Parador Olite
The Parador in Olite occupies part of a majestic palace-castle that dates back to the 15th Century and has been declared a National Monument. The communal areas and some of the bedrooms are within the palace-castle itself, and the remaining rooms are housed in an annex building.
Its stone walls enclose a multitude of features that enhance the Medieval atmosphere of the building. Stained glass windows, archways and other typically Medieval elements can still be seen today inside and on the facade of the palace-castle.
The brick columns and arches in the restaurant area provide an excellent setting to enjoy local produce such as asparagus from Navarre, piquillo peppers, lamb al chilindron (cooked with tomatoes and peppers) and cod ajoarriero (with garlic and peppers).
Information and reservations at Parador of Olite
Stayed at the hotel for three nights and i was wery pleased with the stay.
The room was very nice and clean. A very comfortable bed. Both breakfast and dinner were very nice and worth the money.
A couple of nice small shops in the surroundings and nice atmosphere.
I would recommend this hotel to my friends as an alternative to a normal hotel in the middle of a town like Pamplona.
Allthough the paradore was delightful, eventually, having walked around the town to find a typico spanish restaurant – none – reataurants? – we had bar food not being able to face a full restaurant meal. Nowhere to have a drink outside. Would we revisit – NO.
I will attempt to leave a comment. But after reading the wonderful comments left by others my attempt to compliment may fail in comparison. I was equaly impressed and satisfied. My son and I arrived by bicycle from Pamploma’s San Fermin and the contrast couldn’t have been greater – fewer crowds quieter rooms and medival atmosphere and no one throwing sangria on us (although that was an enjoyable experience as well with my son running with the bulls). We litterly rode into the hotel and were greeted as if that is done every day.
Thanks again for a pleasant and peaceful stay. After a well earned rest we hopped on our bikes and headed to the Rioja to taste the wine.
mucho gracias
until next time
John and Joe Wessel
PS we made it to Santiago for the festival of Santiago on July 24/25 and stayed in two other paradors with equivalent pleasure – Santo Domingo de la Calzada and Leon. Now if you could only procure that Gaudi palace in Astorga and convert it in to a parador I may be tempted to come back to northern Spain for another camino.
I stayed there for one night and it was a truly memorable place for me. My room was gorgeous, very luxurious. The grounds around the hotel were lovely, and the food in the dining room was excellent. All the people were very welcoming and warm, and did everything the could to make sure our stay was pleasant. I really enjoyed the history and the atmosphere of this utterly charming place. I highly recommend it to anyone!!!!!!
Muy Reservation Team mío:
the three paradores we were at (Olite, Santo Domingo de la Calzada and Zamora) were quite different but equally exquisite, each in its own right.
Zamora was the best because of the view over the river Duero and the magnificent pool, but while we were breaking our fast there one morning, a diplomat of some renown assured me that the one at Mazagón is even better, because it lies by the sea (but not in an antique historical building). De gustibus et locis non discutandum…
I can say only one thing: we had a wonderful time at all three, and we have only praise for the magnificent interior design and settings. My wife actually got lost in Zamora’s labyrinthine corridors. We wished for peace and quiet, and got it !
The food was delicious in each of your restaurants and my daughter, who is a vegetarian, was happily surprised at the menu card which specially provided for her needs.
Sometimes a parador (in French = “seems like gold” or ‘to sleep well’) is more like an actual museum, but as a lover of history and suits of armour i felt totally at home. I’m trying hard to find something to complain about, but there is nothing, really. People who wish for modern chic with steel design need to go elsewhere, obviously.
Staff were forthcoming and entirely on top of their jobs. Also, there were never any snobs amongst the clientèle.
I wish to make a special personal compliment for Josefa (Pepi) at Zamora and a nice gentleman from Salamanca who is head of reception at Olite.
I also much enjoyed the foyers/lobbies and salons.
One question has remained unanswered in my mind: in Olite’s drawing-room pre-dinner salon, there hangs on the left wall as you enter a magnificent dark painting about a Grande suffering severely, enchained in a dank prison dungeon: its tenebrism is so striking that i wondered whether it was by Ribera or Velàzquez. It looked for all the world like a genuine Baroque original….
Hoping to come to Spain again next year I remain, Señoras y Señores,
very much your grateful guest,
Pat van Beirs
(Flandes)
Our first stay in a Parador and it certainly did not disappoint. The staff could not have been more helpful, our room was delightful and, having eaten in other Paradors in the past, we were expecting outstanding food with a local twist which was exactly what we received. The discounted rate for seniors was the icing on the cake !
It was just marvellous.
Het was fantastisch. Alleen dat de Spanjaarden zo laat eten, was iets waar ik en mijn vrouw ons nooit hebben kunnen aanpassen.
We enjoyed our stay . It was reasonably easy to get to by bus , and then a taxi (although thay were a bit hard to find)The staff were polite and helpful , and we enjoyed staying in the older part , with all its character . We were continuing on to Hondaribbia to stay , and didnt have a meal in the dining room . I regreted this after , as the dining room was well set up and inviting . It would have been easier to get about with a car , but it did mean that we had a good look at the village and enjoy this . The wine museum near by was excellent .
I stayed here twice – en route to Almeria and also for 2 nights on the return. Superior Rooms in the old part of the Parador are great with four poster beds and are cool being well air conditioned and on the shaded side of the building in the afternoon. The restaurant has a varied menu and excellent good value recommended wines. Try the local asparagus stuffed with mushrooms and foie gras before being deep fried in a light batter. Follow this with the fillet steak – solomillo de ternera (english menu says sirloin) tempranillo sauce and the tiramisu ice cream plus a glass of the local moscatel. My thanks to the lovely staff for making our stays very memorable.
I stayed at the Olite in April 2011 and had a great stopover. The town is lovely. The hotel staff were excellent and the room and facilities were excellent. My only concern was that the car park was not appropriate as i was thinking that it would be closer and more safe. Overall very good place
It was our first time to stay in parador. We had had a little bit concern about the cleanliness and facilities, such as bath tab, lighting and so on before the trip. All the concern were blown away once we checked in. People were so nice and friendly, the room was clean and tidy. Very good!
this was our second stay at Olite which we really enjoyed, the location of the hotel is just great we have found the town and it surroundings to be really nice.
The hotel itself is great, full of history, the rooms may be a little small but nothing to complain about , the reataurant is just fine.
Parking is a problem , maybe because we are used to City life and the security risks attached we fell a little uneasy leaving our car and contents in a public carpark.
Looking forward already to returning next year .
This was our first stay in a Parador and it did not disappoint. Reception staff were most helpful and the rooms were superb. Room was on the front of the hotel which was solid stone so no view. Location was good and we managed to park close by. Breakfast was excellent with plenty of choice. However I would not recommend the restaurant for an evening meal. It was expensive, the waiting staff were not particularly helpful and the food really not up to standard for the price we paid. Ideal location for visiting Los Bardenas Reales, Tudela and Foz Abayun. Local fiesta on when we visited which was great fun and a tour round the palace is a “must”.
We had a lovely stay at Parador de Olite. Beautiful room with view, great staff and good food. The town of Olite and its castle are defintiely worth a visit. Recommended!
Most things about Parador Olite were excellent as we have come to expect (this is the 23rd. parador my wife and I have visited during the last four years or so). We were well looked after at reception and our room, its facilities and its view were suberb. Our drinks were taken outside with fine views of the surrounding countryside and the restaurant had a good atmosphere with a wide choice of food which was not over regionalised. The visit to the adjacent palace was interesting, however,although we were able to unload the car close to the entrance, the allocated parking was too far away.
The approach road into Olite was blocked off by a huge grandstand at the Palace/Castle, but we eventually found another way into the town only to find that car parking was some 150 metres away from the Parador (although you can off load and load quite close to the main entrance). Reception was very friendly and the view from our room overlooked the nearby monestary vineyard with good views to distant hills. The food in the restaurant was very good given the limited choice. The town is interesting and a walk around the castle is a must.
March 2010
We loved our stay in this Parador. It was so nice and clean and a wonderful location!!
We really enjoyed the stay. The surrounding village was a small wonder of beautiful small, quiet steets and a lively townsquare.
We have recommended Olite and the Paradors in general to friends and family.
We visited Olite at fiesta time and enjoyed seeing the running of the bulls.However we came to the conclusion that the chef must have had the night off as our dinner was the worst meal we had during a 15 day tour of Northern Spain. The Parador is excellent and our room was very comfortable. Olite is a lovely town. What a pity about the food.
We enjoyed this parador.We found that everything about this hotel was of high standard except one thing:the parking -too far and not convenient.Yet, we would happily recommend it to our friends.
We loved this parador! Our room was elegant, air conditioned and comfortable. The resturant was superb, a good choice of menu, everything you could want for your breakfast was available, excellent.
The decor in this parador isinteresting and tasteful, the staff were extremely helpful and Jorge makes the best Irish coffee you’ve ever had!
The town of Olite is interesting and a visit to the castle a must.
Everything about this parador was of the highest standard and we would highly recommend it.
We were very satisfied with all aspects of the parador – in spite of having to park away from the hotel in a safe area a hundred yards from the village. It was quiet and comfortable.
Our room had an enclosed balcony overlooking vineyards to the rear and a side view of the adjacent castle – quite delightful. The food was excellent and the staff pleasant and helpful.
The historical monument was an unexpected pleasure to visit. We would recommend it and happily stay again.
Unfortunately my husband thought we were on the Bilbao ferry for one night but it was two, so we missed our stay at Parador Olite.
Hopefully we’ll be able to come another time!
The hotel was in a quiet location and the room was pleasant but not overly large. Parking was difficult and somewhat exposed when the car was full of the things we needed for 6 weeks away from home. The restaurant was elegant and the food good. The surroundings were interesting and the town was lively . Staff at the hotel were polite and helpful. We would stay in the hotel again.