Charles G

Well, lets cut to the chase, my wife to be and I will be leaving to Spain on 11/7/99 arriving in Madrid on 11/8/99. We will spend five days in Madrid then three days in Seville, then four days in Barcelona, then three days in San Sebastian before finally returning back to Spain to head back home. I need help in deciding what to do, where to eat, entertainment(guitar, concerts, flamenco, etc.) and transportation between cities (Ave bullet trains). Oh, can someone please explain to me how I get BANCOTEL TALONARIOS!! Nevetheless, I will be staying at a Hotel called Lea Beny in Madrid, can't find anything on this hotel anywhere, then in Seville will be staying at the Alfonso, then in Barcelona will be staying at the Ritz and finally in San Sebastian will be staying at the Maria Christina. Please rate these hotels and give ideas for us honeymooners. I have been so busy I have not been able to plan anything romatic. Suggestions are appreciated.

Maribel

Charles, <BR> First the Talonarios. You'll find info at www.bancotel.es I have used them every year for the past six years, since they first came out and have the current catalogue or "user's guide" here in front of me. They are sold in coupon books ("talonarios") of 5 coupons ("talones") per book. If you do not use all the coupons you purchase, you can't usually get a refund. (I do have a travel agent friend in Madrid who buys back from me my unused "talones", but that's the exception rather than the rule). You don't need to purchase them until you arrive in Madrid, as all travel agencies in the city sell them, but when you make your reservations (but it appears that you have already have them made), you MUST inform the hotels you'll be paying with BANCOTEL coupons (each hotel sets a limit or "cupo" to the number of rooms per night that can be sold with these coupons). If you decide to go this route, you or your travel agent will need to inform the hotels that you'll be paying your bill this way. <BR> <BR>I've checked your hotels for November, and the Liabeny does not participate in BANCOTEL at any time this year. The Alfonso XIII requires 3 coupons per night (total of 9 you will need there), you'll need 3 per night at the Ritz (total of 12), and for the Maria Cristina you'll need 2 per night (total of 6). Grand total: 27! (Is the math correct? I'm mathematically challenged.) You'll need to purchase 6 coupon books (remember, 5 coupons per book) and will have 3 left over. Cost per book is 37,000 pts. Grand total: 222,000 pts. or about $1,400 for 10 nights lodging. Not including, of course, the 5 nights in Madrid. (I'm assuming that you are spending as many nights as you state "days" in your post-please pardon if I've made a wrong assumption!) The 7 per cent VAT is additional-not covered by the coupons. <BR> <BR>I would suggest that you switch your Madrid hotel, if you can, to the Castellana Intercontinental (www.interconti.com) or the Occidental Miguel Angel (www.occidental-hoteles. com). Both are 4-star, business class properties that I have found have very competitive rates. (Clinton stayed at the Occidental on his last visit). They participate in BANCOTEL only on weekends and require 2 coupons per night. (If you'll still be in Madrid Fri. 11/12, you can use 2 of your remaining 3 for that night's stay). <BR>Both properties certainly far surpass the Liabeny both in quality and location. <BR>The Madrid "grand dame" Palace and the classy Park Hyatt Villamagna require 3 coupons per night, but again only accept them on weekends. This stuff is quite confusing! <BR> <BR>Regarding the AVE to Seville, you can see the schedule on www.renfe.es There is an English version if you need it. Again, you need not purchase AVE tickets until you arrive, as any travel agent in Madrid will sell them to you. <BR> <BR>I'll be glad to advise you on entertainment, restaurants, flamenco, if you could e-mail me directly. Or you can do a text search on your cities for wonderful suggestions from my fellow Fodorite Hispanofiles. But I realize this is time- consuming and the amount of great info often overwhelming! I do know your cities well and would be glad to help. <BR> <BR>Congratulations and have a wonderful honeymoon! <BR> <BR>

Maribel

Charles, <BR> A post script. Forgot to mention that the Bancotel coupons can also be used for car rentals through Europcar (including luxury models and minibuses with drivers), ferries, private yacht rentals, Mercedes limos, and golf, if any one of the above is of interest. <BR>The central reservation office number in Spain is 906 321 322 (Mon-Sat, 8 a.m.-10 p.m.)

Viajero2

ttt for the lady traveling with the two young daughters and hubby.

Maribel

Wow, a nearly 10 yr. old thread rises to the surface!

This, I'm afraid, is very, very old info regarding the voucher or &quot;talonario&quot; system that's no longer really valid or a great money saver. It's one of those posts that has long since lost its shelf life.

Because I book 10-12 weeks of hotel stays each and every year in euro land (Spain and France), I'm extremely price sensitive and always check every avenue available to me for savings, including the voucher system (plus Venere, gtahotels, atrapalo, placestostay, etc).
While these voucher programs (&quot;talonarios&quot once represented great savings, alas, they really don't any more-no more savings than most hotels' own aggressively competitive online booking systems.

Most Spain hotels are now using their web booking systems to pass on those great savings directly to those who book online with them rather than go through the hassle/inconvenience of (or make the client hassle with) dealing with these vouchers (&quot;talones&quot, whether it be Bancotel (once the leader), Talonotel (started by the former head of Bancotel), Halc&oacute;n Viajes Weekend Plan, Hotelcolor or Hotelplus.

My favorite hotels and Paradors, where I once was able to secure the *very* lowest rate using one of the above plans, are all now passing along these savings,with very, very few exceptions, directly to the customer who books on line.

BTW, the above comments are directed not to you, Charles G, who will celebrate his 10th anniversary in November (congrats!), but instead to alamadadan who's looking for the best deals in charming hotels in Castilla y Le&oacute;n for a family of 4-
on the &quot;Family of 4-1 room or 2 at a Parador&quot; thread.