Stayed here 2 nights after sampling other AC hotels. This seemed to be a flagship property converted with some care from the previous historic building. The standard rooms were stylish but soundproofing was poor (much worse than you'd expect for the price). You could hear noise in adjoining rooms and the echoing corridor. Bathroom walls were adorned in tacky fake plastic tiles - OMG! Restaurant was ridiculously overpriced in a city with so much competition: eat out - we did! Staff were very helpful and it was they who won us over. Shame about the tiles! And if you want a turkish bath ask the reception hours in advance and take a map and torch.

The hotel is beautiful and it's in a good location. The room was more or less big and clean. Nice, but the tile in the bathroom was fake, which I thought was a bit tacky for a 5 star. The minibar was free. The service wasn't 5 star. I ordered an ice-cream in the "library" and after 10 minutes the bartender came over to tell me they were out of my flavor. He proceeded to tell me the flavors they had left and I chose one. After waiting another 10 to 15 minutes we asked the lady at the front desk to send it up to the room. Seconds later the bartender was at our door with less than a scoop of ice-cream. It was all they had left he said and did I want another flavor. By this point I could care less about the ice-cream so I told him that I didn't care. He then gave me the bill: 6 euros! In conclusion, there are better deals in Salamanca. I recommend the NH Castellanos or Hotel San Polo right next door to San Esteban.

We stayed at the hotel for three nights. It's location is perfect...close to the river and to the Plaza Mayor. The hotel staff was very friendly and accomodating. The rooms are large by european standards and have a free mini-bars. The building itself is beautiful as well.

This was our first trip to Salamanca. My husband and I, and the other couple travelling with us live in Spain, and have stayed in over 100 hotels in Spain and other parts of Europe. Coming from North America, and accustomed to the level of service and size of rooms there, we are sometimes disappointed with Spanish hotels in particular. But this one was such a pleasant surprise! It does deserve its 5 star rating (Euopean 5 star). We could not believe when the taxi pulled up, and it looked like we were entering an old castle. ROOMS: The designers were really able to maintain the old style of the building, with exposed stone and beams, and yet the rooms were so sleek and modern. The beds were big, soft, and real queen-size - not 2 twins put together. There was a comfortable loveseat and 2 easy chairs at the end of the bed, and a desk. The bathroom was very modern - all glass and chrome and tile. The rooms and common areas were immaculately clean. Our rooms were on the ground floor, facing the courtyard, which was very green and quiet. We sat for ages watching the nesting cranes from our charming window seat. SERVICE: I don't recall if there was room service or not, but all the staff were very friendly and professional, and spoke good English. I was coming down with a flu one night there, and when we came in after midnight, the desk clerk noticed I was not feeling well, and kindly offered to bring a cup of hot tea to my room, even though it looked like he was the only staff on duty at the time. OTHER: There is a beautiful restaurant where you can dine inside or out, with vaulted exposed stone ceilings. It is pricey, but a wonderful experience for the atmosphere, service, food and excellent wine served by a proper sommelier. There is also a very large library with free internet and plenty of comfy sofas and chairs to relax in. LOCATION: As for location, I don't think you could ask for better. The hotel is attached to an old monastery which we had a very interesting tour in. From there it is about a 10 minute walk to the main plaza/square, all along heavily treed, cobblestone streets. On the way there are countless charming bars and restaurants, parks and other tourist attractions. For nightlife, there are many options, as this is a university town. That also means lots of cheap options for food and drink.We saw lots of discos and more upscale jazz clubs. NEGATIVES: The only negative was that it was unseasonably warm, and we were told the air conditioning in our rooms would not work, as the technician had not yet been to turn on the system for the warm season. At least we could open our windows and have fresh breeze from the courtyard! BOOKING: I booked through booking.com. I think the rate I got was about 85 Euros per night for a double room. The photos on that site do not deceive! I would love to go back to Salamanca. It was a very clean city, full of cultural sights, and is like stepping into another world. Will definitely book this hotel again if we go.