La Perla in Pamplona
 

Does anyone have any current knowledge of the La Perla Hotel in Pamplona,Spain? Have you been there recently? Read that Ernest Hemingway used to hang out with the matadors there and was a familiar figure in La Perla's Bar. Dave

DCONNOR,
My tourist related job during the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona each July requires me to know all the Pamplona hotels well and deal with their staff on a daily basis. I assure you that La Perla is the very most "modest" in comfort of all. It's just way, way past its prime!! Many still make the pilgrimage to La Perla for Hemingway nostalgia's sake, but I urge you, as I do my clients, to stay elsewhere, as la Perla would be my very last choice among all lodging options. It's very slowly, room by room, undergoing a long, long overdue renovation, but it's certainly not there yet! No a/c, very noisy because it's set right on the Plaza Castillo, Pamplona's epicenter and small rooms.
If you want lodging in the Old Quarter, choose the Maisonnave or the Europa. If you'd like something within easy walking distance (5 min.) but in the modern section, the Avenida and Leyre are pleasant inexpensive options. The AC Ciudad de Pamplona, although just a 3 star, is the very best, snazziest, most comfortable, up to date place in town, in the upscale Iturrama district, much nicer than the aging, indifferent and aloof 4 star Tres Reyes Iruna Palace ("Palace" in name only). I have strong opinions about the hotel options because I know the "insider scoop" about them.
For a brief description see
wwwlhotelespamplona.com
Hope this helps.

Maribel, which hotel would be the best for viewing the running of the bulls in July? I would like to make reservations a few years in advance and be guaranteed to have one of those rooms with a balcony from which you could see all the action below. Would one of the ones you recommended fit that description? Thanks for your suggestions.

teacherlady,
There are very few hotel rooms with balconies above the actual encierro(running of the bulls) route on Calle Estafeta. Unfortunately most of those belong to the dreary La Perla. But La Perla would be the very last (!!!!!) place you'd want to stay during San Fermin if you plan on sleeping at all. As there's no a/c (and it was especially hot this year), with the windows open, the 24 hr. noise is truly horrendous. The Hotel Europa
has just a very few highly coveted rooms on Estafeta street, but they're taken from year to year on most days by the same guests, such as the legendary Basque chef, Juan Mari Arzak, who is in attendance every year on July 7, occupying his usual room (his cousin is the Europa's owner). You would have better luck with the Europa during the middle of the week when crowds thin out a bit. But you would need to contact them ASAP for next July and expect to pay dearly for this luxury, if it's available at all.
Most (sane) visitors prefer to stay far away from the extremely rowdy-at- all-hours and grimy Old Quarter streets like Estafeta and instead they enjoy viewing the encierro by renting a balcony space on the route for the 8 a.m. running. Balcony space can be reserved through Servicios Turisticos Erreka at
www.erreka.net
We take our clients to second floor balconies for each morning's run but reserve lodging for them at 3 star hotels in the modern quarter of the city away from the raucous party hearty crowds so that they can actually rest and enjoy themselves far more.

Thanks Maribel. Do you know if I can make reservations this far in advance for 2006?

hi teacherlady,
Not so far in advance. It's customary to make them just one year in advance. In other words, when San Fernín '03 ended, at midnight on July 14, soon afterwards you could make reservations for '04. Some companies who offer packages to the Running of the Bulls now have their next year's prices up, are taking reservations now and already have clients booked for '04.