It is definitely worth the effort to visit Leon, but is it worth the money to stay at the Parador? My answer would be "No".

The view from the front of the building is stunning - no doubt about that. You then find out that your accomodation is in the large "modern" wing which is hidden around the back. In fact, although this looks a bit grim and out of place, the rooms are not that bad - well furnished in the usual Parador style, and quite large, with a spacious balcony. The breakfast was very good, but this room was also modern, so no special ambience.

Although the free secure parking is a bonus, the hotel's location is not ideal, being about a 20 minute walk through uninteresting city streets until you get to Leon's beautiful medieval centre.

Our problem was with the general experience at this Parador, which could be summed up as "too big to care". It is a massive business, in which the hotel guests play only a small part alongside the multiple weddings, reunions and seminars which take place in the Parador's many conference and dining rooms. We felt like ants in a magnificent ant heap.

As for the staff, they seem to take pride in an attitude which dances constantly on the cusp of boredom and rudeness. They stick rigidly within job demarcation lines which are so strict that they are reminiscent of the attitudes of British industry 50 years ago. Any questions we asked were met with the shortest possible answer - devoid of any additional information which might be useful. Perhaps it was our misfortune to stay on a Saturday, during which the place was heaving with people and the revels went on well into the night.

If you want to see the hotel's medieval features, just walk in. Despite the numerous "reserved for clients" signs, nobody will stop you so long as you look like a tourist or a reception guest.

Our overall impression was that we were minced finely through a vast money making machine - totally in contrast to any other Parador we have stayed at. So my advice would be to stay elsewhere (perhaps closer to the centre) and drop by the Parador to look around. It is at least worth that.

Some friends, my partner and I spent one night at this Parador last February. Paradors in Spain are exclusive 4 to 5 star state-owned hotels, often beautifully set in castle and other historical buildings, sometimes modern, but always - in theory, at least - offering some kind of "encanto" ie something that makes them unique and charming. That should explain the fact that, although they are run by the government, they are quite expensive.
Since it was the first time I spent a night at a Parador, I won't make any comments on Paradors in general; I can't make comparisons and it wouldn't be fair. But honestly I was quite disappointed with the León Parador.
The building is simply majestic and breathtaking, definitely one of the most impressive sights in this pretty and interesting Spanish town. When we were approaching the Parador, we could hardly belive it was our hotel... It is because it was a convent and, in fact, the building includes a church, still in function! So the first impression is undoubtedly awe-inspiring. We parked at the hotel's car park, which is free and walked into the Parador through the back door... that's when you start to realise that there is a catch. Behind the marvellous front building and church stands a huge unattractive modern building which hosts many of the Parador's rooms. It probably dates back to the 60's and it holds all the charm of the buildings of that sad era of criminal building design. You enter the hotel and you get the feeling that everything inside is fake, given the fact that the interior now looks medieval. Also, it does not exactly look ancient, rather, old and dusty. Anyway, as soon as you enter the original building you realise you are in a magnificent heritage site: a majestic staircase leads you down to the reception area, passing past a lush garden enclosed in a marvellous cloister dotted with statues. It doesn't come as a surprise when you read that some parts of the Parador actually belong to the León museum. That is exactly the point... it is a shame that such a beautiful building can only be partially visited by the general public. It should just be regarded as a unique historical site rather than sacrificing it to host a mediocre hotel. You certainly don't need to pay 150 euros to visit a museum, I'd rather pay 10 euros for it and use the rest of that budget to sleep in a comfortable hotel that's worth that money. In fact, the rooms were ridiculous for a 5 star hotel. The level of comfort and design would barely deserve 3 stars: our rooms were quite big but everything looked worn and old, from the carpet to the curtains, from the bed to the tiles in the bathroom. They definitely didn't look welcoming nor comfortable, rather desolating and mouldy.
Same with the common areas. We decided to explore the whole Parador - which is huge - and we discovered halls, conference rooms, reading rooms... it all retained that unpleasant grim feel.
The staff were quite unfriendly, I suppose due to the fact that they are civil servants, and we all know how passionate they are about their job.
The breakfast at least was very good. I wasn't very hungry because the night before I had some really heavy Leonese fare, but the quantity, variety and quality of the food offered was outstanding. You could choose from 3 or 4 huge tables where all kinds of food were displayed: from the typical continental breakfast staples - yoghurt, milk, juice, croissants, cereals, fruit - to tens of different cakes and pastries, to cold local meats and cheeses to many of the terribly tasty and greasy Leonese specialties I had the night before, including sausages, morcilla (a thick sausage made of pig blood and rice), fried green peppers, migas (a preparation made of bread crumbs mixed with other ingredients), which my friends dove into to my astonishment. Of course, just the breakfast can't be worth the stay or the price, but it nicely counterbalanced the poor level of the hotel in other areas.
All in all I would say, if you are staying in León, then go to the Parador, but don't sleep there! Just visit the public areas and maybe sneak into the private ones (the uninterested staff won't probably notice you anyway), that's what's really worth about the hotel. Then stay elsewhere, I am sure you can get much more in terms of confort and service for that price.

A gorgeous hotel in a historically significant town on the Camino de Santiago. During my two previous stays in the city as a pilgrim, I had been in one of the albergues so I jumped at the chance to stay in the parador. Unfortunately, we were given rooms in the "modern" part of the hotel that almost completely ruined any of the historic charm the establishment has. This is our only complaint so, travelers, be wary and insist on booking a room in the historic hospital itself. Be sure to explore all the parador has to offer - you will not be disappointed!

This parador has an imposing facade facing onto an imposing square. The public areas inside are majestic as well! But the rooms -- although not shabby or worn -- are on the fourth floor -- and there is a vague feeling of claustrophobia. Everyone seemed to be sent up there -- and seemed a little puzzled as to why... Breakfast was a feast! However, we didn't eat dinner in the dining room -- Leon has interesting restaurants -- more interesting than the parador's.