Maribel-help with Hotel Alfonso in Seville
 

Maribel,
I am planning a trip to Seville on Dec 18-20. I read that you can stay at the Hotel Alfonso for 150 euros per night. I am currently booked at the Westin Website for 238 euros per night with breakfast for 2 people. This means I can save 88 euros per night.

Sorry, click the wrong button.
To continue with my question, is it worth it to go thru bancotel. Surely, breakfast cannot be 44 euros per person? Also since I would only need 6 bancotels, how should I get the extra one? Thanks for any insights

jblueangel,
The trouble with the bancotel coupons for luxury hotels is that you most often need 3 per night but must purchase them in those booklets of 5.

I spend considerable time making the number come out just right so as not to get stuck with extras we can't use later, give away to family or sell before the March 31 expiration date. Do you have another night's lodging in another city where you could use 4 more coupons and buy 2 booklets?

Have you checked with bancotel regarding availability at the Westin with coupons for those 2 nights?

Since you'll need 6 coupons, you could purchase them through petrabax.com. A poster here, artlover, just purchased 4 coupons from them, so they do sell the Bancotel coupons individually. HOWEVER, they sell at $63 each plus a service/shipping fee of $25 to send them to you, eliminating much of your great savings.

You might ask at www.madridman.com if anyone has an extra bancotel voucher (still in its booklet) that they would sell to you. You might get lucky. Buy the extra coupon that way, then the booklet of 5 from bancotel.com for 50 euros each. You can then pick it up at the hotel.

Bancotel is easy and cheap to use if you simply have 5 nights to book and will accept the 3-4 star hotels that require only 1 coupon per night, and better still when traveling on wkds. or off season. That's when you reap the really terrific savings.

Thanks Maribel. Do you have a recommendation for a hotel that would take a family of four(I have a teenager and a college student, so 4 adults) in Madrid that is convenient for public transportation and sight seeing? I won't have a car in Madrid and plan to take the metro and taxis. Someone mentioned Crowne Plaza Madrid City Center, but again I have to do 2 rooms.

Also, can we take the AVE from Madrid to Malaga where we will spend the rest of our vacation? And how much would that cost? I don't know how to find that information in the internet. We will pick up a car in Malaga once we get there.

Can I also get your Madrid and Seville files? Please email to [email protected].

Thanks so so much.

jblueangel,
You can take the Talgo200 from Madrid to Malaga. You can see the schedule at www.renfe.es (click on English at upper right). Takes 4 hr. 15 min. and fare is 53 for tourist class and 79 for first class (airline type meal served at your seat, only 3 seats across, so a bit quieter, access to first class lounge at Madrid's Atocha station, free parking for a couple of days in Malaga are the 1st class extras).

I would check www.bancotel.com to see what Madrid hotels are available for just 1 coupon per night for your dates.
I just put in the date Dec. 15 to do a check. Of the hotels available requiring only 1 coupon per night, I prefer the 4 star Hotel Suecia on a fairly quiet side street and with a very central location between Parliament and the Banco de Espana, behind Castellana Boulevard. The others listed are fairly far from the major sights, but there's always the efficient metro to take you around.
But the Suecia rooms have twin beds.
If you do a text search for the Suecia, you'll find many comments, including KateW's review.
The newish Arturo Soria suites would do for your family, but they're QUITE removed from downtown.
But again, since I didn't know your date for Madrid, other hotels may be available.

Hope this helps.

Maribel, We are arriving around 5:30 PM from London on Dec 18 and will go to Malaga on Dec 20.
I don't think Suecia was available during that time. Any suggestion for a 1 check hotel amongst those available?
Thanks.

hi jblueangel,
I just checked and I see the Suecia as available for Dec. 18 but I didn't take the next step, to reserve 2 rooms. But I thought you would be in Sevilla from Dec. 18-20? Just check your dates for Madrid, see what hotels are available, then we can take it from there.

Thanks for your help in everything. We are going to fly to Madrid on 18 and then take the train to Malaga to meet with the rest of the family. I checked and booked Suesis in Madrid. I also was able to book the Alfonso. Thanks for your help. Can I wait till I am almost ready to go and then buy the bancotel checks? Also is it safe just to deliver to the hotel. Your are so helpful, I don't know what I will do without you.

jblueangel,
As long as you've booked and confirmed availability at the Suecia on the bancotel.com site, so that the hotel knows you'll be paying the bill with bancotel coupons, you can just wait until later to purchase your coupons.
I've had no problem with picking up my coupon booklet at my first hotel. I've found the terms of use at
www.bancotel.com/scripts/STA.dll/talonario
to be very accurate.
I've found the Bancotel system to be very reliable.

Have a great time!

Can you please send me your Madrid and Seville files also? Thanks.
The email address to send to is
[email protected]

Maribel,
I checked the renfe for schedule to Malaga, it looks like there is only one train and makes stops departing around 4:30 and would not get in until 22:00. I am thinking about staying an extra night, December 20 in Madrid and fly down to Malaga on Spanair. I could find flights for 61 euro. However the Suecia where we were booked was not available for December 20. Any suggestion for a 1 bancotel room for December 20 in Madrid. I suppose I could do a 2 check room (that means 4 bancotel checks) and try to sell the extra one when I get back.

Also, I am currently planning to drive up to Seville from Malaga in the morning and spend 1 night there and drive back late the next night. Do you think that is sufficient time for Seville. My kids are not great with sights and museums. They just want to sit around and enjoy the city.