Parador Benavente
The Parador in Benavente is a renaissance castle which was constructed under the order of Fernando II of Leon and was the seat of las Cortes in 1202. It is part of the old town, set within the town’s ancient city walls. 
It was almost destroyed in 1808 during the Spanish War of Independence but the huge Torre del Caracol (tower of the snail) survived, it has a lounge with an impressive Mudejar coffered ceiling.
Surrounded by beautiful gardens, the castle’s interior has classical decorative features such as tapestries, forged lamps, coffered ceilings, as well as Spanish bricks and woods. Its spectacular rooms are specially equipped to be an ideal location for social gatherings. The sleep-inducing bedrooms are cosy and accommodating, and the restaurant offers local cuisine: Bacalao a la tranca (cod with boiled egg), arroz a la zamorana (rice and pork dish), dos y pingada (fried egg and bacon on bread) and tocino de cielo (custard caramel).
My wife & I used this Parador as an overnight stop between Northern Portugal & Santander. Benavente town is uninspiring but the Parador is excellent. The room was spacious & comfortable with a pleasant balcony. The staff were very helpful and their English was substantially better than our Spanish. We had a superb dinner in the restaurant at a very reasonable cost. Service was very attentive & friendly. There’s an atmospheric bar in what may have been the old dungeons for a nightcap. The buffet breakfast was first class with an enormous choice. It was very imaginative with tiny bite-size warm sandwiches containing scrambled egg or bacon. The continental choice was vast. Recommended.
We use Benavente Parador as an overnight stop off when travelling from Santander to the South.
The rooms are typically “Parador”, very clean and well maintained.
Rooms with a balcony are preferred.
The staff are very friendly, efficient and helpful.
We felt comfortable and rested after our short stay.
We will be back!
My son and I spent one night at the Parador Benevente in May. We found the Parador on line and booked it due to it’s location on our planned route. We were very pleased with the room, it’s size and cleanliness. It had everything we needed. The restaurant was exceptional both for the quality of the food and the service we received. I would recommend the Parador’s of Spain and Benevente in particular to anyone looking for a quality facility at a fair price.