Madrid is not only the capital of Spain but also the name of the province at whose center lies the bustling cosmopolitan metropolis. While this internationally popular urban destination receives some 10 million visitors a year, only a minuscule fraction of them will ever get to Chinchon, a quaint village in the southeastern corner of the province.
This is a shame, for picturesque Chinchon is a favorite weekend getaway spot for Madrilenos. In the heart of the village is the Parador of Chinchon, a prime example of a classic Spanish heritage property transformed into a luxury hotel.
The Chinchon Parador, affiliated with the famed Paradors of Spain (Paradores de Espana) chain, is located just steps away from the village’s distinctive main square – an actual circular bullring, complete with sand floor, that is still in use today as the terminus of a monthly Pamplona-style bull run. The Plaza Mayor is also the starting point of colorful religious processions on ecclesiastical holidays – a spectacle we were fortunate enough to witness – and the venue for numerous eateries, restaurants, and bars serving excellent tapas, local delicacies, and gourmet meals.
Historic premises
The contemporary Parador is housed in a building that was once a 15th-century convent, and it retains beautiful elements that have been incorporated into the repurposed property. For example, the cloister now surrounds a garden patio with tables shaded by fruit trees, the corridors are adorned with impressive religious art, and the inviting pool is located where the stables used to be.
The pièce de résistance, however, is the chapel of the old church, which has been converted into a very special suite. This sumptuous unit, whose centerpiece is an old-fashioned canopied bed, also boasts a small sofa and comfortable window seat overlooking the hotel’s lush garden and ornate chandeliers.
The magnificence of the bedroom is matched only by the huge bathroom, which has its own amazing centerpiece: a standalone bathtub with free-standing towel racks under a fancy chandelier. The giant bathtub is flanked on one side by dual sinks (with multiple mirrors), and on the other by a spacious marble shower stall equipped not only with a raindrop showerhead but also massaging water jets that surround you from three walls. There are separate cabins for both the toilet and bidet, affording maximum privacy.
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- Search for Great Tours HERE
- Buy Travel Insurance
- Get a universal plug adapter
- Get an eSim to be able to use your smartphone abroad.
- Get a Car Rental
Accommodations fit for Hollywood stars
While a splurge in the hotel’s lone suite is recommended (there is also one junior suite), no matter in which of the property’s 38 rooms you stay, you are guaranteed world-class accommodations. Worthy, In fact, of no less than movie star royalty – since this Parador was chosen to house the leading cast members of director Wes Anderson’s acclaimed work Asteroid City, which was filmed in Chinchon. Thus, you may well end up sleeping in the same bed once occupied by Tom Hanks, Scarlet Johansson, or another of the famous names comprising the all-star cast.
Inside the rooms and suites are every amenity that one expects in an establishment that has hosted Hollywood elite: comfortable king-sized beds (or choice of twin beds), user-friendly climate control (A/C plus ceiling fan), large flat-screen television with multi-channel and multi-lingual programming, laptop-sized electronic safe for valuables, and refreshment corner with minibar and complimentary mineral water. The refreshment area will also feature either a coffee machine or an electric kettle for making coffee and tea.
Bathrooms are fastidiously clean, with powerful hair dryers, make-up mirrors, and every conceivable toiletry amenity, down to dental kits and combs. Monogrammed pampering terrycloth bathrobes and slippers complement the thirsty bath towels.
Naturally, free WiFi extends to all guest rooms, as well as public spaces. The property also has accessibility facilities in all areas, except the swimming pool, which is open seasonally.
While the fitness room is not large, it is still adequately equipped for most exercise needs. The property is smoke-free and pet-free.
A multitude of dining options
As is the case with many of the properties in the Parador world, gastronomy is an integral part of the overall experience. And at this particular property, the food may be enjoyed in a choice of welcoming surroundings: from snacks and lighter meals in the al fresco courtyard area to the gourmet repasts of El Convento Restaurant in the bright main dining room, where the lavish daily breakfast buffet is served, and last but not least, the earthy Restaurante El Bodegon, the bastion of regional specialities.
While both restaurants take pride in their authentic Madrileno cuisine, the latter has been designated a station along the “Route of Madrid cocido meals,” with its emphasis on the hearty stew that is a local favorite, especially when cooler weather sets in. Even if the official fixed menu is served only in the winter months, it is worth venturing into El Bodegon at any time just to admire its curved and frescoed walls—emblematic of the grace and beauty so characteristic throughout the Parador de Chinchon.
Indeed, guests here will love walking anywhere and everywhere in and around this majestic edifice: along the corridors to the guest units – under beamed ceilings and past museum-quality artwork – and all around the verdant grounds, punctuated with ancient wells and blessed with venerable green trees, alternatingly blossoming or bearing fruit, but always lending shade when desired.
Room rates start at $120 per night and rise to $212 during high season (summer months and holidays). Prices for a suite range from $230 to $400.
Check rates online at Expedia, Booking.com, or Hotels.com.
Text and photos by Buzzy Gordon, who was a guest of the hotel for purposes of review. As always, the opinions expressed are his own. Additional photos courtesy of Paradores de Espana.
