ekscrunchy

Maribel there's never enough of the "Hola!" gossip!!!

Back soon..!!

Maribel

danon

I also wondered where the homes of the “rich and famous “ are located in Madrid.
For me ,
one of those top floor apartments in Salamanca would do 😁.

A few times when I gave a tip to the taxi driver, the person seemed surprised at the amount.
I explained to one driver that it was costumery where I live. He replied : “ It is a good custom”.

Maribel

That's funny, danon.

The other area of houses or chalets of the rich and famous that I´ve discovered (due to my husband's doctor's appts.) is the suburb of Valdemarín (within the larger district of Moncloa-Aravaca), that some newspapers have called the "Beverly Hills" of Madrid.
I've walked all over it, and it's kind of like a very, very upscale American suburb but within the Madrid city limits.

Two other "rich and famous" enclaves: La Moraleja and La Finca de Somosaguas. Needless to say we didn't bother!

About that ático in Salamanca. There's one for sale now at Lagasca 99, a whopping 570 square meters, priced at 12,500 million euros! Or an ático on the Plaza de Salamanca for sale for a mere 13 million! The prices in Salamanca are truly insane.

ekscrunchy

I'd be careful here, Maribel--you might instigate a bidding war between myself and Danon!!!

I guess I am going to have to take a taxi ride to gawp at one of those areas, next time. But I only like to look at the ones with beautiful architecture...
Down the street from my hotel, on Calle Ayala, there was renovation work going on on a building so beautiful that I snapped a photo.....imagine, you'd be right by Mercado de la Paz, a few steps off Serrano.......




I'm almost certain that this building, under renovation, is on Calle Ayala just east of Serrano.

I took the picture while in one of my daydreaming, "Someday I will buy an apartment in Madrid" moments. Maybe a flat in one of the towers on the corners??

danon

“I'd be careful here, Maribel--you might instigate a bidding war between myself and Danon!!!”
Ojalá ! 😼

danon

This from El Pais:

Anatomía de Lagasca 99: ricos latinoamericanos, sociedades opacas y el alquiler más caro de Madrid

La comunidad de 44 propietarios del edificio más exclusivo de la ciudad, la mitad de ellos extranjeros (11 de México, 6 de EE UU, 5 de Venezuela, 2 de Colombia y 1 de Perú), es un retrato de la nueva élite en la capital de España

Maribel

Yes, danon, that´s exactly the anatomy of the new elite that is buying up the Barrio de Salamanca!

Maribel

eks,
Your barrio of Almagro and the barrios of Salamanca and the barrio de Jerónimos near Retiro Park do have simply gorgeous architecture. Up in Tetuán, not so much...too many ugly Franco-era apartment buildings, one in which I lived.

A burning question:
How did you book the luggage assistance service when you booked your IRYO Madrid-Córdoba ticket? Was it their Acerca service?

I ask because in our 3 IRYO rides, the luggage compartment at the end of each car is extremely small, even much smaller than Renfe's.
The attendant guarded it as we entered (were the 2nd couple to board our Infinita Bistró car), explaining that this miniscule compartment was reserved only for very bulky suitcases and baby carriages/strollers.
IRYO passengers are advised that their suitcases must go in the overhead racks above their seats.
A young girl across the aisle had an extremely heavy bag that she couldn't lift and asked my husband to help her. I'm too short and he had to lift my 22 inch as well.

We got off in Córdoba but she continued to Sevilla. I hope some Good Samaritan helped her there to get her bag down.
Because the IRYO originated in Barcelona (Barcelona-Madrid-Córdoba-Sevilla), on our 1st and 2nd trips, most all the luggage space in our car was already filled.

I didn't see this attendant help, so I'm just curious as to how to go about booking this online.
Thanks, eks.

ekscrunchy

Hola, Maribel!

My ticket says "Infinita Bistro." (I am almost certain that that was the ticket class you recommended, but not positive; I dod remember that one class was blocked out when I booked).
I feel terrible that I can't tell you exactly h ow I got the assistance, but I am sure there was an option on their site when I booked, otherwise I would not have known that assistance was possible.
But because I changed my ticket time to an earlier train at the last minute, I did not get any assistance with boarding. Since the airline had lost my large suitcase, I was relieved of that albatross. I do remember that the luggage area was small, but its was empty except for one bag when I entered the compartment. There was no attendant giving any help or telling us where to put our bags, etc. There is no way I could have listen even that carry-on bag to the overhead rack.

And then when we arrived in Cordoba the "assistant" boarded the train and called out my name.

I feel so terrible that I can't tell you more.....maybe try a sample booking in the class I was in....there MUST be an option somewhere for assistance and as I mentioned, that assistance was superb. Please let me know what you find. After all the help you've so freely given to me, and now I can't even answer ONE question from you! I'm so sorry, and embarrassed, but I Know you will find that answer.

Maribel

I think there must be an option when booking, but I just didn't see it when I did my 3 bookings for Infinita Bistró, but then I wasn't looking for it either. I'll try a dummy booking to see if I can find it.
Since the luggage compartment was empty when you boarded that earlier train, I suspect that the train may have originated in Atocha rather than in Barcelona (??)

For goodness sake, eks, don't be embarrassed! You've answered plenty of questions for me over the years! I'll figure it out, as it will be good to know for others.

Maribel

eks,
I have my answer. I did a dummy booking for the IRYO from Chamartín to Cuenca. At the end it asked if I need assistance. I checked the yes box and it gave me the options of what kind of assistance, or what my "handicap" is. I just selected "old person" (persona mayor). So that's it. Just check "old person"! (well, I'm not THAT old, but I do qualify for senior discounts!)

ekscrunchy

That's just what I did.."old person!!" at least we are not in Italy, where we would be "anziani!!"


After my final lunch in Andalucia, instead of taking the direct road from Barbate to my accommodation, I decided on a small detour the would lead me northwest along the coastal road from Barbate to the turnoff for El Palmar de Vejer. This road winds through a cliff face rising to 100 meters in some spots, scrublands, and forests of umbrella pines, Aleppo pines and junipers sloping down to the Ocean. The official name is LA BRENA Y MARISMAS DE BARBATE NATURE RESERVE and the landscape is absolutely stunning. I drove past the thick forest, La Brena, with stretches that offered gorgeous views of the turquoise colored ocean. There are many marked walking trails slicing this area, which is a Mecca for birdwatchers as well as hikers. The road passes Canos de Meca, a much favored summer resort for Germans, or so I was told. The town was deserted and did not look appealing, as there were some boxy but low rise concrete accommodations blocking the view of the beach, and the entire place just looked a little dilapidated. I'm sure my view would have been different had I passed through in season.

The drive took me past Cape Trafalgar with its lighthouse rising from a narrow promontory stretching into the ocean. There are popular walks to the lighthouse and some guests at my hotel had attempted to walk from El Palmar but were rebuffed by the winds, which can whip strongly along this coast. The Cape takes its name from the 1805 naval battle in which the Royal Navy under Admiral Horatio Nelson defeated the combined fleets of Spain and France commanded by Napoleon. You can see the lighthouse well from the road but I did not stop or snap any photos.


https://www.spain.info/en/nature/bre...-natural-park/


I made my way back to Los Parralejos to pack up for my departure the following day, when I would drive to Jerez Airport (this time I knew to take the highway skirting Cadiz, NOT the rod past Medina Sidonia!), return my car at SIXT, and board the quick flight to Madrid.

The morning of departure was bittersweet. I did cry a little saying good bye to my friends and to my faithful companion on all the nights I had slept there. But I've already requested my dates for a longer stay next year!!




My nocturnal companion, SOMBRA, who says: "Those water-saving toilets are a real pain......the level is so low...I mean I love the water and treats that ekscrunchy lays out on the floor but THIS water is better!!"

Hasta la proxima to my gang, and to little SOMBRA, in Mary's arms!

Small plane from Jerez to Madrid

Maribel

Eks,
It looks like you found your very, very Happy Place on "Cadizfornia", the Costa de la Luz.
I've very happy for you, as your reports just burst with joyous enthusiasm for your many adventures there.
I'm sure you're looking forward to your next year's March stay in what you've found as your new paradise. The team at your secret paradise looks like a very lovely group. So glad you found them!

Sombra is going to miss you!

ekscrunchy

Oh, Maribel, you know cats! But I've already collected some cute toys for her for next year, and even though she does not remember me now, as soon as I arrived she scooted into the foyer and seemed quite pleased that I was there. Now I know this is likely all my imagination, but the "team" did tell me that I was the only guest whose room she had ever slept in at night since she arrived years ago..... I won't go into her clever use of the drain in my shower!!!!


At long last, I'm up to Madrid!!!

For the first time that I remember, the taxi line at the airport was very long..I'm guessing there might have been 70 people ahead of me. But it's so well organized and only took about 15 minutes to reach the head of the line. The trip into the city (flat rate of 33 euro) went by in a whir; I'm guessing less than 30 minutes to my hotel, where it felt lovely to receive a warm welcome from the staff, most of whom had been there during my last stay a year ago.

For the second year in a row, I was staying at the Hotel Orfila, a renovated 19th Century Palacio tucked away on the small street of the same name in the Almagro district, bordering Salamanca. (I hope I got this right, Maribel, as I'm always confused by barrios, districts, etc). For me it's an ideal location, close to the Mercado de la Paz, to El Corte Ingles, and an easy walk to Plaza Colon and to the major museums.

One afternoon (I know this is getting out of chronological order AGAIN) I walked easily to the Barrio de las Letras (I wanted to explore the former Ritz, where we snagged a great rate one January (I wrote about that stay here). The Ritz is now a Mandarin Oriental. I got a warm welcome from one of the staff, who showed me around the public rooms--its all very show-stopping and in the public ares, at least, the bones of the Ritz are still very much in evidence. Rooms there cost about four times the price I paid at "my" hotel. And one of the principal reasons that I return to the Orfila is that it's very small (32 rooms) and staff get to know your name and your preferences very quickly. (For about a minute last year, until I saw the price, beginning at well over 1,000 euro per night) I had considered booking at the Ritz, but I'm so glad I chose a different address.)

I cannot imagine that the very large Mandarin Oriental would offer the same feeling of intimacy we so loved about the "old" Ritz.. As beautiful as it is now, it's still a large big city hotel, where the lobbies and bars are busy much off the day, and probably into the night. This is very different from the feeling I remember from my two stays before the MO acquisition.. The bustle is undoubtedly a draw for some travelers but I liked the fact that I was often the only guest in the lobby of the Orfila; there is a beautiful, petite bar adjacent to the lobby but from what I observed, it seems to be more of a gathering spot for well-heeled locals than a place for guests to linger late into the night. And The Orfila also has a small room behind the lobby perfect for relaxing with a book, and maybe a flute of Cava!

You can see some of the Orfila's rooms on their site:. I had a superior double room and was given a very good price as a "friend of the hotel."

https://www.hotelorfila.com/en/habitaciones/

A criticism, which I had during both visits here and visits to many other hotels in the past decade or so, is this:
This is not like then "old days," where you can depend on the concierge to provide you with spot-on restaurant recommendations. To do this well, the concierge would have to know your taste and budget, and have dined at dozens if not hundreds of local restaurants. Not only that, but the position of concierge seems to have disappeared in some hotels, to be replaced by often nameless "front desk staff." The latter was NOT the case with the Orfila, but I did feel much more comfortable doing my own restaurant research (or rather leaving the choice of restaurants to the inimitable Maribel here on Fodor's). A tremendous amount of credit is due the Owner/Manager of the Orfila, who recognizes this lack, and plans to create a detailed restaurant guide for guests that I'm sure will be very helpful once its finished.

I feel as if I've just written a review for that hotel review site! (In fact, I did just that: you can read it here:


https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUser...la-Madrid.html


Once again, I veered way off track so will return to that first evening in Madrid:

After check-in, I relaxed for a few hours, relaxation helped by the Cava that stands in its chilled silver bucket, at the front desk for guests to enjoy, along with a few nibbles brought to the room every evening. Before I knew it, I was ready to set out for dinner in the Retiro neighborhood, east of the Park of the same name, where I had booked a table at the bar of LA CATAPA for 8:00 that evening. Unlike my foray to Retiro last year, when I got hopelessly lost and turned around and could not figure out how to use my phone to call WITHIN Spain, so I could not phone the restaurant to ask for directions, not to let them know I was late. Although I arrived an hour late for my reservation, its mattered not one iota! (And that is not to be confused with the night when my partner and I were staying at The Ritz and decided to walk home from a Retiro restaurant through the park one cold January night.) Little did we know that all but one of the Park's gates close at 10pm, so we found ourselves locked inside Retiro Park for quite a long time (this saga is detailed, in the unlikely event that anyone cares to read about the entire lengthy episode, in my trip report from years ago covering Madrid and Granada)



This year my navigation was much more adept and I took the easy walk from the hotel to Calle Menorca, #14, where I received a warm welcome from the Owner (and friend of Maribel!)
and seated at a petite window table at the front of the dining room of LA CATAPA.

danon

Eks, It was nice to see your photo and put a face to the screen name (and those great food adventures).
Encantada de conoserla!

Last May a friend and I had dinner on the Orfila’s lovely terrace. It is indeed an elegant hotel.
Looking forward to more restaurant reviews.
…I will be in Madrid in two weeks.🇪🇸

ekscrunchy

Danon,
Mucho gusto en conocerte!
Of course you recognized me..I'm the one holding the cat (!!!!). (tu sabes que eso no es cierto, pero estoy avergonzada de ensenarles un photo tan fea!)

I'm so happy for you that you will be returning soon...I will get those restaurant details posted soon.....

danon

😺🍷

Maribel

About the Mandarin Oriental,
I've been to the garden, El Jardín del Ritz, once for lunch since Quique Dacosta took over the supervision of all the dining, and the service and ambience is as pleasant as ever, although prices have soared. But the interiors of the hotel leave me a bit cold, as it doesn't feel to me very "cozy", instead it felt impersonal although gorgeous.

I love, love exploring hotels and could easily, happily, live in one. I missed my calling by not attending the Cornell School of Hotel Administration Management, as I wanted to work in a 5-star hotel one day.

My BFF is a luxury concierge for high worth individuals, the movers and shakers of the universe (can't revel their names), and in May, she invited me to tag along on her hotel visits. Yippee!
So I accompanied her on her tours with the PR managers of the grandes dames: the Ritz, Rosewood (my fave) and Four Seasons (these are where she puts her clients), along with the contemporary Thompson, Madrid Edition (my fave) and the JW Marriott (these are where she would put her clients' grown children).
The Palace is open but being renovated, going from Westin to Luxury Collection (still Marriott branded).

The only guest room we could see at the Four Seasons was the Royal Suite because of the Madrid Open. The lobby, a former bank, seems also a bit cold and impersonal but the spa is magnificent. Too bad, too sad these aren't "exactly" in my price range.

We do like Dani García's rooftop Brasserie at the Four Seasons for drinks on the terrace with those superb views, and it's not "snooty".
The Thompson also has a lovely, seasonal roof terrace/bar and a neat basement "speakeasy" called Los Hijos de Tomás. It attracts a much younger crowd.
The best of The Edition is its seasonal terrace pisco bar, Oroya, next to the infinity pool and its "speakeasy" Punch Room.

That said, none has the coziness, the warmth and Old European charm of your Orfila, eks. And it's only gotten better since becoming a Relais & Châteaux.
I also like the Marugal-run URSO in Salesas, but the Orfila for me is better located.

Mere mortals can have a little "taste" of all of these hotels at the annual Hotel Tapa Tour for 10 days in mid-September. A drink & gourmet tapa for a reasonable price. The hotel chefs compete with their creations to earn several different awards (best overall tapa, best wine pairing, best fusion tapa, sweet tapa, etc.)

Maribel

eks,
For your Madrid pied-a-terre flat hunting:
Here's the info with maps of all the official districts/barrios I had to study intensely before we started our house hunting.
I've lived in District 4 Salamanca, barrio of Castellana, and in District 6, Teutuán, barrio of Cuatro Caminos.

Your hotel is in District 7 Chamberí, barrio of Almagro. The eastern edge of Almagro hugs the western side of the wide Paseo de la Castellana. On the eastern side of the Paseo de la Castellana sits Salamanca. So you were very close to Salamanca, just 3 blocks away.

https://www.madrid.es/portales/munim...000b205a0aRCRD