Smöoy Frozen Yogurt, Santiago de Compostela, Spain

After our dinner at Newroz Kurdish Doener Kebab (see also review) we went to Smöoy for frozen yogurt as dessert. It's just a few steps away and interesting, because it has a white, contemporary interior livened up with a few color splashes in red, yellow, green and pink. There is also a nice seating area.

The counter assistant was very busy with a few people waiting in front of me. There were three choices: a small, medium or large cup with one topping, two toppings and three toppings respectively. The choice was huge from berries to chocolate to gummi bears.

We chose natural frozen yogurt, Dulce de Leche and fresh strawberries in a medium cup. We shared it, because the portion was fairly large. It cost around 3 Euro (ca. 4.10 USD). We must say it was delicious and loved the combination.

So there is no doubt we will have to go back, when we're in Santiago de Compostela.

©2013

Newroz Kurdish Doener Kebab, Santiago de Compostela, Spain

On one of our evenings we went to Newroz Kurdish Doener Kebab at Rua Nova de Abaixo, 20 (Pza. Fuenterrabia, 5) in Santiago de Compostela.

The restaurant is just about 100 m from the cathedral and in the Old Town.

The restaurant is clean and simple furnished.

We liked the dark furniture, colorful lampshades and the industrial kitchen.

When ordering we went to the counter. We had a set meal with a soft drink and a chicken doener kebab included for 5 Euro each, ca. 6.80 USD. Our choice was water.

We were then asked to sit down and our order was delivered as soon as it was ready.

The doener was different than what we were used to from Germany or Poland.

It was lighter, less spicy, had more salad leaves, which makes the doener healthier, and was easy to eat, aka "no mess here".

We liked the succulent meat, textures and flavors.

The staff was friendly and spoke good English.

Payment was taken at the counter.

When we are back in Santiago we definitely are going to stop at Newroz again.

It's an affordable option in the heart of this fascinating city.

©2013

Galician Contemporary Arts Center - Centro Gallego de Arte Contemporaneo, Santiago de Compostela Spain

The direct neighbor to the Museum of the Galician People is the Galician Contemporary Arts Center.

Entrance is free, and the building is modern - as expected - inside and out. The design is beautiful, understated and free flowing. I felt it let me breathe.

The entrance is small compared to the size of the building and leads either directly to the exhibition to the left or the restaurant/bar and gift shop to the right.

We were thirsty and a bit peckish, so we went to the restaurant. The space had white walls (like the rest of the museum) and contemporary furniture. Unfortunately our experience wasn't that good. A lot got lost in translation.

I went to the bar to order, only to find out there was a waiter service available, and I had to rush back to our table. It seemed we could only choose from a three course menu the waiter wrote up for us in English on a small note. Since we didn't have that much hunger, we decided to forgo it and take the brownies displayed at the bar. We also had a bottle of ice tea each. When I paid the bill, I thought the price paid was a bit high, costing over 10 Euro (ca. 13.20 USD). The brownie was good, though.
Feeling more refreshed and relaxed we went to the gift shop next. It has art books mostly in Spanish, but also a few in English. Room to move is a bit restrained.

We moved on finally to the exhibition. There are currently three different artists exhibiting. The shows run until October.

Victor Grippo was born in Junin and died in Buenos Aires. Ricardo Basbaum is Brazilian and Graham Gussin British.

All three were different approaches including video installations, prints, artwork with potatoes and marbles.

We liked it and thought it was inspiring.

We recommend the Contemporary Arts Center, but wouldn't go there to eat due to limited choices.

©2013

Museum of the Galician People - Museo del Pueblo Gallego, Santiago de Compostela, Spain

Since we wanted to learn about the region we were making holiday at, we planned to visit the Museo del Pueblo Gallego or Museum of the Galician People.

It is housed in a building ca. 700 years old and just a short stroll from the cathedral.

On Sundays the museum has open from 11.00 hours to 14.00 hours.  We expected to pay 3 Euro (ca. 4 USD) entrance per person.
To our surprise we were told the entrance was free, because it was Sunday.

It might also had to do with us arriving around 40 minutes before closing, so we couldn't see the whole exhibition.

Our backpack was stored in a locker.

Photography without flash is allowed.

We enjoyed the courtyard, the gallery with it's arches and stone reliefs depicting saints and the former church, now housing a memorial to famous Galician persons. The church was very simple, airy and a clean cut space.

Another highlight was the staircase. It was winding and looked very elegant. It was impressive and alone for that the entrance would be worth paying for.

Since we had a few minutes to spare we went into one of the many exhibition rooms. This one was dedicated to the history of the maritime life in Galicia.

We had visited a similar museum before, so we could understand what it was showing, like fishing boats, mussel picking and other things. Unfortunately there is no English signage, only Spanish and Galician, so it could be boring some or difficult to follow.

Overall we would highly recommend the museum for a longer visit next time.

 

©2013

A Quinta da Auga, Relais & Chateaux

We had a total of 5 nights in Santiago de Compostela. Thinking we would be quite busy while staying at the AC Palacio del Carmen (see review) we decided to spend the last two relaxing a bit outside of the city at the A Quinta da Auga, Relais & Chateaux. This was our second Relais & Chateaux property. Based on only good experiences with Le St. Paul at St. Paul de Vence, France, we thought it was time to check out another one, this time in Spain.

The A Quinta da Auga dates back to 1792. Originally it was built by Jacobo Perez Villamarin as a paper factory, but it was also used to produce wool clothing, ice and beer. It fell into disrepair until Lorenzo Garcia and his family bought the estate. The architect carrying out the restoration and renovation project was Luisa Garcia Gil.

We took a taxi from the AC to the A Quinta da Auga and paid around 8 Euro (ca. 10.70 USD). The journey took maybe 10 minutes.

It was around 12.30 hours when we arrived. Unfortunately we weren't able to check in early and were advised to come back at 15.00 hours, when the official check in time was and our room would be ready.

We explored the area and checked out where the bus stop for the Number 8 bus into town was. It wasn't easy to spot, because it was at the end of the road and only a no parking sign indicated it. We later saw a bus stopping there.

Having done that we decided to go back to the hotel and have lunch.

We had Ice tea, hot chocolate, cappuccino, ham and cheese sandwiches and watermelon gazpacho.

When we had settled the bill (ca. 25 Euro or ca. 33.40 USD) our room was ready. We were offered an upgrade for 90 Euro (ca. 120 USD) per night to a suite. We didn't take it up, because we were quite happy with our room. It was 10 square meters larger than the standard room at the AC Palacio del Carmen. We received a room at the top floor (5th). It was a mansard room with a window built into the roof and views over the garden and neighborhood. The room was sparsely furnished with a traditional writing desk, two chairs and comfortable twin beds. It was large, but didn't look too empty. We felt immediately at home.

There were wooden floors; the mini bar was free with local water, two bottles of Coca Cola, one orange Fanta and one lemon Fanta. It was restocked daily.

The flat screen TV was small, but moving the chairs from under the window nearer to the TV solved the problem. The only English speaking channel was BBC World.

Storage space in the wardrobe was good. There was also a safe unlike at the AC.

The air condition was centrally operated and sometimes made the room slightly too hot. It didn't bother us too much or we simply opened the window.

The tapestry was interesting. It depicted what life was like in earlier days.

The bathroom was large with a bathtub/shower combination, Relais & Chateaux Ylang Ylang amenities, a bidet, toilet and sink. The bath tub was comfortable and the water pressure was good.

The hotel has a restaurant called Filigrana, a social lounge and the Q Cafe. There is also a new wing with fitness center, hydrothermal facilities including swimming pool, hydrotherapy pool, sauna, ice fountain and steam bath. There is also a spa, offering facials, massages, body treatments, manicure, pedicure, hair care and yoga lessons. Massage treatments start from 30 minutes and cost 40 Euro (ca. 53.40 USD) to 90 minutes for 115 Euro (ca. 153.35 USD).

There are also packages available ranging from 110 minutes to 5 days.

Use of the Flotarium costs 22 Euro for 20 minutes (ca. 29.40 USD); yoga lessons start at 90 Euro (ca. 120 USD) for 90 minutes.

We enjoyed spending time on our room, going to the Q Cafe or walking in the grounds.

The gardens were very beautiful. There were different flowers, fountains tinkling and a waterfall. The hotel recommends also walks ranging from twenty to forty five minutes.

The hotel was detailed. The social lounge had old photographs of what the hotel looked like before the renovation, which famous guests had visited and other artwork. Each seating area was different with plush sofas, comfortable armchairs and an open fire.

Another detail were flowers and plants in the bedroom and bathroom or that the flowers and the outdoor chairs were in matching colors - an intense red.

There were nooks and crannies to explore on every floor and art work everywhere.

Even the elevators look not functional. They have prints depicting the paper making process.

Since we had time I choose a 30 minutes deep tissue massage.

The spa was airy and light. The original building and the new wing are connected indoors, so there is no reason to go outside. The staff was very friendly and concerned if the treatment had been to my liking. The changing room was empty and I had my own locker, containing a bath robe, panty and slippers. There were also showers and toilets.

The treatment was relaxing and eased my tensions. This massage didn't make me as sore as previous ones. It was as good, though.

At the Q Cafe we tried different smoothies and juices, local wine and coffee liquor, pasta salad, peppers filled with cod, frozen yogurt and raspberries, Santiago Cake and much more.

Breakfast was served buffet style every day at the Filigrana Restaurant. It was small, but had everything one could need from cold cuts and smoked salmon to cheese to yogurt, fruit salad, scrambled eggs - other egg dishes could be made a la carte -, pastries and much more. The space was a bit small and when it was busy, it could get tight. Restocking wasn't an issue. There was only one juice - orange. The flavor was outstanding and everyone had at least two glasses. The salmon was the softest I've ever had.

We had a funny incident with Housekeeping. It was afternoon. We had returned from our walk and saw that the maids were on our floor making up rooms. They hadn't arrived at our room, so we were prepared for their visit. The maid knocked, shouted something in Spanish and opened the door immediately. If we had been in an indiscriminating situation it could have gotten embarrassing, so the young lady was a bit surprised somebody was on the room. She asked a colleague to help her. The room was cleaned and the bed was made very quickly.

All the staff encountered was friendly, efficient and warm.

Way too soon we had to leave for our next destination Barcelona.

Check out was done quickly, a taxi was ordered for us and the "bible" - the 2013 Relais & Chateaux catalogue in English was given to us as a good bye present. On the room we only had the actual version in Spanish, so this was a nice touch.
Donations to UNICEF are also encouraged.

We can recommend the A Quinta da Auga to couples and families with older children, who are looking for a quirky property that is romantic and off the beaten track with personalized services and attentive staff.

We are missing the property already and are definitely going to return, when we are in the area.

©2013

AC Palacio Del Carmen, Autograph Collection

Sorry for so long nothing publishing. My better half and I have just returned from holiday. A few more reviews are going to follow. Hope you enjoy our hotel adventures as much as we did. Happy Travels!

We planned a small travel itiniery in Spain and Italy. Our first stop was Santiago de Compostela, the capital of Galicia in the Northwest of Spain. We arrived from Dublin by Aer Lingus. We tried the new pre-order meal option. There is a choice of Irish breakfast, chicken or beef salad. We both had the chicken salad. The process worked flawless and the salad was delicious. The cost was 7.50 Euro (ca. 10 USD) per person and included a hot drink, like coffee or tea. The flight was pleasant and eventless.

We had informed ourselves about public transport and decided to take the bus operated by Empresa Freire to Praza da Galicia. The journey took about 45 minutes. A single ticket costs 3 Euro (ca. 4 USD), a return ticket 5.10 Euro (ca. 6.80 USD) per person.
We had a map with us and thought the AC Palacio del Carmen, an Autograph Collection property, was easy to locate. It proofed a bit more difficult than thought. We asked locals for directions. They were helpful, but unfortunately spoke only Spanish. Mine is non existent. We finally found someone, who spoke English. She directed us correctly and within five minutes we arrived at the Palacio del Carmen.
It nestles in a residential area on the outskirts of Santiago's city center.

The hotel is located in a former 15th century convent. In the two original buildings are the reception and small lobby with an internet corner, the bar, fine dining restaurant and meeting rooms located. There is also a new wing with additional rooms. Besides meeting facilities there is also a beautiful fairly large garden, indoor swimming pool, spa and a very small fitness center.

The check in was pleasant and conducted in German. The receptionist Karel is from Prague and spoke fluent German. My better half and I have forgotten most of it, since we have been very rarely back to our home country and speak mostly English with each other since we live in Ireland for nearly fourteen years. We were promised a big bed and were very happy about our comfortable king.
The room was located in one of the original buildings.
Each floor is glassed in, airconditioned and a bridge leads to each room.
The entrance category room was simple, but elegant and comfortable.
There were wooden floors and beams, the large bed, a luggage rack, medium sized TV, a large wardrobe and a writing desk. The colors were different shades of brown, beige and ocre. Our view was over the peaceful garden.
One night there was a wedding party and for a moment we feared we would be disturbed by the noise, but the soundproofing was good, so we heard nothing. The room's location guaranteed a restful sleep. It was really quiet.
The bath room was medium sized with a sink, Palacio del Carmen own branded amenities, a comfortable bath tub and shower combination, a bidet and toilet.
The bath tub was wide and not very high, making it easy to get in and out.
The mini bar contained orange and pineapple juice, Mondariz water, Nordic Mist, Coca Cola and Coca Cola Light and San Miguel beer (with and without alcohol). Prices were reasonable. The water cost 1.50 Euro, ca. 2 USD, the rest 2.50 Euro, ca. 3.35 USD.
TV channels were dominantely local. There was BBC World, RT and CNBC.
The air condition was easy to use. It kept up with the heat and worked fast and efficient.
The lightning was mellow, but added to the atmosphere.
24 hour room service was also available.

We planned a small travel itenary in Spain and Italy. Our first stop was Santiago de Compostela, the capital of Galicia in the Northwest of Spain. We arrived from Dublin by Aer Lingus. We tried the new pre-order meal option. There is a choice of Irish breakfast, chicken or beef salad. We both had the chicken salad. The process worked flawless and the salad was delicious. The cost was 7.50 Euro (ca. 10 USD) per person and included a hot drink, like coffee or tea. The flight was pleasant and eventless.

We had informed ourselves about public transport and decided to take the bus operated by Empresa Freire to Praza da Galicia. The journey took about 45 minutes. A single ticket costs 3 Euro (ca. 4 USD), a return ticket 5.10 Euro (ca. 6.80 USD) per person.
We had a map with us and thought the AC Palacio del Carmen, an Autograph Collection property, was easy to locate. It proofed a bit more difficult than thought. We asked locals for directions. They were helpful, but unfortunately spoke only Spanish. Mine is non existent. We finally found someone, who spoke English. She directed us correctly and within five minutes we arrived at the Palacio del Carmen.
It nestles in a residential area on the outskirts of Santiago's city center.

The hotel is located in a former 15th century convent. In the two original buildings are the reception and small lobby with an internet corner, the bar, fine dining restaurant and meeting rooms located. There is also a new wing with additional rooms. Besides meeting facilities there is also a beautiful fairly large garden, indoor swimming pool, spa and a very small fitness center.

The check in was pleasant and conducted in German. The receptionist Karel is from Prague and spoke fluent German. My better half and I have forgotten most of it, since we have been very rarely back to our home country and speak mostly English with each other since we live in Ireland for nearly fourteen years. We were promised a big bed and were very happy about our comfortable king.
The room was located in one of the original buildings.
Each floor is glassed in, air conditioned and a bridge leads to each room.
The entrance category room was simple, but elegant and comfortable.
There were wooden floors and beams, the large bed, a luggage rack, medium sized TV, a large wardrobe and a writing desk. The colors were different shades of brown, beige and ochre. Our view was over the peaceful garden.
One night there was a wedding party and for a moment we feared we would be disturbed by the noise, but the soundproofing was good, so we heard nothing. The room's location guaranteed a restful sleep. It was really quiet.
The bath room was medium sized with a sink, Palacio del Carmen own branded amenities, a comfortable bath tub and shower combination, a bidet and toilet.
The bath tub was wide and not very high, making it easy to get in and out.
The mini bar contained orange and pineapple juice, Mondariz water, Nordic Mist, Coca Cola and Coca Cola Light and San Miguel beer (with and without alcohol). Prices were reasonable. The water cost 1.50 Euro, ca. 2 USD, the rest 2.50 Euro, ca. 3.35 USD.
TV channels were dominantly local. There was BBC World, RT and CNBC.
The air condition was easy to use. It kept up with the heat and worked fast and efficient.
The lightning was mellow, but added to the atmosphere.
24 hour room service was also available.

We went twice to the bar. There are nineteen dishes to choose from. A small selection is available during general opening hours, a larger between 13.30 hours and 15.30 hours and 21.00 hours to 23.00 hours.
We had refreshing sangria, chicken salad with cherry tomatoes and sherry vinaigrette, fresh tomato and tuna salad, Iberian ham in a bread roll with parmesan cheese and dried tomatoes and a seasonal fruit plate with green and watermelon, red grapes, kiwi and pineapple.
All was tasty, fresh and healthy.
Prices were reasonable again. We paid 29.60 Euro (ca. 39.30 USD) and 35.20 Euro (46.70 USD) respectively.

Breakfast was included in our rate. It was every day in the former chapel. It can be also used a meeting room.
The room is beautiful with a large mosaic depicting the Archangel Gabriel visiting Mary to tell her she is going to give birth to Jesus.
The windows are high up, letting in the light in an unusual way. The plays between shadow and light are beautiful.
Tea, coffee, hot chocolate and juice are self service based. There are a Nespresso Coffee machine and three differently colored capsules (red, green and black) available. The colors indicate the strength of the coffee. Red is de-caffeinated, green normal and black strong.  I had the last two and enjoyed them. They are smooth and have intense flavors as it is expected from Nespresso.
The buffet contains the continental breakfast, while egg dishes can be ordered a la carte and don't incur an additional charge. We tried the scrambled and baked eggs and French omelet.
Juices on offer were orange, pineapple, peach and raspberry.
The buffet is small, but has everything one could want beside fish. There are cold cuts, cheese, pastries, bread, Tortilla Espanola including condiments, jam, different types of cereal and much more.

All staff was warm, helpful and efficient.

The memories we took home are about a very different place. It's romantic, peaceful and tranquil. It can be as near to the action as you like, though. When you know your way around, you can reach the Cathedral and Old Town within ten minutes walk.

It's definitely on our return list.

©2013