Has anyone used TRafalgar, Globus or Gate1 for a trip to Spain? I never do it that way but am considering trying for a solo trip the end of December. Any help would be appreciated!!

I've pretty much settled on using Globus/Cosmos. Globus includes more than Cosmos but of course is more expensive. My tour style is to eat at my own choice of restaurants (I'm never sorry I missed included meals) and get my own excursions online. That way I see what I want. So Cosmos is best for me. I shop itinerary and use the company as transportation between cities and to have my hotel booked.

That's an interesting approach and one I would likely use! Have you ever done one of their Spain trips? I'm assuming that when you say you book your excursions online, you do it with something you have read or heard about rather than just pay for their add on program? Thanks for the reply.

There are LOTS of websites like viator.com that offer excursions in cities in Europe. I used Cosmos for a Portual/Spain/Morocco tour it was great. It's always a good idea to let the tour director know right away that you tend to wander off on your own. They will say, fine. Just make sure you are at the bus when it leaves town for the next one. They will tell you this right away.

Through the years I have been on 3 Globus tours and enjoyed them all. They are hectic, lots of up and go, pack & bags at the door at 7 am. The motor coaches are comfortable. The last one was an "at leisure tour" which was great as the pace was less hectic. Globus had good quality hotels but usually in less central locations so if you wanted to wander alone it was further from most of the main sites. For instance the Intercontinental Castellana in Madrid. Great hotel, a bit far from the action.

Globus included several dinners, for the money a good value as the dinners were begter than expected. But you are forced to mingle with the group so it is anyone's guess how everyone gets along. We just did out best and accepted people as they were.
If you plan on a tour, I would not recommend anything lower than 1st class as it is just good/standard to you if you are from USA. (Not luxury.) Brendan is somehow the same as Globus
Gate 1 I have not done yet but I like some of their hotels, and they have several unescorted independent packages. Tauk is higher end with better quality hotels etc. I have heard that Trafalgar is just a notch better tha Globus. What I would do is compare the hotels used, then check them on TA. I consulted the tour companies directly as well as affordabletours.com which sells some of the packages from all those companies at a small 5-10% discount.

Many people are quick to dismiss tours. They have plusus and minusus. You do get herded about, so be ready for that. The at leisure itinereary had much more free time. I preferred one which included the Ave from Madrid to Sevilla, fast & comfortable.
I recommend getting a pre-night to get over jet lag.
Especially as a solo it should be lots of fun!

Thanks to you both! I'll check out all you mentioned. I haven't found a tour that mentions the Intercontinental in Madrid as a hotel so I may be missing something or perhaps it isn't offered when I need to go. Am also looking into Insight Tour of Spain since it seems their hotels are more central than Trafalgar and perhaps Globus. Down side is they drive from Madrid to Barcelona on the second day!

Gate1 offers the nonstop from DC to Madrid and also seems to have less included, which could end up being a plus. Sure seems there is a lot to weigh on the pros and cons of each operator!!

They do have pros and cons but it's nice to roll into town, sit a few mins in the hotel lobby, TD calls your name hands you a key, and they bring up your bags. True some hotels are not in town but there are usually people going in and you can share a taxi. Also the companies have a knack of being right on a public transportation line. Even with expensive tours they stay out of town because they need chain type hotels that hold 50 people. city hotels are usually too small.

yes Travmimi is right about everthing. The hotel choices are usually larger chains, and though further out sometimes, better quality. I checked and sure enough did not see the Intercontintinental any more on the tour we took. (it was very very nice, I was surprised really)

I was once on a Globus Tour that booked the Emperador in Madrid (1991)so you never know.In general though expect big chains further out in the big cities.

Your comment re leving Madrid so quicky; yes they typically do. That is one reason we like to book a pre night, or two. These tours give a taste of the city, really enough time. So for those staring or ending in
Madrid or Bcn you might extend..

Insight looks interesting, I have heard good things. As to the independence, how much alone time do you wish to have? All meals ? Maybe then consider unescorted & do the city tours with the hotel groups?

Thanks again for the help---I really lucked out with being able to use American FF miles and got Iberia for 40,000 mile RT out of Dulles on their new nonstop.

Dates will work with either the Insight or Globus tours so will noodle it a bit more. People have seemed gererally satisfied with Globus, the hotels are OK (not great but OK enough) and there's a reasonable amount of time away from the group. I may pass on the Insight one and do Barcelona later with a friend.