Deb Corbin

Does anyone have any experience with the Paradors in Spain. I have called the Tourist office for Spain, repeatedly, with no success, in getting any printed info on these wonderful (I've read) old converted castles. We are planning an Oct trip and are very interested in locking in our sleeping accommadations. Any thoughts or suggestions. The web page doesn't provide dollar amounts only general $ icons. Thanks.

Ginger

Hello,
Like you, I'm researching info for a trip to Spain this coming early summer. I found a web site that's all about the paradores:

http://www.parador.ex/

It's got a clickable map of Spain showing little icons representing that parador and when you go to that page, you see what it looks like, how to get there, contact # for info... Also, main page for this web site has where to contact for more info (like, an office in Miami, Florida -- NYC, etc.)

Hope this helps!

Ginger

Whoops, sorry!

that web site's CORRECT address is:

http://www.parador.es/

'scuse the typo, please!

Larry

You can also get pricing from the listed marketing agents.

Maira

Deb: The site Ginger offered is an excellent site. Another site is: <BR> <BR>http:/www.hotelsearch.com <BR>Search for Spain and at the menu choices, pull down the box for Chain member and select PARADORES DE TURISMO (there are a total of 83 Paradores in Spain; they are all on this site w/pics). <BR> <BR>We are already booked in May for the <BR>Parador de San Marcos, a 16th century Monastery-Hospital (a former monastery of the Knights of Santiago). Price: $65/night!

bo_jack

My wife and I spent November 16 through November 28 in Spain. We stayed in Paradors in Jaen, Cadiz and Carmona. We stopped in a couple of others for lunch. They are very good hotels. <BR> <BR>Be persistent in trying to get information; once you ask the "right" place, you will be flooded with information. We found the Tourist Office for Spain (TOS) in NYC to be fairly useless. However, the TOS in Miami was extremely helpful. Their telephone numbers are: Tel # 305 358 1992 and Fax# 305 358 8223. One individual with E-mail address [email protected] went far out of her way to give assistance. <BR> <BR>In additions to getting the "official" publications on Paradors (includes a separate price list sheet), ask for "Guida Oficial de Hoteles". This is an extremely comprehensive book which lists essentially every hotel, guest house, inn, etc in Spain. And in most cases, it gives the "rack rate" prices or price ranges. The Paradors which we stayed in cost from about $100 to about $140 per night, including breakfast. <BR> <BR>To the person who is stating a rate of $65/night for Parador Hotel San Marcos, if that is not a "per-person-double-occupancy" rate, please tell me how you are getting it. The lowest published rack-rate for this property is 19000 pesetas, which is about $135 per room per night. <BR> <BR>To the person with the original request: web site for tourist office of Spain is www.okspain.org. Unless there is a really great difference between October & November (there may be; I don't know) our experience is that there is no need to "lock in" sleeping accommodations. We had reservations only for the first two and last three nights of our trip and had no trouble whatsoever making call-ahead reservations or just walking in as our travel plans changed.

Maira

Bo_Jack: The rate of $65/night was rated to friends from Avila (locals) that will accompany us during the Northwest portion of our May trip. As you noticed I did not offered Ginger (or anybody else) that I could get them that rate!...maybe that was the reason I sounded so excited!!!!! <BR>

michele

Karen Brown's guidebooks have good descriptions and FAX and phone numbers for many of the paradors. <BR> <BR>Most of them are lovely ( some are very nondescript). Quite a few are out of town; this may or may not suit you. <BR>All are clean and well run. <BR> <BR>Have fun