Maribel wrote"Some Spanish innkeepers just don't respond to their emails as quickly as might be expected." We have never understood why that is the case either. But I have heard some silly stories as to why not.

[I don't know how everything works on these forums, so I am just posting here to mention I have added a little to the 'cicheto/cicchetto' debate on marisylvia's post. I thought you might like to know.
Apologies to readers who may want to know about/contribute to Ann's post about Northern Spain.]

Hi riberiasacra,
Just some examples:
I recommended a particular inn, member of Rusticae, in the Betanzos-Pontedeume region to one of my Fodor's friends here. He emailed them. They never replied. I had never had this problem with them in the past.

Another Fodorite tried to make a reservation at a well known member of Casonas Asturianas near Castropol. Again, no reply.

Do you have a silly story you could share as to why they don't reply? Just curious...

silly stories..and off track..All we get is spam; we do not have control over the web page and cannot get to the emails; lost the password to the email server; I might download a virus; I do not have a computer/internet connection.
There is also a cultural thing where by the phone is there and you have to answer it. The email can seemly sit there until "I" am ready to answer it.
I have to say that a lot more remote areas of Spain it is hard to obtain a good internet connection. We have ADSL, our neighbours (about a km down the road) does not and has to rely on a phone which is connected by a radio system. If you use that to a connection to the internet then the speed is something like 28kbit/s.
BTW I should point out to other readers that if you phone a Spanish number beginning with 6 then this will be a mobile (cell) phone. Sometimes you can only contact an establishment using such a number.

Ref no response. I have just read on another forum that there is seemly the same problem in the UK. It was a post written in frustration by another hotel owner about his compatriots after trying to book a hotel. All very odd!

I'm amazed that I still have recieved no response...3 emails. My daughter emailed in Spanish and hasn't heard back. She is supposed to call them today which hopefully will get us a room! If not...I start over again!

Funny excuses you have shared ribeirasacra.

ChanB...3 emails? please stop Spamming them!!!! ;-)

ChanB,
Your daughter should call them if you hope to find a room.

Hello...

My daughter called the Palacion de Tonones today and I received an email back from Jose Luis telling me they can accomodate us for the 18th and 19th. Great rates @ 60 euro per night...no charge for the 3rd person in room two...and includes breakfast.

Looks like we are all set for hotels!

ribeirasacra...I totally felt like a stalker emailing them so often!!!

Thanks again everyone for all of your help.
Chan

Glad it worked out for you.

Make sure to take the driving instructions with you. Your daughter can translate them for you. The village is Novales-Alfoz de Laredo, but the hotel is tucked away atop a hill.

http://www.hotelaltamira.com/palacio...gar/index.html

The GPS coordinates are
43º 23´35 09" N Latitud
04º 11´14 80" O Longitud.

You should probably print out driving directions, as well, from your starting point in A Coruña to the hotel.

www.viamichelin.com says the drive will take you approximately 5 hrs.

Enjoy your trip and be sure to report back when you return.

Hi... I will definately post a report when we get home!

Maribel...Thank you for the driving directions etc! I printed them out. We will have a GPS...do you think we will have problems with it in the rural areas?

What are the must sees in this area?

Thanks again,
Chan

Chan,
We don't actually use a GPS in Spain. We prefer to rely on our Repsol road atlas, print-outs from www.viamichelin.com and our Asturias/Cantabria Regional Michelin map 572.

BTW, the Michelin regional 571 covers Galicia
the 573 covers the Basque Country

Rather than a list of "must sees", not wanting to complicate your drive, make it labor intense or just not relaxing, I'll just give you a list of very scenic/interesting spots along the coast, a few of which you might enjoy, from which you'll, of course, need to pick and choose extremely judiciously, given your time constraints.

I'd let your kids pick just a couple.
The rest can be for the archives.

Because this is a long drive you're planning, you realistically just won't have time for many stops since you'll be driving all the way from A Coruña to Alfoz de Laredo, then from there to San Sebastián. Lots of ground to cover, including that stop in Bilbao.


But here goes.....again, you won't have time but for a few stops...



just west of Ribadeo, Galicia:

Praia das Catedrais (beautiful "cathedral" beach, a National Monument)


just below Navia, Asturias:

the celtic Castro settlement of Coaña (fascinating)


picturesque fishing villages along the Asturian coast:

Puerto de Vega, Luarca, *Cudillero, Tazones, Lastres, *Ribadesella, *Llanes, Andrín (in that order, west to east)


in Somado (Somao), a quick exit off the autoroute, just east of Cudillero:

amazing collection of ostentatious, elaborate, brightly painted Indiano mansions


pretty Asturian beaches:

playa Rodiles (southeast of Tazones)
playa Santa Marina (Ribadesella)
playa de la Franca (bwt Llanes and Colombres)


pretty Cantabrian beaches near your 2-day base:

playa de Oyambre (just west of Comillas)
playas de El Sardinero (Santander) -but Santander could take up your entire "free" day!!


In Comillas

the neo Gothic, brooding Palace of Sobrellano along with Gaudí's flight-of-fancy "El Capricho" next to it


In Santillana del Mar:

the Colegiata and its Romanesque cloister with amazing capitals

Altamira Museum and Neo Caves
but you *must* reserve at http://museodealtamira.mcu.es/

Torture Museum (not a must for me, but teens always remember it!)


Stalactite-filled cave visit (and fun for kids), exit off the A8, down the CA 181:

Cave of El Soplao
should reserve at www.elsoplao.es




I could go on and on (more beaches, bufones, dinosaur tracks & museum, pre-historic cave paintings of Tito Bustillo/el Pindal, drive down to the Asturian Picos de Europa, scenic viewpoints, like Mirador EL Fito, etc) but these aren't in the cards.

You can spend weeks/months in Asturias and Cantabria and not see it all.

The above is way, way too much, naturally, for the two days that you have, but it may serve to give you some ideas from which you can pick just a *few*!
Just don't try to do too much!!

My experience of GPS is via my guests.I would suggest you do not use one as a lot of minor roads are just not in the system.
For example go to Google look at an area where you are travelling too. look at Google maps in the hybrid mode and you will see a lot of the minor roads are not shown on the map where as you can see them on the photo. Google and GPS use the same technology. If you must use one then please take a map because if you find you are diverted off your route through road works or another sort of blockage all you will hear is turn around turn around. There are a few road works along the coast as they are construction the new Autovia. Sections of this road will not be in the GPS.
You will also find that not all of the one way roads are “in the system” this will be confusing.
Use a map and your will find your way out of the mess.

Chan,
I totally agree with ribeirasacra. I would buy those Michelin maps. You'll find them very detailed and valuable. You can purchase them online or at a bookstore in A Coruña.

I've copied/pasted/printed Maribels suggestions for "must sees". I'll take it with us and we'll just pick and choose what sounds interesting as we go. I really appreciate all your feedback Maribel...you are just wonderful. If you ever end up on the central coast of California let me know.

I looked at Borders today for the Michelin maps but they only had one for all of Spain. I'll take a look in La Coruna.

Just a few days to go...we are so excited and so is daugher in LaCoruna. Haven't seen her since January!

Thanks again everyone.
Chan

I need feedback one more time...please? Villa Rosario just emailed me and said they do have space for us...when I called they said they didn't. Should we splurge and stay there vs. staying at the Palacion de Tonones? They seem like very different places in very different locations.

Thanks,
Chan

ChanB,
You need to decide between the Villa Rosario and the Palación de Toñanes depending on how far you want to drive the first day from A Coruña. Will you get an early start or a late one?

It will take you 4 hrs. to Ribadesella in Asturias, or 5 hrs. to Alfoz de Laredo in Cantabria.

And how far do you want to drive the 3rd day to get to San Sebastián? Do you plan to make that stop in Bilbao?

Do some route planning on www.viamichelin.com and study the times and distances. That should give you your answer. (along with the difference in price between the 2 lodgings).

I'm sure that after a year of study in A Coruña your daughter has her favorite book store there. All book stores have a travel section and usually sell those Michelin maps. You can also usually purchase them at the gasoline station convenience stores on the major stops along the autoroute, but it would be far better to have them in advance to be able to study up on your drives.