Hotels and places to stay in León

León has more accommodation than it seems, and the offer is quite spread out. If you're coming to see the city, the most practical thing is to stay inside the old town or very close to calle Ancha and plaza de San Marcelo. There you have the cathedral, the palacio de los Guzmanes and the tapas area of calle de la Rúa and surroundings. Everything is done on foot, and at night there's atmosphere without needing to take a car. The barrio Húmedo is right next door, but keep in mind that it's noisy on weekends; if you prefer to rest, look for a quieter street within the same perimeter, such as the area of the cathedral towards the east or the surroundings of plaza del Grano.

If you come by car or need lower prices, the area of avenida de Ordoño II and the surroundings of the train station works for you. It's not as pretty, but it's well connected and there's easier parking. The barrio de San Lorenzo, north of the old town, is an intermediate option: more residential, with good bars and ten minutes on foot from the center. For those looking for total peace and quiet, the area of Eras de Renueva or the surroundings of parque del Cid are acceptable, although you'll have to walk a little more for everything. Outside the city, the villages of the alfoz such as Trobajo del Camino or Puente Castro offer holiday homes and some aparthotels, but you need your own vehicle.

As for prices, the cheapest you'll find is between November and February, except for Christmas week and the December long weekend. In March and October prices rise somewhat, but you can still find rooms below average. The most expensive time is Semana Santa, the summer (especially August, due to the festivities and the heat) and weekends with events such as the León Medieval or concerts at the Auditorio. To get there, the AVE train from Madrid takes about two hours and leaves you twenty minutes on foot from the old town; the bus from the Chamartín station is cheaper but takes three and a half hours. If you come by plane, the aeropuerto de León is six kilometers away, but it has few connections; the usual thing is to fly to Valladolid or Madrid and combine with train or rental car. Within the city, get around on foot; the center is small. To go to the area of the cathedral or to the Hostal Misericordia, which is next to plaza de San Marcelo, you don't need transport. If you stay on the outskirts, the city bus works well during the day, but at night the frequencies drop a lot.

Before booking, check if the accommodation has an elevator, because many old buildings in the old town don't have one and the stairs are steep. Also check if the price includes breakfast or if there's a shared kitchen, especially in apartments such as the Estudio GVSM or the Domus Oncinae Fabia, which are usually studios with a small kitchen. Check the cancellation policies: in apartments they are usually stricter than in hotels. And if you travel by car, confirm if there's a garage or nearby parking; in the center it's complicated and expensive. At HotelsCasa you currently have 310 accommodations in León, with an average price of 131 euros per night and the lowest from 52 euros. The average category is 3.3 stars, and most are apartments (224), followed by hotels (40), guest houses (26), holiday homes (8), aparthotels (5) and bed and breakfast accommodations (3). Real examples of what you can find are the Hostal Misericordia, the Domus Oncinae Fabia, the Estudio GVSM or the Entrevias Lodging, the latter with garage and wifi included.