Recently, I’ve taken a trip with my dog to As Catedrais beach in Ribadeo, Galicia and we needed a place to stay in the area.
We chose to stay at Refugio o Castro which turned out to be a great choice. The place is really a dream. The name Refugio (refuge) perfectly describes it.
If you are looking for a place to stay overnight near Playa de las Catedrales, I can definitely recommend this hotel with your dog. For a full breakdown of my experience, read the review below.
DOG FRIENDLINESS
My dog was welcome here. It says so right on the entrance: Well behaved dogs are welcome. She was even allowed to join me in the restaurant for breakfast. Very nice!
THE LOCATION
The hotel is located directly at the beach on the so aptly named Carretera de la Playa. When you are on the balconey, the sea is literally at your feet. It is fantastic.
Directly behind the hotel, there are a few stairs leading down to a beautiful, sandy, quiet beach. I asked and yes: My dog was allowed on the beach!
Please note that from May 15th to September 15th and during Easter, this may not be the case according to local rules (spanish source) but I cannot be 100% sure.
From the hotel, you can walk to the famous As Catedrais beach along the Camino Natural de la Ruta del Cantábrico. It takes between 60-90 minutes and it is a beautiful walk. Highly recommended.
To me, the location was perfect. The only thing missing were some restaurants in the immediate area, but in the busy season this could be different. There was however a supermarket about a 5mins drive away which was very convenient.
THE ROOM
The room was very nice but a bit small, if I’m honest. It featured a large double bed as well as a small desk and chair and a rather small closet. That was it. There was simply no space to put my luggage, I ended up keeping it open on the bed, but if you are two people in the room that is not going to work.
The bathroom was also on the smaller side with virtually no counter space. Again, I had problems with where to keep my things. It works for a couple of nights, but if I was staying longer I think this would really have annoyed me.
Don’t get me wrong, the room was nice. There was also a balconey (again, small) with a small table and two chairs. The view was amazing. The sea is at your feet. It is gorgeous. Gorgeous. I absolutely loved it. But I loved it more if there was more space to keep my things.
THE SERVICE
The service was good. The hotel staff contacted me already before my arrival to check if I needed any directions, and during check-in the receptionist pointed out some open restaurants in the vicinity and gave us tips on the best time to visit As Catedrais beach (during low tide!).
She also mentioned that we could reach out to her with any questions that we have on whatsapp. During our stay, the staff also followed up multiple times to see if there was anything that we needed. Very proactive, friendly, and helpful!
THE VALUE
At this hotel, I paid 89 EUR per night including breakfast, parking and my dog. I loved the place, but for being a little more rural and during low season, this borders on expensive compared to a few other places, especially given the small room and rather basic breakfast.
Again, we had a great time here, so I still feel that I got good value. I am tempted to say that it was a little pricy for what you get from the hotel itself though. On the other hand, I might be willing to pay even more for the fantastic view and tranquility of the place, so I am torn.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Overall, this hotel was a good choice. We were there for only two nights, but it was really a refuge. I am not exaggerating when I say it felt like a dream. The views, the tranquility, wide, sandy, quiet beaches at our doorstep to enjoy with the pup, falling asleep to the sound of the waves. Does it get better? However, in fairness I can only rate the hotel itself a 4/5 as the room and breakfast were a little too barebones for the price.
A trip with my dog 