We used Tirso Tarrago for our recent first-time purchase, and I can't recommend him highly enough. He really took time to explain the process, what to look out for, why certain things are important and so on. His communication - always in good English - was truly excellent throughout. It really felt like we had someone looking out for our interests at all times.
Our estate agents didn't recommend a solicitor, but said they could if we needed one. We preferred to make that decision ourselves, for reasons others have stated in this thread. We started by going through this forum and elsewhere to gather a few recommendations, contacted several of them, met two in person and chose Tirso. And we're really pleased we did. We've used him on a couple of lesser things since, and his advice and level of professionalism have been impeccable. A big thumbs up from this quarter.
Good luck with your purchase!