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17th century convent (4*)
Located in the centre of the historic city of Alcalá de Henares, birthplace of the great writer Cervantes, the Parador occupies the site of the 17th century Dominican Collegiate-Convent of Santo Tomás de Aquino and is built around the original courtyard. The Parador has preserved the original features of the remaining structures and combined these with 21st century installations to create a comfortable hotel with a very modern feel. The Parador’s Hostería del Estudiante restaurant is a very traditional establishment located opposite the hotel in the Colegio Menor de San Jerónimo and which has views of the Patio Trilingüe of the Universidad de Alcalá de Henares. Together they form part of the monumental buildings' collection of the city of Alcalá de Henares, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1998.
The old building consists of nine suites and the restaurant, function rooms and leisure areas, and the new building houses 120 bedrooms. This historic hotel also has a seasonal outdoor swimming pool in addition to a fully equipped spa offering a soothing array of treatments. For dinner, the Parador has two options for guests to try: the contemporary-styled San Tomás restaurant within the main building which is open daily as well as the original Hostería restaurant which predates the current hotel and still opens from Wednesday through to Sunday. We certainly recommend trying both, and you will enjoy the thoroughly authentic dining experience of the Hostería where guests can sample dishes which remain true to traditional regional gastronomy. This is a lovely city to stroll around with beautiful architecture to enjoy and a popular terrace culture on warm summer evenings. Easily reachable by taxi from Madrid airport which is 18 miles away and with frequent rail connections to Madrid itself.
Alcalá de Henares’ important archaeological sites are a reflection of the presence of the many different peoples and cultures who have at one time made it their home. Founded by the Celtiberians, the city was occupied at various times by both the Romans and the Moors before the Reconquista of 1118. From that date onwards the medieval centre of the city developed around an ancient temple of San Yuste and today’s visitors will enjoy navigating around the clusters of historic buildings that make up the city centre.
Alcalá de Henares continued to grow in importance and soon developed into a preeminent centre of culture and education, in the 13th century it was decided that Alcalá de Henares would centre itself as a studium generale a type of medieval university and in 1499 the Complutense University (today the Universidad de Alcalá) was founded in the city and it went on to play a prominent role in European Renaissance culture as well as in the development of the Spanish language. Miguel de Cervantes’ birth here in 1547 sealed Alcalá’s position as a centre of great literary importance and the prestigious prize which bears his name has been awarded in the city each year since 1976 to honour a writer in the Spanish language. To honour the birthplace of such an important author you can visit the Cervantes House Museum, a typically Castilian construction with a courtyard surrounded by outbuildings. Furniture and implements give an idea of what life was like in the 17th century. and it is fascinating to see the collection of varied material related to his work, such as old editions of 'Don Quixote' and numerous translations.
The historical old town of Alcalá de Henares has appeared on the UNESCO World Heritage list since 1998 and is one of the most beautiful and well-conserved cities in Europe. It is an emerging tourist destination and magnificently positioned in terms of its historical and literary legacy to attract cultural tourists. Alcalá de Henares is superbly situated for day trips to Madrid and its surrounding area and the capital offers various opportunities for shopping and sight-seeing, including the Gran Via, the Royal Palace, the upmarket Salamanca district and the important art galleries of the Prado, Reina Sofia and Thyssen.
For seasonal Parador pool opening times please visit our information on pools page.
Santo Tomas Restaurant (main Parador restaurant)
Breakfast: 7.00 to 10.30 (Mon-Fri) and 8.00 - 11.30 (Sat & Sun).
Lunch: 13.30 to 15.15
Dinner: 20.30 to 22.30. It may be possible to arrive up to 22.00 and still enjoy a meal.
Restaurante la Hostería del Estudiante (open Wednesday to Saturday)
Lunch: 13.30 to 15.15
Dinner: 20.30 to 22.30
Sunday: lunch service only from 13.30 to 15.15
Cafeteria is open from 10.30 to midnight (from 11.15 on weekends) serving bar snacks and lighter dishes.
The ancient San Jerónimo College is found within the setting of the charismatic history of Alcalá de Henares. Its proximity to monumental treasures such as the San Ildefonso Chapel, the Archbishop's Palace and the baroque convent of Las Bernadas, can be extended to include the Spanish capital. Madrid is just 26 km away along the E-90, towards nearby Guadalajara and Zaragoza.
Garage parking for a daily charge and facilities for charging electric vehicles, the cost of which is payable locally.
At the very heart of the country, Madrid and its surrounding region have endless activities to offer visitors from world class museums, to cultural sites and delicious food. The two Paradors here are historic hotels and have excellent transport connections from the capital.
