I seem to have taken on the quixotic task of finding a hotel room in Sevilla over Easter weekend. Not many available except at the biggest hotels. <BR>Following advice here, I checked the H-I hotel chain and found Plaza de Armas Hotel listed for $66.67. Sounds like a great rate, but does anyone know the hotel? And is it a reasonable location?<BR>Thanks,<BR>Vera

NH Plaza de Armas is a three star modern hotel located just by the Old NeoArabic Railway Station converted into a new shopping centre. It is also well located to visit the city centre since there is just five minutes walk down Alfonso XII street to get to Campana Square, the commercial heart of the city centre where many processions go by.<BR>

Pedro:<BR>Thanks for your reply about the NH Plaza de Armas. Do you have any other helpful tips for Santa Semana? We will only be in Sevilla Friday until Sunday, but we do not yet have a set itinerary for the week before that.(Have a rental car) Are there any particular village celebrations that we should look for?<BR><BR>Vera

I would recommend you to enjoy the special ambiance of Sevilla during Semana Santa, dining out in tapas bar basis, smelling incense and orange tree flower everywhere and strolling the center of the city looking for the best places to see the procesiones ( each procesion normally is better seen in some particular places of its itinerary ). Some special programmes and brochures edited by local newspapers are really useful to find your way. As for the surroundings I would suggest you Carmona as a very picturesque and full of flavour place in Semana Santa. Jerez could be another good option. If you look for places not certainly related to Semana Santa, Aracena area (Maravillas Cave, Alajar Viewpoint) or Ronda/Grazalema area ( ideal for hiking). Cadiz city also combines perfectly traditions with beach.

Hi, Pedro:<BR>Thanks again, but YIKES! I can't find a hotel room under about $200 (US)during Semana Santa.<BR>Plaza de Arms, $227; San Gil, $176; Hotel Occidental $144;Melia Sevilla $207. Most of the hotels mentioned on this discussion are already booked up--Hotel Simon, De Baeza, Casas de la Mercaderes, La Juderia, Becquer, etc.<BR>Any suggestions for something slightly less expensive that might be available?<BR><BR>We will have a car. If we can find a place in a smaller town near Seville, will it be too difficult to get in and out of town?<BR><BR>Vera Marie<BR>

Vera Marie,<BR><BR>I thought you were joking when you first wrote that you had a $67 rate for a hotel in Sevilla during Semana Santa....there is no such thing! You are probably going to end up paying the premium prices for that season if you are lucky enough to find available space at all and there is nothing to do about it except not go. I have not been in Sevilla during Semana Santa but my understanding is that it is possibly the most crowded city in Span that weekend. We were in Cuenca a couple of years ago during Semana Santa and it was unbelievable. The processions are indescribably beautiful and it is an amazing time in Spain. The processions run every day and night for several days preceeding Easter Sunday and last several hours and snake through many areas of the towns. You do not want to even consider a hotel outside of the center city or as far as you are able to walk as the streets are completely jammed and blocked off to cars so there is no traffic moving at all. And again, these processions last all night so you are not going to be able to watch for a couple of leisurely hours then get in your car and head back to your hotel to sleep. Travelling by car in the city is impoossible! Do not even consider it. <BR><BR>Good Luck!<BR><BR>Maria

Hi fodorites..!!!!! I need more info about the hotels in Sevilla!!!!!!!!! We're planning a short trip there and want to stay just one night in Sevilla but I don't want to spend it in a crappy 2 star. I'm thinking about the Casas y Palacios hotels (Baeza, Juderia or Mercaderes)because of their beautiful architecture but I don't know which one is better or has a better location. They all look so nice on their website.. My brother is considering renting a car and driving from Madrid so I guess we would need a hotel in a convenient location for parking.<BR>Have any of you been to these hotels? What are your impressions? By the way..I'm travelling at the end of January so I guess this is what they consider low season..<BR>

Gracie, <BR>I stayed at the Mercaderes a few years ago (during Semana Santa-gorgeous). It's a lovely hotel(used to be a home, I think , of a banker) with lots of atmosphere, a good location, and modern plumbing. I also visited the Juderia (same owners)..very exotic, Moorish, right in the Santa Cruz barrio. All the rooms were off an interior courtyard. I liked the Juderia better, but either one is a good choice.

Gracie,<BR>I've sent friends to both the Mercaderes and the Juderia and they've enjoyed both. The Mercaderes lacks the "romance factor" of being hidden in a labryinth of Andalusian patios in the heart of the Santa Cruz quarter-it's on a nice commerical street dead center downtown and very near the Cathedral-but both are fine hotels. If you do a text search, you'll find plenty of praise here about them. I toured the Casas del Rey de Baeza, the newest of the 3, and to me it seemed the most lavish in terms of decor, perhaps just because it's the most recently refurbished. All 3 have lovely <BR>furnishings, but the Rey de Baeza is a bit further away from the Cathedral area, tucked into the very northern corner of the Santa Cruz quarter, behind the Casa de Pilatos, a quieter location but still only about a 15 min stroll to the major sites. I think you'll be very plesed with any of the 3.<BR>Incidentally, there's a poster here who works in Seville for Casas y Palacios. I'm hoping she'll read this thread and give you (us) more of the insider's "scoop" on them!

Michele and Maribel, thanks a lot for your help !! It has been very useful. I checked the rates at Juderia and Mercaderes and both offer me great prices for this season but between the two the rate at Mercaderes is a bit more attractive. I know Mercaderes is a 3 star and Juder&iacute;a is a 4 star..I wonder if you can honestly tell the difference between both? What do you think?

I would probably choose Las Casas de la Juder&iacute;a, followed closely by Las Casas de los Mercaderes. The first one maybe wins by its unique ambient almost hidden behind an old palace.

Hotel Amadeaus is owned by a mother & daughter. It's beautiful and relatively inexpensive. You could probably get a room for less than $67.

Stayed at the Las Casas de la Juderia last June and loved it. It is very charming and the location is perfect. The staff was very attentive too! Doubt you can beat it's charm and location elsewhere in Seville.

Hi!<BR>I´m the one who works for the Casas y Palacios chain,at Casas de los Mercaderes. Both Juderia and Mercaderes have great locations for sightseeing, shopping and dining, but it is true that Juderia has more charm. It is not 4 star, actually it´s 3 stars as well as Mercaderes, but it does have more services, like they just opened a restaurant and a charming piano bar<BR>and they have 24 h. room service. <BR><BR>Casas del rey Baeza is 4 star, but is now owned by a different company is undergoing a major renovation.It is a little further away from most sights, but if you like wandering through historic streets, you´ll like it just the same.<BR>

Thanks for your help, everyone... I think I have made up my mind already..now I need help in finding another nice hotel in Granada. What do you think about the Alhambra Palace? I know it's a bit pricey..or the Parador de Granada ? Has anyone been to a nice hotel you can recommend? I'm looking for something around $100 per night.<BR>Thanks againg..

I just stayed at the Hotel Carmen<BR>in Granada a month ago for about <BR>$60 including buffet breakfast.<BR><BR>It´s a modern, confortable hotel in the center, right in the commercial area<BR>andwalking distance from the Cathedral<BR>and the moorish quarter of el Albaic&iacute;n.<BR><BR>It´s a 4 star, and normally it´s a lot more expensive, but you can find cheap<BR>rates like this in the <BR>www.aba-hotels.com webpage. The only drawbacks to the great savings is you have to wait sometimes 2 days for a confirmation adn they charge your card<BR>in advance, with penalty charges for <BR>cancelations and amendments.<BR><BR>The hotel Carmen also has a little rooftop pool with an amazing view to<BR>the snowcapped mountains of Sierra Nevada and a part of the Alhambra.<BR><BR>Also nice: <BR>-Reina Cristina hotel, more modest but also very central.<BR>-Carmen de Santa In&eacute;s y Palacio de Santa<BR>In&eacute;s: 2 little hotels in the moorish quarter, furnished with antiques, some<BR>rooms overlooking the Alhambra.<BR><BR>Let me know if you have other questions!<BR>

Hi Olga, your suggestion of Hotel Carmen sounds just like what I have in mind..I just checked their rates through aba hotels and they only have a rate of 142 euros for a double room which is a bit pricey for me. Do you know if the hotel has its own web page or an e-mail? thanks !! <BR>

Dear Vera,<BR><BR>The Hotel Carmen´s e-mail is <BR>[email protected]<BR><BR>Those hight rates sound like the dates<BR>you are interested in are during Holy Week, when they probably hike their<BR>rates just like we do here in Seville.<BR><BR>Check the www.solmelia.com for the <BR>Melia Granada,a 4 star superior across<BR>the street from the Carmen, they have a rate of about $126 and weekend rates <BR>for $86 .<BR><BR>www.expedia.com also has pretty good<BR>rates on chain hotels, like the Melia<BR>or the NH .<BR><BR>

Hi Olga, again your comments have been very helpful!! I have checked the Melia Granada and the rate is really good...I won't keep on asking you questions since you have already helped a lot. I'll post my comments when I decide between these choices..<BR>