Now it's time to check out some hotels
Jun 18th, 2007, 05:59 PM
#1
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Now it's time to check out some hotels
Hi,
With your help/tips, I finally purchased tickets for Spain/Portugal vacation.Yeah the airfare is v expensive! what to do?
Will be staying in 3 cities: Barcelona, Madrid and Lisbon.
I want to stay right by the airport in each city so I can get from/to the airport by the hotel shuttles. I heard that its very convenient.
I will be there in mid july. So I need AC definitely.A nice bed ad bathroom wud be nice too after the long hectic days.
if you have any good recommendations, words of wishdom n some good eating places pls let me know.
Best regards,
With your help/tips, I finally purchased tickets for Spain/Portugal vacation.Yeah the airfare is v expensive! what to do?
Will be staying in 3 cities: Barcelona, Madrid and Lisbon.
I want to stay right by the airport in each city so I can get from/to the airport by the hotel shuttles. I heard that its very convenient.
I will be there in mid july. So I need AC definitely.A nice bed ad bathroom wud be nice too after the long hectic days.
if you have any good recommendations, words of wishdom n some good eating places pls let me know.
Best regards,
Jun 18th, 2007, 07:09 PM
#2
Staying by the airport is not the way to best see a city imo. It is much more convenient to stay somewhere centrally located so you can get around on foot and public transportation, not hotel shuttles even if they are available.
Not to mention airports are usually a ways outside most any city in an unattractive part of town (I don't know your 3 cities in particular but this is kind of a rule of thumb with rare exceptions).
Not to mention airports are usually a ways outside most any city in an unattractive part of town (I don't know your 3 cities in particular but this is kind of a rule of thumb with rare exceptions).
Jun 18th, 2007, 07:14 PM
#3
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Where'd you hear that bit of nonsense from? Why would you want to stay at some sterile airport hotel in an area with no atmosphere or fun stuff to do at night when each of those cities is absolutely rockin' at night?
Words of wisdom about good restaurants are going to be fairly futile if you're staying near the airport. How much fun is a long taxi/train ride after a lovely meal in a beautiful old neighborhood?
Words of wisdom about good restaurants are going to be fairly futile if you're staying near the airport. How much fun is a long taxi/train ride after a lovely meal in a beautiful old neighborhood?
Jun 19th, 2007, 12:57 AM
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Suze writes: << ...Not to mention airports are usually a ways outside most any city in an unattractive part of town (I don't know your 3 cities in particular but this is kind of a rule of thumb with rare exceptions). >>
Not so for sunplanner's 3-cities. Our relatives in Madrid live in an upscale neighborhood near Barajas airport (Madrid 28042). From Barcelona's Prat de Llobregat airport one must pass thru an Industrial / Port area to get to downtown; and Lisbon's Portela airport is in an area that was 'cleaned up' for Expo'98. I don't consider the approaches to any of those Principal airports 'unsightly.' I don't know about Girona (RyanAir's 'near' Barcelona airport).
Most Hotels 3-star & higher have A/C.
I don't put much faith in Hotel Shuttles: Many (most?) begin service about 7:00 AM, so if you have an early flight, forget it!
There's a new airport Hotel in Madrid but it's quite expensive. You may be better off with the Tryp Diana or the Best Western Barajas (on Avda. Logrono). Personally, I think I would opt for the Convention Center area.
Not so for sunplanner's 3-cities. Our relatives in Madrid live in an upscale neighborhood near Barajas airport (Madrid 28042). From Barcelona's Prat de Llobregat airport one must pass thru an Industrial / Port area to get to downtown; and Lisbon's Portela airport is in an area that was 'cleaned up' for Expo'98. I don't consider the approaches to any of those Principal airports 'unsightly.' I don't know about Girona (RyanAir's 'near' Barcelona airport).
Most Hotels 3-star & higher have A/C.
I don't put much faith in Hotel Shuttles: Many (most?) begin service about 7:00 AM, so if you have an early flight, forget it!
There's a new airport Hotel in Madrid but it's quite expensive. You may be better off with the Tryp Diana or the Best Western Barajas (on Avda. Logrono). Personally, I think I would opt for the Convention Center area.
Jun 19th, 2007, 12:19 PM
#5
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StCirq
You can not say that this is "bit of nonsense". Just because you dont like it, it's not "nonsense". Sometimes under the circumstances, one has to make best out of it and that's what Im trying to do.
I can see that not everyone can understand that. Just got a sample of that!!!
You can not say that this is "bit of nonsense". Just because you dont like it, it's not "nonsense". Sometimes under the circumstances, one has to make best out of it and that's what Im trying to do.
I can see that not everyone can understand that. Just got a sample of that!!!
Jun 19th, 2007, 12:26 PM
#6
Well you did not indicate that there were circumstances requiring you to stay near the airport for some special reason. Since you said "vacation" I assumed you would want to do normal things in each city center, which normally means in the heart of the city not the outskirts. My comment was not meant to be in any way rude.
Jun 19th, 2007, 12:35 PM
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But lets use Barcelona as an example. After a nice day of sightseeing, you will have to find your way to the train station and wait for a train to make the 20 minute train ride to the sterile hotels near the airport. And then you are stuck there, unless you want to do the reverse. In a city where everything is so convenient and has an efficient subway system, why would you want to stay near the airport especially since it likely won't save you money?
Jun 19th, 2007, 01:11 PM
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i just don´t understand this either.
instead of a one time, each way, trip from and to the airport.. you will be doing this every single day and then again at night?
isn´t this a waste of time, money and energy?
instead of a one time, each way, trip from and to the airport.. you will be doing this every single day and then again at night?
isn´t this a waste of time, money and energy?
Jun 19th, 2007, 01:13 PM
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I'm not offering anything new here other than to confirm others' responses by saying I think you will be missing out on a LOT by staying near the airports in these cities. I live in NYC and can't fathom a tourist staying near JFK or LaGuardia when they want to see Manhattan.
Jun 19th, 2007, 03:50 PM
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Is the reason to be near the airport price? If so, and you are looking for reasonably priced hotels in Spain, check out the Roommate Hotels chain (http://www.room-matehotels.com).
I stayed last year at the Hotel Mario in Madrid and really liked it. Great location, small but comfortable room, inexpensive, good air conditioning, good buffet breakfast. The location is near the Opera House and the Royal Palace which is a great area and right at a subway stop too. I think we paid about E120/night last year which included a huge buffet breakfast. That is probably cheaper then staying out by the airport.
I stayed last year at the Hotel Mario in Madrid and really liked it. Great location, small but comfortable room, inexpensive, good air conditioning, good buffet breakfast. The location is near the Opera House and the Royal Palace which is a great area and right at a subway stop too. I think we paid about E120/night last year which included a huge buffet breakfast. That is probably cheaper then staying out by the airport.
Jun 20th, 2007, 02:56 AM
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I have to agree with the others, wanting to stay by the airport seems a really ugly way to not really see or enjoy your destination. For BCN and madrid anyway, the airports are close and convenient to the city centre (for arrival and departure only please!) so you don't need to worry about airport transfers. Have a look at http://www.way2stay.com/transport-Barcelona-en-52.htm for info on how to get into Barcelona easily. (they also have vacation apartments in the BEAUTIFUL CITY CENTRE).
Please don't stay near the airport, its such a waste of a potentially brilliant vacation.
Please don't stay near the airport, its such a waste of a potentially brilliant vacation.
Jun 20th, 2007, 03:01 AM
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Nedsireland- journey between Barcelona city and El Prat airport goes through miles of tacky business park, and the Zona Franca area, which is bleak...its not exactly scenic and not what you would want from staying here.
Jun 20th, 2007, 04:40 AM
#16
"<i>Sometimes under the circumstances, one has to make best out of it and that's what Im trying to do. I can see that not everyone can understand that</i>"
OK - what are the "circumstances" that make this a sensible choice? On another thread you say you have 1.5 days in the city so need to stay near the airport. 1.5 days certainly doesn't usually make it necessary to stay at the airport. In fact one would usually want to maximize their "city time" by staying right in the center.
OK - what are the "circumstances" that make this a sensible choice? On another thread you say you have 1.5 days in the city so need to stay near the airport. 1.5 days certainly doesn't usually make it necessary to stay at the airport. In fact one would usually want to maximize their "city time" by staying right in the center.
Jun 20th, 2007, 04:56 AM
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Author: littlejane
Date: 06/20/2007, 08:55 am
I was in Lisbon recently and stayed in Le Meridien. I'd recommend it. It's not near the airport (which by the way I thought was a fair distance outside the town) but it is on the side of town on the way to the airport and has a taxi rank right outside, so it's easy to get to and from the airport.
My lasting memory from Madrid is spending what seemed like most of my weekend stuck in traffic on the way in to town from the airport. Like others I'd recommend staying closer to the city centre if at all possible.
Date: 06/20/2007, 08:55 am
I was in Lisbon recently and stayed in Le Meridien. I'd recommend it. It's not near the airport (which by the way I thought was a fair distance outside the town) but it is on the side of town on the way to the airport and has a taxi rank right outside, so it's easy to get to and from the airport.
My lasting memory from Madrid is spending what seemed like most of my weekend stuck in traffic on the way in to town from the airport. Like others I'd recommend staying closer to the city centre if at all possible.
