrived at and departed from the Santiago train station. NOTE: Beware of one of the clerks at the cafeteria in the train station; after giving the woman a 10 euro note for a 3.15 prepackaged ice cream purchase, she only returned change for a 5 note then turned her attentions to another customer. When we returned to tell her she'd given change for a 5 note and not a 10, she stated that she thought the 5 note was intended for her (a tip!), but she willingly and promptly returned it. One can only imagine how much bonus she racks up this way from those less familiar with euros.

We hailed a cab from the train station to the Hotel Santa Lucia. Having earned my compostela a few years ago, I contemplated walking the 3 KM or so distance that the hotel supposedly was from the train station. I do think it's closer to double that distance. Our cab cost 8 euros (again, we were 4 and I think that gets us a surcharge) and the ride was quite a ways from the old town and near nothing really.

The hotel seems stuck in a 1980s-era time warp. The lobby, while clean and unfussy, features some pillars sporting a rose-colored faux finish. There is an internet computer that was free, to my recollection (I only used it once). There is a café/bar that offered the basics and the prices seemed fair enough (there was an adjoining restaurant but it was closed for renovations). The lift is small and slow, so when not hauling bags, we tended to climb the five flights to our top floor family room.

The room itself was small and not quite as well appointed as the other hotels in which we've stayed in Spain. I suppose the '80s motif extended to the rooms. I believe that this is the first and only Spanish lodging where I've stayed in which the room was carpeted. Therefore, the room just didn't feel as clean as my other rooms. Additionally, the sheets were well worn, to the point of nearly being threadbare. The single beds pushed together kept coming un-pushed and I was worried of losing things (valuables, 6-year-old crack) down the ever-widening gap. The wardrobe was suitable enough for our needs. While we saw no way to adjust the interior climate (which was hot and stuffy), we finally realized that the window is of the European variety that requires pulling inward from the top, letting in fresh air.

The bathroom was probably the best feature of the room. The shower worked well and water temperature stayed consistent. The towels were actually bath sheets with nice Hotel Santa Lucia monograms on them (quite a contrast to the sheet rags). The bathroom provided all necessities (shower, toilet, sink, toiletries) as well as the un-necessity, to my mind—the ubiquitous bidet.

There is a bus stop right outside the door so getting into the heart of Santiago de Compostela is fairly simple. The ride takes about 20 minutes and costs 1.25E (if I recall correctly). The majority of riders are locals so you can soak up some of the Galician language flavor on your ride to town. There are several stops, but wait for the one at the tall stone wall with steps on either side (on your left). Many riders get off here and at the top of the steps you'll find Santiago's famous and wonderful City Market/Praza de Abastos. We spent hours here and it was a delightful place to sample and shop. Note that the return bus stop is opposite the hotel, across a busy roadway with no light or crosswalk, so be very,very careful crossing here.

Obviously, a major update for the Hotel Santa Lucia would be appreciated, but the room, while basic, was perfectly adequate for our needs. The biggest drawback to the Hotel Santa Lucia is its distance from the old town and Praza do Obradoiro center of activity in Santiago de Compostela. I stayed in the Hotel Barbantes on my previous visit which is at Praza Fonseca, next to Praza do Obradoiro and the Cathedral area. At Hotel Santa Lucia, you will find yourself rather cut-off from the spontaneous revelry in the old town area. By comparison, it offers some semblance of peace and quiet. When I'd stayed in town previously, the partying pilgrims and locals loudly celebrated until 3 or 4 in the morning and, after they finally drifted off, the street cleaning trucks rumbled in for clean-up duty, keeping me from any sleep. By contrast, the road noise and inexplicable booms (that sounded like cannon fire; the desk clerk said it was just a local fiesta), were not disturbing, especially after a long day exploring the old town.