Hotel Faranda Los Tilos, Ascend Hotel Collection

Fab hotel! Miguel was brilliant we've not co.e across many English speaking people here so really appreciate feeling less alien 🤣 my nieces moved out to a coruna in February 2024 and this was a surprise visit to see them!

hotel outside the city. it is valued 3 stars app. not 4 stars as shown in web. can get there at hotel with local transport no.6 or 12. as well as to arrive in the center to visit the cathedral. i think for pass one night is enough.in web explains that airport transfer. is not true, however if you ask for your personal order they can call for taxi to airport, however we took first bus no 6 at 07:20 from the hotel to arrive ave train station. we took bus from the train station at 07:40 to the airport. very good connetion. there is one comercial center the new one just outside the city center, called "As cancela" some good shops there for shopping & as well for fast food. with bus no 11 can get there from the santiago center.

The front desk hotel staff were amazing & so helpful & friendly!

The hotel is set on the outskirts of Santiago, a bus right to the centre leaves almost outside the hotel every 20 minutes and costs €1. Small commercial centre, cafe (not brilliant) and small supermarket in the vicinity little else. A small grassy area with tennis courts used by locals. We parked in a little car parking area below the hotel. It's quite a steep slope up. Both the area and the hotel from the front don't give you much confidence in what you are about to receive. Both look run down, loads of graffiti on the local commercial centre and units closed, rubbish and graffiti round the hotel area , long grass and weeds surrounding the hotel. Took absolutely ages for someone to come to reception to check us in although later he was extremely helpful in telling us how to get to Santiago centre. Twin room OK, good size but a bit dark and gloomy outlook. Fridge with two bottles of water in (were they free or not?). Bathroom good size but chipped tiles, worn bath, hot/warm water coming from both taps on basin, clean towels. Large TV and Wi-fi, neither used. The whole hotel felt 'dead' and 'gloomy' maybe because it was out of high season. That feeling continued through breakfast which ostensibly was a buffet. Very little choice, only one other person in the dining room, server not particularly friendly, made us coffee and that was about it. For one night it was adequate but I wouldn't want to stay there any longer.

When our group arrived, we noticed lights kept flickering till it was complete darkness. Some of the people were trapped in the elevator. I went down to reception and they said it will be fixed. Much later I noticed there was some noise and I asked if they are using a generator and they said yes. Hardly anyone speaks english. They tried to look for a staff who does because its been hours late at night and we were all jittery with the unstable power supply. Apparently the hotel runs on generator at all times! We asked for flashlight because you can't see anything in the room. I just used my phone as light. It was a horrible evening. Their dining area looks like a worn cafeteria. I asked our tour operator to change our hotel or I sue. In the morning there was power but it still kept flickering. The location is outside santiago de compostela and our driver said it was in a diff city up the hilll. Nothing around. I can't imagine why it was rated a 4 star hotel. Its more like 1 star.