A Quinta da Auga

Don Nicolás de Santamarina built the Laraño paper mill in 1792 on the banks of the Sar River to take advantage of its motive power. In 1834 it was one of the most important factories in Galicia, with 48 employees producing six thousand annual shipments. In 1833 it was proposed to convert it into a lazaretto for 200 people, the first idea of hotel use. The colonial trade crisis forced its closure. It later became a fulling mill for pickling fabrics, then a stone and wood sawmill, and in the first half of the 20th century an ice and beer factory. When the Lorenzo García family bought it in 2003, it was all weeds. After six years of renovation, it opened in 2009 as a Relais & Châteaux hotel.

The building preserves the original masonry and unique vestiges of its industrial past: the fourth floor has twice as many windows as the rest because it was where paper was dried by hanging threads between columns. There are still the marks of these columns in the stone, the original water channels and the window shutters to protect against theft. The 8,000 m² are distributed in a central nave from the 18th century and two side aisles from the 19th century, plus contemporary extensions. The restoration respected the original structure and even the water pipes, with environmentally friendly installations. The interior offers a cozy French-inspired country house style.

The hotel is on the outskirts of Santiago de Compostela, in a hectare of countryside on the banks of the Sar River. The Cathedral of Santiago, goal of the Camino, is nearby. The historic center, a World Heritage Site, is within easy reach. The Costa da Morte and the Rías Baixas offer day trips. The Galician countryside with pazos, hórreos and Albariño vineyards completes the experience.