MicroHostal Restaurante La Puerta del Perdón — Hotel in Villafranca del Bierzo

It would be hard to overstate how wonderful this experience is. Situated across from the castle, and run by a lifelong local, the place stands out among the many we stayed in on our camino. Dani is the consummate host, running the hotel and restaurant as if he was born to do it--but once you learn a bit about him, you realize that if you encountered him in any of his many roles in life, you'd probably think he was born for them, as well. The rooms are delightful--each one unique in its theme and the way it balances preservation and modernization. The care that's gone into this hotel is evident in the details. We ate both dinner and breakfast at the hotel. I've worked in the culinary world, and based on dinner alone, this was the best restaurant we ate in on the camino--better than any acclaimed Parador restaurant, better than the places we splurged to treat ourselves, better than anywhere I've eaten since. We started with the asparagus salad, which we ate a lot of on the camino because it was in season. This one was perfect--from the way the asparagus was cooked and cooled to the flavor and presentation. The vegetable saffron risotto that followed was also perfect. The rice was cooked as risotto should be--not mushy, not crunchy, but with a little "teeth" to it, and the layers of flavor were subtle, delicate, all building to a commanding finish when they come together on the palate. I could have eaten two helpings (and then been overly full--the portions were just right). For dessert, we had mandarin sorbetto with warm chocolate, which was another perfect combination of flavors and textures, followed by licor de hierbas. We love our digestifs, and we loved trying the different ones made in the different regions as we walked. This was in the top three, for sure. Someone should come and give this place a Michelin star. ||Thank you for putting up with us, Dani!||Breakfast was a bit more plain than we'd become accustomed to on the camino--just bread, orange juice, and coffee, really. Perhaps they want their longer-stay guests to be more hungry for that...

What an amazing experience! We arrived by bus to start our Camino in Villafranca del Bierzo and made it to the plaza outside the hotel with our bags but were unsure which building was the hotel. Within seconds, Danny had come bounding out to the street, taken our bags and guided us inside. Throughout our one night visit he provided exceptional care and hospitality, along with a beautiful room and wonderful meals. However, the part that really blew us away happened after we’d already left. We were about three miles down the Camino when we realized that a favorite pair of gold earrings had fallen under the bed and been left behind. We called Danny, who before we even finished explaining had run up to the room and found them. Our bags were scheduled to be transported later that day so we asked him to put the earrings in one of them and thanked him profusely. About twenty minutes later we were shocked when a car screeched to a halt beside us on the Camino and out leapt Danny with the earrings! What a wonderful, wonderful man. We’re forever grateful for his kindness and...

This is my second time staying at Micro-Hostal Puerta del Perdón and both times, I had a wonderful experience. I walked the Camino de Santiago so unfortunately, it was only for one night but wished I’d stayed longer. ||This is such a special place. Dani, the host and owner is hospitable and greets you with a warm welcome, I felt like family. The entire place is very clean and the rooms are full of charm and character. And the bed is extremely comfortable.|| Dinner at the restaurant was simply divine. And the salad was so hearty that it could have easily been a meal all in itself. I can’t forget about the croquettes. They were the best I’ve tasted on and off the Camino.||The staff were also fun and friendly. Thank you Dani for making me feel so welcomed and cared...