Castillo Del Bosque la Zoreda

Muy buen hotel con un servicio excelente.

Whilst lovely, this is barely a hotel, and certainly not five stars. It is a conference and wedding venue that seems to try and sell its rooms to private guests during the week. While the staff are delightful and very helpful, and the venue is beautiful, the facilities and service are very limited. There is no pool or spa (despite these being pictured on all the holiday websites we looked at). Although the staff did say they'd taken the spa photos down on their own website, this was not made clear at the time of booking. During the week there is an extremely limited menu of just five basic items available to eat (lunch and dinner) - and as the hotel is a good 15min drive from the nearest town, this was a serious issue. The room (we had a junior suite) was absolutely beautiful but again, clearly a wedding venue rather than a hotel - no room service, and very few amenities - although the surrounding park and walks are lovely. We came here for a quiet and romantic holiday away without our children and to be fair, we achieved that. However, I would warn anyone who thinks that this is a "hotel" to beware - it is not, it is a very charming conference centre and certainly every day we were there, they had a big event and we felt very much in the way. We ended up staying elsewhere for the last two nights of our stay, as there are far nicer places in the area - something the Castillo did not seem surprised by and did not ask us why we were staying elsewhere or if anything was wrong. When we finally checked out, despite having paid in advance, the (again charming) lady at reception had no idea that we'd already paid, and there was confusion over whether we had to pay again. We left with not a good taste, and sadly - although we have nothing bad to say about the staff or the location, both of which are very nice - we would not come back. However, other people seem to have had a lovely time here so perhaps it depends what you are looking for, and what your standards are. Final word though: cannot fault the staff, all of whom were courteous, charming, spoke perfect English, and were very patient and polite.

Spain is a gorgeous country. The people warm and friendly, the sights entrancing, the food unsurpassed. We have been to Spain twice, once in October 2016 pre-pandemic and once in October 2022. During both trips we had the absolute pleasure of staying at La Zoreda. Each time we had an exceptionally warm welcome from the front desk. Massimo and Stephanie made us feel like returning friends. They were warm and engaging speaking perfect English to our hesitant Spanish. The rooms are first class. They are spacious, beautifully appointed and impart a feeling of tranquility the moment you enter. At night the windows open to a breathless silence with just a hint of breeze ruffling the silk curtains making the beautiful embroidered butterflies dance and lulling you into dreamland. The breakfast is excellent, with gorgeous food shared in a wonderful room overlooking the back garden. I particularly like the warm milk they bring for your café con leche. But I save the very best for last. The dining room is outstanding and favorably compares to the best we have enjoyed across several continents. The first night we dined there we ordered off the extensive menu and had a memorable meal. For our second night, we booked the chef's choice special menu and were not disappointed. Not only did he design the menu, but it was printed out with each of the seven courses. It was heaven! The octopus was exquisite, a true taste sensation; the cream of garlic soup smooth, flavorful, each mouthful sensational; the pork perfectly roasted with the outside crackling with flavour. The dessert an eruption of exquisitely blended sensations of fruit and chocolate. Javier was the consummate host leading us through each course matching cocktails and wine with each course. Stephanie to our surprise and delight, provided a glass of champagne to kick off the entire evening. Although the setting is exquisite, it is the staff, the chef, Massimo, Stephanie and Javier who truly make this an unforgettable experience. If you are planning on a trip to Spain, La Zoreda is a destination that must not be missed. We were looking for golf courses and comfort- instead we found a home away from home and a lifetime of memories. We will make a point of returning.