Hi. Two more questions. 1) to use the bancotel coupons, must I book throough the bancotel site, or can I use the hotel chain site, show up at the hotel and announce that I will pay with the checks? 2)Can they be used at the paradors? Thanks

I just spoke with Luis at Petrabax West where they sell individual Bancotel vouchers. They have a website with information on them--epetrabax.com or you can e-mail them at [email protected]. Their phone # is listed as 818-884-1984. Luis was very helpful.

They charge US$63 each coupon and a $25 delivery charge, but you can buy less than 5 coupons.

No, you can't use the coupons at the paradors.

I've never used them, but would like to hear from people who have. Olga responded to another similar post, so you might check that out. She has really good information. (I'm just uneasy about waiting 'til I get to Spain to get the coupons...don't speak much Spanish and like to get as much taken care of beforehand.)

Good luck.

sb1020,
I've used bancotel coupons from the first year they appeared, for at least 8 years now. It can be a significant savings if planned well. What one doesn't want, of course, is leftover coupons that one can't use or sell, which obviate the savings.

Thanks, artlover, for the tip regarding the ability to purchase individual Bancotel coupons through Petrabax. They are the only internet source that I know of who will sell the bancotel coupons individually, although at a markup (15 euros more than the bancotel.com site plus shipping fee) which may be worth it to some people as a convenience. I've also seen posters selling leftover individual coupons on www.madridman.com.

There is another coupon system called Halcon Viajes Weekend Plan which only sells individual coupons, in prices from 32-90 euros, depending on the category of hotel. No leftover coupons to worry about with this plan but also more expensive. These can be purchased at any of the many Halcon Viajes travel agencies through out Spain. They will give you a brochure listing the hundreds of participating hotels. For example, coupons can be purchased for the Segovia Parador at 90 euros per coupon but can only be used every day in Jan. Feb. then March Nov. and Dec, Sun-Thurs only.

Through the Bancotel system, many paradors do accept bancotel coupons, albeit with many restrictions. I just checked my last year's Bancotel guide and CD rom they sent me, and I found 45 paradors that accepted them in '02. Even the 5-star Parador Hostal de los Reyes Católicos in Santiago de Compostela accepted them but only in Dec. (even Xmas), Jan. Feb, (throwing in a free brk in those 3 months), March and April ( but not Holy Week ). I can post the list if you'd like, or you can check www.bancotel.com

As an example, the Parador Fuente Dé in Cantabria, does (or did) accept bancotel coupons every day during April, May, some of June, Sept. Oct. and March, but not during July, Aug. or Holy Week. Check www.bancotel.com to see each parador's restrictions. On the bancotel site you must buy the coupon books of 5. But there is no need to buy coupons ahead of time since they're sold at travel agencies everywhere in Spain, including all branches of El Corte Inglés department stores (which has a travel agency at the Madrid airport). What is necessary, however, is to tell the hotel when making your reservation, that you will be using these coupons, as every hotel has a very limited number of rooms per day they allow to be booked with bancotel coupons (just like booking free flights with frequent flyer miles).

sb1020,
Since bancotel.com sells the coupons for 50 euros and Petrabax for $63, the markup isn't bad at all.

Also www.parador.es has its own 5 coupon booket program, which can be very advantageous. We're members of their "Friends of Paradors" program, a free frequent guest program, and receive monthy flyers informing us of all kinds of limited offers. These are also usually posted on the Paradors web site.

Hi Maribel. How can I get the list of praradors that accept the coupons without ordering them through the web? I will wait to purchase them in spain as I will be using them for sure at the Alphonso XIII and it would be great to use them in Ronda and
Malaga if possible

As is the case of any great deal, the Paradors and bancotel 5 coupon booklets (or their own Parador 5 night coupons) come with restrictions. The Ronda Parador does accept Bancotel every day in June-July-August, but you need 2 coupons per night, at 50 euros each, for a double standard room (the special gorge view rooms carry a supplement). But again, all the hotels strictly limit the number of rooms that can be purchased with Bancotel coupons, and their summer allotment may already be filled. You would need to check directly with the Parador about this. ([email protected])

The 2 Málaga Paradors don't participate in the Bancotel or Halcon Viajes Weekend Plan coupon programs.

To confuse the issue even more (!!), there's another coupon/voucher/"bono" program called "Hotelcolor" whose coupons can be purchased individually for 26 ('02 price) euros per coupon (no need to purchase their booklets of 10), but ONLY at Viajes Marsans travel agencies throughout Spain (I asked!).
There are 72 Paradors in mainland Spain that participate in this Hotelcolor program. Both Málaga Paradors, the Parador de Golf and the Gibralfaro, do participate in the Hotelcolor program but NOT during the summer - only Nov. thru Feb.
The Ronda Parador does accept Hotelcolor coupons in June-July-August, (4 per night for a double standard room-a total of 104 euros whereas the rack rate for a standard double is only 116) but once again, only alloting a certain number of rooms to this or any other outside voucher system.

These various discount coupon systems (and there are 2 more I haven't mentioned) are complicated and require time, patience and some experience to reap the maximum savings from them. The "how to" part is a book just waiting to be written... or at least an article for Frommer's Budget Travel magazine...or even perhaps a web page, like Priceline's Bidding for Travel.

Forgot to mention that the only vouchers that include the 7% VAT are the Halcon Viajes Weekend Plan and Hotelcolor.
With Bancotel and others the VAT (I.V.A.) is not included.

Maribel,
You are incredible--so much great information. Is there a way I can reach Viajes Marsans on the internet to get coupons and book rooms from the U.S.? (Tried entering their name with .com and .es, but no luck--also no luck with enterting hotelcolor.com).

Thanks for sharing so much information,
Paula

For hotelcolor vouchers, you can use www.mundicolor.es , although it's only in Spanish.
Viajes Ecuador travel agencies also sell individual coupons.

Hi Paula,
The url for Viajes Marsans is
www.marsans.es/home/home.asp

I don't see a place on their web site where they sell the coupons, but you can call them at the phone listed or send them an email to inquire about the closest branch to your Madrid hotel or wherever you plan to stay first. I buy mine at the Viajes Marsans in the Salamanca district on Calle Ortega y Gasset, but there are many all over the city. The parent co. is Mundicolor, and they do sell the Hotelcolor, Hotelplus and Ibercheque (the two I didn't mention above) coupon booklets on their web site, but not individual coupons, unfortuntely.
See www.mundicolor.es

The Ibercheque program I just don't find useful at all anymore.

The Hotel Plus is a new coupon system that came out last summer. Those coupons in theory never expire since you can turn in your unused ones before the expiration date and use the value of them to buy new ones for the next year, so they say.
But this is only handy for those who live in Spain and can buy them at one of the 6,000 their authorized travel agencies.
They're sold in bookets of 4 for 100 euros and 10 for 250. More info (but only in Spanish) at www.hotelplus.com

The easiest system to use is the Bancotel because of their easy online booking. We used to buy 5 booklets at a time for our 6 week summer trips, but since we spend more time now in the country and less in the provincial capitals, we're using them less. For the country, we've switched to "casas rurales" (rural country B&Bs) and agrotourist properties whose tariffs are around 50 euros.
But Bancotel is still great for 3-4 star business class hotels in off season or weekends in Spanish cities. But in general, the more you spend in coupons, the greater the savings.

The 5 star Westin Alfonso XIII in Sevilla is a great deal at 150 euros per night (3 Bancotel coupons) in July-Aug., but it's also the very hottest time to be in Sevilla! And during those months Westin may have some great deals on its on web site.

Just some thoughts...