Spain: Andalucia hotels, gems and disappointments
Nov 22nd, 2007 | 08:17 PM
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Spain: Andalucia hotels, gems and disappointments
My wife and I recently took a 12 day trip to Spain, starting and ending our trip in Madrid and visiting the following cities and villages in Andalucia: Cordoba, Sevilla, Alajar, Sanlucar de Barrameda, Arcos de la Frontera, Ronda, and Granada.
I hope the hotel reviews below will be helpful to others.
General notes:
We traveled October 31 to November 12, 2007. Many of the rates were “shoulder season” and may be higher or lower at other times of the year.
Staff at all the hotels were courteous and helpful. In general the facilities were clean and well-maintained, and bathrooms functioned properly. There was an abundance of hot water in all the hotels.
Noise: In the major tourist areas: Cordoba, Sevilla, and Granada, there were enough obnoxious, late-night, loud drunks on the street to be a real PITA if your room is exposed to their shouting. I would advise careful research to avoid this if you want a good night’s sleep. We were fortunate in most cases. Also, most of the hotels we stayed at had lots of hard surfaces (e.g., tile), rather than carpet and not very good mitigation of internal sounds. Thus, loud guests, closing doors, elevators, and so forth can be a problem. Again, we were fortunate in that most of the hotels where we stayed were not heavily booked and guests were quiet and kept reasonable hours.
Smoking is common in Spain and even “non-smoking” rooms can be subject to smoke intrusion, as we experienced in a mild form in a couple hotels. Again, asking other travelers (e.g., on this forum) before booking is a good idea if you’re concerned about this.
-- Paul
MADRID
<b>Hotel Lusso Infantas</b>
Infantas, 29
28004 (Centro) Madrid
+34 915 21 28 28
+34 915 21 66 88
e-mail:[email protected]
Web site: http://www.hotelinfantasmadrid.com/
Room 201, double, on side street (one night), 70 euro + tax
Recommended at price paid.
Location: Excellent. One block north of Gran Via, 10 minute walk to Prado. Although slightly north of Gran Via, the location appeared very safe.
Room: Medium size, clean, comfortable adjacent twins, good bathroom.
Noise: Some street noise from side streets, but the area is not plagued by late bar-goers. There are also rooms overlooking an interior courtyard, which would avoid all street noise. Interior noise mitigation is average. Avoid room near elevator.
Smoke: None noted.
English spoken at desk: Fluent
Comments: Served us very well for a one-night stopover after landing mid-day in Madrid at the start of our trip. Note that this hotel uses “demand management” to set room prices, so they may vary significantly from day-to-day (not just seasonally). (Obviously, once you confirm your reservation, the price won’t change.)
CORDOBA
<b>Hotel Mezquita</b>
Pl. Santa Catalina, 1
14003 Cordoba
+34 957 475 585
e-mail: [email protected]
Web site: http://www.hotelmezquita.com/
Room 18 separate twins, (one night), 69 euro + tax
Satisfactory, but there may be better alternatives.
Location: The hotel front door is 30 feet across from the east entrance to the Mezquita. Area is heavily trafficked by tourists and seemed very safe.
Room: Small-to-moderate, very basic. Adequate twin beds (not adjacent). Basic, but clean and adequate.
Noise: Notable street noise from late bar-goers, which windows did not fully shut out. Minimal interior noise mitigation, but other guests were quiet during our stay.
Smoke: A few, short-duration, mild intrusions of smoke from the ventilation system. Not a significant problem to us.
English spoken at desk: Moderate.
Comments: We stayed one night in Cordoba, with our main intent being to visit the Mezquita. This hotel served us just fine. It was as close as you can get, clean, and reasonably priced. However, I would not overrate the proximity because we saw many other small hotels that were within minutes of the Mezquita and might be better value. Also this hotel is on a street with lots of activity, and there may be quieter alternatives.
SEVILLA
<b>Hotel Doña Manuela</b>
Paseo Catalina Ribera, 2 (junto a Jardines de Murillo)
Sevilla
+34 954 546 400
e-mail: [email protected]
Web site: http://www.grupomodesto.com/d_manuela.htm
Room 28, corner room (two nights), “Double” 94 euro + tax
Highly recommended. Room 28 is exceptional.
Location: Exceptional. In the Santa Cruz area, just south of Murillo Gardens, on the West edge of the Old Jewish Quarter. Easy walk to Alcazar and the Cathedral. The area seemed very safe.
Room: Huge room and bathroom, beautifully appointed. Clean and everything worked well. Comfortable adjacent twin beds. Floor-to-ceiling windows, two sets overlooking the park, one set overlooking café tables on the pedestrian-only sidewalk.
Noise: No traffic noise. Some late noise from outside tables of café across the way; however, the thick interior window shutters and double curtains completely blocked the sound when closed. Interior noise mitigation is average, but this corner room is located a bit away from other rooms and other hotel guests were generally quiet.
Smoke: A few, short-duration, mild intrusions of smoke from the ventilation system. Not a significant problem to us.
English spoken at desk: Fluent to moderate.
Comments: I don’t know about other rooms in the hotel, but this corner room was an incredible value. We would have loved to settle in for longer.
ALAJAR
<b>La Posada de Alajar</b>
calle Medico Emilio Gonzalez 2
Alajar
+34 959 12 57 12
e-mail: [email protected]
Web site: http://laposadadealajar.com/
Room 6 (I think), double bed, courtyard (two nights), 60 euros, including tax and full breakfast.
Highly recommended.
Location: In the small town of Alajar, which sits in a valley of the Sierra de Aracena not too far east of the border with Portugal. The inn is on the narrow, “main” street into town. The entire town and surrounding trails and paths are easily accessible by walking from the hotel.
Room: The room and bath were small, clean, attractive, and all the plumbing worked fine. At the head of the bed was a large window that opened on an interior courtyard.
Noise: The village church bells were close and loud enough to bother one of us during the night, and the bells had the annoying aspect that they repeated after a couple minutes (so you heard two rounds for each ringing). There are only a few rooms and we experienced no noise from other guests.
Smoke: None
English spoken at desk: Fluent.
Restaurant: A wide variety of food is available for breakfast (included in room rate), including a selection of ten or so different local olive oils, and home made jam, pate, and pork spread. A fixed-price, home-cooked, three-course evening meal is available by advance notice for 20 euro per person. Note that Lucy determines what will be served, so you may want to check before deciding. Our meal was delicious. There is also a very good restaurant in the village, whose name escapes me, but which Lucy and Angel can recommend. The restaurant offered many selections of local dishes.
Parking: Free, on-street parking at entrance to village. About a five minute walk to hotel. (You can drive to hotel, but parking is scarce.)
Comments: If you’re in the Aracena area, this is an ideal place to stay. Lucy, Angel, and young daughter Sophie are charming hosts who can also advise you on hiking, artisan olive oils, local sights, and anything else. There are a variety of rooms, so I suggest discussing what’s available with Lucy or Angel when you make your reservation.
SANLUCAR DE BARRAMEDA
<b>Los Helechos</b>
Plaza Madre de Dios 9
Sanlucar de Barrameda
11540 Cadiz
+34 956 361 349
+34 956 367 655
http://www.hotelloshelechos.com/index.htm
email: [email protected]
Room 127 double, interior courtyard (one night), 50 euro + tax
Recommended.
Location: In the center of Sanlucar de Barrameda, a five minute walk from Plaza San Roque and the excellent tapas bars there. About a 15 minute walk to the ocean.
Room: Very large, clean room with comfortable adjacent twins. Large bathroom. On the second floor, opening onto a breezeway that surrounds an interior courtyard. An attractive terrace on the third floor.
Noise: No external or internal noise.
Smoke: None
English spoken at desk: Fluent to little, depending on individual.
Parking: Free parking in basement garage.
Comments: A very nice room for a very reasonable price. This is a great value, especially if you’re driving.
ARCOS DE LA FRONTERA
<b>La Casa Grande</b>
C. Maldonado 10, 11630
Arcos de la Frontera
+34 956 703 930
E-mail: [email protected]
Web site: http://www.lacasagrande.net/
Room: double with private terrace(one night), 85 euro, including tax
Balcony room: Not recommended.
No recommendation on other types of rooms.
Location: Right on the cliffs of Arcos de la Frontera. A 5-10 minute walk from Plaza de Cabildo. The old part of Arcos is immediately accessible by walking. However, I would not recommend this (or other nearby hotels) as a “base” for visiting the region by car. The drive up and down to the Plaza is challenging because of narrow streets, and parking at the Plaza is limited.
Room: The two rooms with private balcony are built into the cliff, under the main floor of the hotel. The room was large with a bathroom that was partitioned off from the sleeping area, thus allowing noise from the bathroom to intrude on sleeping area. Although clean, it seemed a little “worn” (bedding, etc.) and musty. There are double doors out to a little landing, and metal stairs down to a larger “patio”. This was quite disappointing. There is a dramatic view to the west, but being on the face of the cliff, it was very hot even in November; and there was constant, loud noise from traffic on the highway below and farm equipment. We never determined the source, but there was also a very strong smell of sewage wafting over the patio. It was strong enough that we closed the door, which then made the room stuffy and hot. The view also was degraded by the thick purple cloud of pollution, mainly from farmers burning fields, I think. At night we opened the doors and tried to ignore the traffic noise and smell to get some breeze. The mosquitoes then set upon us. The smell, noise, pollution, and mosquitoes certainly weren’t all the hotel’s fault, and the manager was very considerate in letting us cancel the second night of our reservation without penalty. However, I would recommend against a “balcony” room in this hotel, and probably in any other hotel (including the Parador) on the Arcos cliff. This hotel has a nice roof-top terrace where you can take in the view and have a glass of wine and then retire to a room without the negative aspects.
Noise: Substantial noise from traffic and (during the day) farm equipment. Very little internal noise.
Smoke: None. However, hotel staff said that the sewage smell occurs when the winds blow a certain way, so there’s a risk you’ll experience this.
English spoken at desk: Fluent.
Parking: Limited parking in the Plaza. 4 euros for a permit.
Comments: From our limited experience, I would caution travelers to carefully consider where Arcos fits into your travel strategy and where to stay. It may be advisable to stay lower down in the newer part of town (or in another town) and just visit the older section for a few minutes having a glass of wine and taking in the view.
RONDA
<b>Hotel Monteliro</b>
C/Tenorio 8.
29400 Ronda.
+34 952 87 38 55
e-mail: reservas@hotelmontelirio
http://hotelmontelirio.com/
Room 102, balcony (one night), 135 euro plus tax, includes full breakfast with lots of variety
Highly recommended. Room 102 is exceptional.
Location: Incredible! On a small street immediately east of the Puente Nuevo, about a block south. Less than five minutes walk to the bridge. The view is astounding and the room world-class! You look directly across to the Parador with a full-on view of Puente Nuevo to the right and a gorgeous view of the valley and mountains to the left. The area felt very safe.
Room: Large, very well appointed. Comfortable adjacent twins. Clean, nice bathroom.
Noise: Very quiet. No street noise. Interior insulation is above average.
Smoke: None
English spoken at desk: Fluent.
Parking: 18 euro for private parking. Parking on the street within five minutes, depending on how crowded the city is. (In November, we had no trouble finding a spot.)
Comments: This is one of the most enjoyable rooms I’ve ever stayed in. The hotel lobby and other public spaces are beautiful with lots of original art. It’s a very small hotel, and so feels cozy and not at all pretentious. There is also a plunge pool for travel in the hot season. The staff were exceptionally warm and helpful.
Restaurant: A very good restaurant. Be sure to reserve the table in the corner towards the bridge. You have a panoramic view of the bridge, parador, and valley.
GRANADA
<b>Hotel Puerta de las Granadas</b>
Cuesta de Gomérez, 14
18009 Granada
+34 958 21 62 30
+34 958 21 62 31
e-mail: [email protected]
Web site: http://www.hotelpuertadelasgranadas.com
Room 401 “Mirador Alhambra” (one night), 113 euros, tax included
Rom 304, “Double/Mauror”, courtyard (one night), 79 euros, tax included
“Mirador Alhambra” -- Highly recommended. Exceptional view!
“Double/Mauror” -- Satisfactory. There may be better values.
Location: On a side street, a couple blocks east of Plaza Nueva. Just at the foot of the Alhambra and just south of the Albaicin. The surrounding area seemed very safe.
Room 401: The “Mirador Alhambra” is a moderate-sized “penthouse” room with a drop-dead view up to the Alhambra. The other window in the room looks down on the dome of the cathedral, although utility poles and wires mar this view. Comfortable, adjacent twin beds. There is a small table and two comfortable chairs, so we bought some wine and take out food from the extensive selections at El Corte Ingles and enjoyed the view during sunset. (The next night we settled in at the bar just below the Mirador S. Nicolas for another dramatic view.) The room was clean and the bed comfortable. The bathroom is small, but all worked well.
Room 304: This was a very tiny double. Almost like being in an Airstream trailer. The bathroom was also tiny. The room and bathroom were clean and nicely appointed.
Noise: The “Mirador Alhambra” was totally quiet. Room 304 had no street noise. . Interior insulation is above average, but we heard some interior noise in Room 304.
Breakfast: 7 euros for a wide variety breakfast. However, coffee is standard coffee in a pot (no café con leche, etc.). The sliced ham, cheese, and turkey are pretty medium-grade, but we ate a few leftovers for lunch, which made the value OK. There are plenty of alternatives for breakfast nearby.
Smoke: None.
English spoken at desk: Fluent
Comments: The “Mirador Alhambra” is a room you can tell stories about to make your friends envious. If it’s available, I highly recommend it. It was only available for our first night, so we had to move, but that also saved some money. (The hotel staff moved our bags for us while we toured the Alhambra.) Note that the other “penthouse” room, Mirador Catedral, does NOT have a view of the Alhambra, and the view of the Catedral isn’t that impressive. I would not recommend the extra cost for Mirador Catedral. There’s also a tiny patio between these two Mirador rooms, but it’s not particularly impressive either. The Double/Mauror was perfectly adequate, but I suspect you could find larger rooms, just as nice, for about the same price.
MADRID
<b>Hotel Clement Barajas</b>
Avda. General, 43
28042 Madrid
+34 917.46.03.30
e-mail: [email protected]
Web site: http://clementhoteles.com/
Room 303 standard double (one night), 90 euro + tax. Free airport shuttle.
Recommended for airport location.
Location: Within ten minute free shuttle ride to airport. In transitional neighborhood. We were advised that is was safe to walk around, and that’s how it appeared during the afternoon we were there. However, there is a lot of “tagging” and some rougher-looking spots. With various reports of crime in areas near the airport, I would be cautious at night in any of these locations.
Room: Moderate-sized with comfortable adjacent twins. Like a standard American. business hotel. Large bathroom. Everything functioned well. Our room faced a side street.
Noise: None. Above average interior sound mitigation.
Smoke: None.
English spoken at desk: Fluent.
Comments: Staff were helpful, and we got our wake up call and hotel-run shuttle on time, even though we left at 4:00 a.m. This was our last night, and we arrived late afternoon by taxi from the Madrid train station and left by the hotel shuttle. We ate food we had picked up at a bakery earlier. Thus, our experience wasn’t very broad, but this hotel provided just what we wanted: Clean, quiet, and efficient staging point to catch an early flight.
I hope the hotel reviews below will be helpful to others.
General notes:
We traveled October 31 to November 12, 2007. Many of the rates were “shoulder season” and may be higher or lower at other times of the year.
Staff at all the hotels were courteous and helpful. In general the facilities were clean and well-maintained, and bathrooms functioned properly. There was an abundance of hot water in all the hotels.
Noise: In the major tourist areas: Cordoba, Sevilla, and Granada, there were enough obnoxious, late-night, loud drunks on the street to be a real PITA if your room is exposed to their shouting. I would advise careful research to avoid this if you want a good night’s sleep. We were fortunate in most cases. Also, most of the hotels we stayed at had lots of hard surfaces (e.g., tile), rather than carpet and not very good mitigation of internal sounds. Thus, loud guests, closing doors, elevators, and so forth can be a problem. Again, we were fortunate in that most of the hotels where we stayed were not heavily booked and guests were quiet and kept reasonable hours.
Smoking is common in Spain and even “non-smoking” rooms can be subject to smoke intrusion, as we experienced in a mild form in a couple hotels. Again, asking other travelers (e.g., on this forum) before booking is a good idea if you’re concerned about this.
-- Paul
MADRID
<b>Hotel Lusso Infantas</b>
Infantas, 29
28004 (Centro) Madrid
+34 915 21 28 28
+34 915 21 66 88
e-mail:[email protected]
Web site: http://www.hotelinfantasmadrid.com/
Room 201, double, on side street (one night), 70 euro + tax
Recommended at price paid.
Location: Excellent. One block north of Gran Via, 10 minute walk to Prado. Although slightly north of Gran Via, the location appeared very safe.
Room: Medium size, clean, comfortable adjacent twins, good bathroom.
Noise: Some street noise from side streets, but the area is not plagued by late bar-goers. There are also rooms overlooking an interior courtyard, which would avoid all street noise. Interior noise mitigation is average. Avoid room near elevator.
Smoke: None noted.
English spoken at desk: Fluent
Comments: Served us very well for a one-night stopover after landing mid-day in Madrid at the start of our trip. Note that this hotel uses “demand management” to set room prices, so they may vary significantly from day-to-day (not just seasonally). (Obviously, once you confirm your reservation, the price won’t change.)
CORDOBA
<b>Hotel Mezquita</b>
Pl. Santa Catalina, 1
14003 Cordoba
+34 957 475 585
e-mail: [email protected]
Web site: http://www.hotelmezquita.com/
Room 18 separate twins, (one night), 69 euro + tax
Satisfactory, but there may be better alternatives.
Location: The hotel front door is 30 feet across from the east entrance to the Mezquita. Area is heavily trafficked by tourists and seemed very safe.
Room: Small-to-moderate, very basic. Adequate twin beds (not adjacent). Basic, but clean and adequate.
Noise: Notable street noise from late bar-goers, which windows did not fully shut out. Minimal interior noise mitigation, but other guests were quiet during our stay.
Smoke: A few, short-duration, mild intrusions of smoke from the ventilation system. Not a significant problem to us.
English spoken at desk: Moderate.
Comments: We stayed one night in Cordoba, with our main intent being to visit the Mezquita. This hotel served us just fine. It was as close as you can get, clean, and reasonably priced. However, I would not overrate the proximity because we saw many other small hotels that were within minutes of the Mezquita and might be better value. Also this hotel is on a street with lots of activity, and there may be quieter alternatives.
SEVILLA
<b>Hotel Doña Manuela</b>
Paseo Catalina Ribera, 2 (junto a Jardines de Murillo)
Sevilla
+34 954 546 400
e-mail: [email protected]
Web site: http://www.grupomodesto.com/d_manuela.htm
Room 28, corner room (two nights), “Double” 94 euro + tax
Highly recommended. Room 28 is exceptional.
Location: Exceptional. In the Santa Cruz area, just south of Murillo Gardens, on the West edge of the Old Jewish Quarter. Easy walk to Alcazar and the Cathedral. The area seemed very safe.
Room: Huge room and bathroom, beautifully appointed. Clean and everything worked well. Comfortable adjacent twin beds. Floor-to-ceiling windows, two sets overlooking the park, one set overlooking café tables on the pedestrian-only sidewalk.
Noise: No traffic noise. Some late noise from outside tables of café across the way; however, the thick interior window shutters and double curtains completely blocked the sound when closed. Interior noise mitigation is average, but this corner room is located a bit away from other rooms and other hotel guests were generally quiet.
Smoke: A few, short-duration, mild intrusions of smoke from the ventilation system. Not a significant problem to us.
English spoken at desk: Fluent to moderate.
Comments: I don’t know about other rooms in the hotel, but this corner room was an incredible value. We would have loved to settle in for longer.
ALAJAR
<b>La Posada de Alajar</b>
calle Medico Emilio Gonzalez 2
Alajar
+34 959 12 57 12
e-mail: [email protected]
Web site: http://laposadadealajar.com/
Room 6 (I think), double bed, courtyard (two nights), 60 euros, including tax and full breakfast.
Highly recommended.
Location: In the small town of Alajar, which sits in a valley of the Sierra de Aracena not too far east of the border with Portugal. The inn is on the narrow, “main” street into town. The entire town and surrounding trails and paths are easily accessible by walking from the hotel.
Room: The room and bath were small, clean, attractive, and all the plumbing worked fine. At the head of the bed was a large window that opened on an interior courtyard.
Noise: The village church bells were close and loud enough to bother one of us during the night, and the bells had the annoying aspect that they repeated after a couple minutes (so you heard two rounds for each ringing). There are only a few rooms and we experienced no noise from other guests.
Smoke: None
English spoken at desk: Fluent.
Restaurant: A wide variety of food is available for breakfast (included in room rate), including a selection of ten or so different local olive oils, and home made jam, pate, and pork spread. A fixed-price, home-cooked, three-course evening meal is available by advance notice for 20 euro per person. Note that Lucy determines what will be served, so you may want to check before deciding. Our meal was delicious. There is also a very good restaurant in the village, whose name escapes me, but which Lucy and Angel can recommend. The restaurant offered many selections of local dishes.
Parking: Free, on-street parking at entrance to village. About a five minute walk to hotel. (You can drive to hotel, but parking is scarce.)
Comments: If you’re in the Aracena area, this is an ideal place to stay. Lucy, Angel, and young daughter Sophie are charming hosts who can also advise you on hiking, artisan olive oils, local sights, and anything else. There are a variety of rooms, so I suggest discussing what’s available with Lucy or Angel when you make your reservation.
SANLUCAR DE BARRAMEDA
<b>Los Helechos</b>
Plaza Madre de Dios 9
Sanlucar de Barrameda
11540 Cadiz
+34 956 361 349
+34 956 367 655
http://www.hotelloshelechos.com/index.htm
email: [email protected]
Room 127 double, interior courtyard (one night), 50 euro + tax
Recommended.
Location: In the center of Sanlucar de Barrameda, a five minute walk from Plaza San Roque and the excellent tapas bars there. About a 15 minute walk to the ocean.
Room: Very large, clean room with comfortable adjacent twins. Large bathroom. On the second floor, opening onto a breezeway that surrounds an interior courtyard. An attractive terrace on the third floor.
Noise: No external or internal noise.
Smoke: None
English spoken at desk: Fluent to little, depending on individual.
Parking: Free parking in basement garage.
Comments: A very nice room for a very reasonable price. This is a great value, especially if you’re driving.
ARCOS DE LA FRONTERA
<b>La Casa Grande</b>
C. Maldonado 10, 11630
Arcos de la Frontera
+34 956 703 930
E-mail: [email protected]
Web site: http://www.lacasagrande.net/
Room: double with private terrace(one night), 85 euro, including tax
Balcony room: Not recommended.
No recommendation on other types of rooms.
Location: Right on the cliffs of Arcos de la Frontera. A 5-10 minute walk from Plaza de Cabildo. The old part of Arcos is immediately accessible by walking. However, I would not recommend this (or other nearby hotels) as a “base” for visiting the region by car. The drive up and down to the Plaza is challenging because of narrow streets, and parking at the Plaza is limited.
Room: The two rooms with private balcony are built into the cliff, under the main floor of the hotel. The room was large with a bathroom that was partitioned off from the sleeping area, thus allowing noise from the bathroom to intrude on sleeping area. Although clean, it seemed a little “worn” (bedding, etc.) and musty. There are double doors out to a little landing, and metal stairs down to a larger “patio”. This was quite disappointing. There is a dramatic view to the west, but being on the face of the cliff, it was very hot even in November; and there was constant, loud noise from traffic on the highway below and farm equipment. We never determined the source, but there was also a very strong smell of sewage wafting over the patio. It was strong enough that we closed the door, which then made the room stuffy and hot. The view also was degraded by the thick purple cloud of pollution, mainly from farmers burning fields, I think. At night we opened the doors and tried to ignore the traffic noise and smell to get some breeze. The mosquitoes then set upon us. The smell, noise, pollution, and mosquitoes certainly weren’t all the hotel’s fault, and the manager was very considerate in letting us cancel the second night of our reservation without penalty. However, I would recommend against a “balcony” room in this hotel, and probably in any other hotel (including the Parador) on the Arcos cliff. This hotel has a nice roof-top terrace where you can take in the view and have a glass of wine and then retire to a room without the negative aspects.
Noise: Substantial noise from traffic and (during the day) farm equipment. Very little internal noise.
Smoke: None. However, hotel staff said that the sewage smell occurs when the winds blow a certain way, so there’s a risk you’ll experience this.
English spoken at desk: Fluent.
Parking: Limited parking in the Plaza. 4 euros for a permit.
Comments: From our limited experience, I would caution travelers to carefully consider where Arcos fits into your travel strategy and where to stay. It may be advisable to stay lower down in the newer part of town (or in another town) and just visit the older section for a few minutes having a glass of wine and taking in the view.
RONDA
<b>Hotel Monteliro</b>
C/Tenorio 8.
29400 Ronda.
+34 952 87 38 55
e-mail: reservas@hotelmontelirio
http://hotelmontelirio.com/
Room 102, balcony (one night), 135 euro plus tax, includes full breakfast with lots of variety
Highly recommended. Room 102 is exceptional.
Location: Incredible! On a small street immediately east of the Puente Nuevo, about a block south. Less than five minutes walk to the bridge. The view is astounding and the room world-class! You look directly across to the Parador with a full-on view of Puente Nuevo to the right and a gorgeous view of the valley and mountains to the left. The area felt very safe.
Room: Large, very well appointed. Comfortable adjacent twins. Clean, nice bathroom.
Noise: Very quiet. No street noise. Interior insulation is above average.
Smoke: None
English spoken at desk: Fluent.
Parking: 18 euro for private parking. Parking on the street within five minutes, depending on how crowded the city is. (In November, we had no trouble finding a spot.)
Comments: This is one of the most enjoyable rooms I’ve ever stayed in. The hotel lobby and other public spaces are beautiful with lots of original art. It’s a very small hotel, and so feels cozy and not at all pretentious. There is also a plunge pool for travel in the hot season. The staff were exceptionally warm and helpful.
Restaurant: A very good restaurant. Be sure to reserve the table in the corner towards the bridge. You have a panoramic view of the bridge, parador, and valley.
GRANADA
<b>Hotel Puerta de las Granadas</b>
Cuesta de Gomérez, 14
18009 Granada
+34 958 21 62 30
+34 958 21 62 31
e-mail: [email protected]
Web site: http://www.hotelpuertadelasgranadas.com
Room 401 “Mirador Alhambra” (one night), 113 euros, tax included
Rom 304, “Double/Mauror”, courtyard (one night), 79 euros, tax included
“Mirador Alhambra” -- Highly recommended. Exceptional view!
“Double/Mauror” -- Satisfactory. There may be better values.
Location: On a side street, a couple blocks east of Plaza Nueva. Just at the foot of the Alhambra and just south of the Albaicin. The surrounding area seemed very safe.
Room 401: The “Mirador Alhambra” is a moderate-sized “penthouse” room with a drop-dead view up to the Alhambra. The other window in the room looks down on the dome of the cathedral, although utility poles and wires mar this view. Comfortable, adjacent twin beds. There is a small table and two comfortable chairs, so we bought some wine and take out food from the extensive selections at El Corte Ingles and enjoyed the view during sunset. (The next night we settled in at the bar just below the Mirador S. Nicolas for another dramatic view.) The room was clean and the bed comfortable. The bathroom is small, but all worked well.
Room 304: This was a very tiny double. Almost like being in an Airstream trailer. The bathroom was also tiny. The room and bathroom were clean and nicely appointed.
Noise: The “Mirador Alhambra” was totally quiet. Room 304 had no street noise. . Interior insulation is above average, but we heard some interior noise in Room 304.
Breakfast: 7 euros for a wide variety breakfast. However, coffee is standard coffee in a pot (no café con leche, etc.). The sliced ham, cheese, and turkey are pretty medium-grade, but we ate a few leftovers for lunch, which made the value OK. There are plenty of alternatives for breakfast nearby.
Smoke: None.
English spoken at desk: Fluent
Comments: The “Mirador Alhambra” is a room you can tell stories about to make your friends envious. If it’s available, I highly recommend it. It was only available for our first night, so we had to move, but that also saved some money. (The hotel staff moved our bags for us while we toured the Alhambra.) Note that the other “penthouse” room, Mirador Catedral, does NOT have a view of the Alhambra, and the view of the Catedral isn’t that impressive. I would not recommend the extra cost for Mirador Catedral. There’s also a tiny patio between these two Mirador rooms, but it’s not particularly impressive either. The Double/Mauror was perfectly adequate, but I suspect you could find larger rooms, just as nice, for about the same price.
MADRID
<b>Hotel Clement Barajas</b>
Avda. General, 43
28042 Madrid
+34 917.46.03.30
e-mail: [email protected]
Web site: http://clementhoteles.com/
Room 303 standard double (one night), 90 euro + tax. Free airport shuttle.
Recommended for airport location.
Location: Within ten minute free shuttle ride to airport. In transitional neighborhood. We were advised that is was safe to walk around, and that’s how it appeared during the afternoon we were there. However, there is a lot of “tagging” and some rougher-looking spots. With various reports of crime in areas near the airport, I would be cautious at night in any of these locations.
Room: Moderate-sized with comfortable adjacent twins. Like a standard American. business hotel. Large bathroom. Everything functioned well. Our room faced a side street.
Noise: None. Above average interior sound mitigation.
Smoke: None.
English spoken at desk: Fluent.
Comments: Staff were helpful, and we got our wake up call and hotel-run shuttle on time, even though we left at 4:00 a.m. This was our last night, and we arrived late afternoon by taxi from the Madrid train station and left by the hotel shuttle. We ate food we had picked up at a bakery earlier. Thus, our experience wasn’t very broad, but this hotel provided just what we wanted: Clean, quiet, and efficient staging point to catch an early flight.
Nov 23rd, 2007 | 05:43 AM
#4
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 25,320
Likes: 0
What a marvelous review! Many thanks! It is one of the best organized and concise reports I have seen here.
We also stayed at Los Helechos in Sanlucar and liked it very much.
Can you tell us more about the trip itself? What brought you to Alajar? More, por favor!!!
We also stayed at Los Helechos in Sanlucar and liked it very much.
Can you tell us more about the trip itself? What brought you to Alajar? More, por favor!!!
Nov 23rd, 2007 | 08:55 AM
#7
Original Poster
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 106
Likes: 0
Thanks for the kind comments. I’ve gotten a lot of helpful information from Fodor’s forums for this and previous trips, and I try to give back after each trip.
A brief additional note on Hotel Doña Manuela: There is a nice terrace on the roof, and there are more expensive rooms that have small private terraces. IMHO, these would not be as desirable as the corner room that we had because they face only one direction, and the windows are set back to allow for the individual terraces, which are adjacent to one another.
BACKGROUND
Events conspired to prevent us traveling in September or October, so we picked southern Spain as likely to have warmer weather in November. When Lufthansa ran a sale, we jumped on tickets to Madrid. The “themes” of the trip were: Moorish history and architecture, meeting Las Patas Negras (from which comes Jamon de Bellota, one of the designated regions being around Alajar), experiencing the origins of Sherry (thus, Sanlucar de Barrameda, home of the unique manzanilla), and seeing some beautiful countryside and small villages. As on all our trips, we like to walk and hike.
Also typical of our approach to DIY travel, I researched and booked all our lodging prior to the trip, except for one night left open so we could get some local info on Parque Nacional del Donana and the Sherry Triangle before deciding. Originally, we planned two nights in Arcos de la Frontera as a base for exploring the “pueblos blancos” and mountains in that area.
The basic final itinerary was: Arrive Madrid, train to Cordoba and Sevilla, rental car to Alajar, Sanlucar de Barrameda, Arcos de la Frontera, Ronda, and Granada, train back to Madrid.
I’ll post more observations from our journey when I get a chance. I can’t say there was one particular “high point” that rose above the rest. Arcos was the biggest disappointment, but it led to our staying only one night and adding Ronda and Hotel Monteliro to our itinerary, and we loved the town and hotel.
As far as what I would do differently … Would not have driven south from Alajar (towards Huelva) as the route to Sanlucar. Most of this route was pretty plain (or even bleak), and it took a lot of time. Instead, should have simply retraced to Sevilla and headed south.
Would have visited Arcos, but not stayed there. Ronda, Grazalema, or another village or town are better bases. Note that El Bosque and Zahara de la Sierra, while attractive towns, are on edge of mountains. Grazalema was more in the mountains, and Ronda is simply a lovely town to be in.
Would have liked to take the driving tour of Parque Nacional del Donana. Would also have liked to have a good long day hike in the mountains near Grazalema/Ronda.
For the rest of this addendum, I’ll stick to some logistical observations and advice.
FLYING IN AND OUT
Although I enjoy Madrid, I probably jumped to quickly on the Lufthansa sale to make Madrid our arrival and departure city, since it wasn’t really an essential part of our itinerary. We expended time and a substantial amount of money to get to Cordoba and back from Granada by train. It would probably have been better to fly into Sevilla and out of Sevilla, Malaga, or Granada.
DRIVING
Renting a car adds a lot of flexibility. We rented from Hertz which had an excellent rate and very good service at both ends. Be prepared, however. I found most Spanish drivers courteous and competent, and driving outside cities and towns was pleasant, both on highways and back roads.
In major cities, there are a large number of young, (mostly male), aggressive, inconsiderate, and not as skilled as they think drivers who make it dangerous and unpleasant to drive. Older parts of cities can be very hard to find your way in.
I bought the most detailed map of Andalucia I could find (“Andalucia/Costa del Sol/ Sevilla” from Geo Center UK), and it wasn’t sufficient. Note that this map also does not actually cover all of Andalucia.
In general, I found route signage very poor. So, be prepared. Here are some tips:
-- If you pickup and/or drop off your rental car in a major city. Try to do it Sunday morning
-- Be sure to have detailed area and city maps in advance, even for small cities, such as Sanlucar.
-- Get very detailed directions to and/or from destinations, including hotels, car drop off, etc. I printed maps and directions from Via Michelin and they were not adequate in several cases because the information on the map did not correspond with the signage on the highways or roads.
Also, before renting, contact your Visa card provider(s) by e-mail (so you have a record) and get a clear understanding of what CDW coverage they provide. In most cases, it will be adequate and you can decline t his expensive option. Print the sections of your Visa contract that cover this (as well as any communication from the Visa provider) and carry it with your International Driver’s License.
HOTELS
Pay attention to the noise factor in your research and selection. In major tourist areas, the loud drunks are really obnoxious and can keep you awake until the sun comes up. Church bells, while a lovely sound in the evening, can also keep you awake, which lessens their immediate charm. Because of the hard surfaces in many hotels, internal noise can also be a problem. Bring good ear plugs.
Consider staying outside the intense tourist areas. You can probably find better value and quieter environment. For example, in Cordoba, it would be very practical to be outside the old city around the Mezquita and spend the day and evening in the tourist area.
EATING
Next time, I’ll take the time to go through the myriad guide books and create my own annotated “menu and tapas” decoder. (Or, if someone can suggest a really good one, please do.) The typical guide book lists simply don’t cover the incredible variety of what’s available, or provide enough description, which makes it much harder (or riskier) to explore the food. On the whole, we did well, but this idea struck me as I faced a huge mound of raw small sea snails that yielded a snotty-little blob tasting of pier pilings.
(And I love raw shellfish.)
MONEY
Use Visa and/or ATM cash withdrawal. E-mail your Visa and other providers to determine charges for currency conversion and ATM withdrawals. We have two Visa accounts, one charges 1%, the other 3%, for currency conversion. We have two (different) ATM cards. One charges nothing for foreign currency withdrawals, the other charges 3%.
PASSPORT AND ACCOUNT INFORMATION
When I carry my notebook computer, I create a document with all this kind of info and then encrypt it (in addition to password protecting it) so it can’t be retrieved if my notebook is stolen. On trips without the notebook, I create and print a document with all numbers adjusted by adding 1 or doubling. This wouldn’t stop a secret agent from breaking the “code”, but the average thief would fail when attempting to use the printed numbers and would (I’m hoping) go on to the next victim.
READING
Read “The Ornament of the World” to get a really fine-grained understanding of the era during which Moslems ruled areas of Spain. Much better than anything I found in guidebooks.
CARRYING STUFF
Take a Kiva compressible over-the-shoulder bag. Packed in it’s own pouch, this is about the size of a tangerine. Opened up you have a great bag for carrying groceries, picnics, etc.
In walking around or on public transport, I carry valuables in a PacSafe “purse”. It’s about 6”x8”x2” and has an adjustable shoulder strap with a thin steel cable. The outer fabric of the bag has a light wire mesh. The zipper can be clasped and/or locked with a small luggage lock. This bag isn’t adequate for carrying a lot of stuff (water bottle, multiple guide books, etc.), but you can get money, credit cards, passport, keys, one guidebook and map into it.
A brief additional note on Hotel Doña Manuela: There is a nice terrace on the roof, and there are more expensive rooms that have small private terraces. IMHO, these would not be as desirable as the corner room that we had because they face only one direction, and the windows are set back to allow for the individual terraces, which are adjacent to one another.
BACKGROUND
Events conspired to prevent us traveling in September or October, so we picked southern Spain as likely to have warmer weather in November. When Lufthansa ran a sale, we jumped on tickets to Madrid. The “themes” of the trip were: Moorish history and architecture, meeting Las Patas Negras (from which comes Jamon de Bellota, one of the designated regions being around Alajar), experiencing the origins of Sherry (thus, Sanlucar de Barrameda, home of the unique manzanilla), and seeing some beautiful countryside and small villages. As on all our trips, we like to walk and hike.
Also typical of our approach to DIY travel, I researched and booked all our lodging prior to the trip, except for one night left open so we could get some local info on Parque Nacional del Donana and the Sherry Triangle before deciding. Originally, we planned two nights in Arcos de la Frontera as a base for exploring the “pueblos blancos” and mountains in that area.
The basic final itinerary was: Arrive Madrid, train to Cordoba and Sevilla, rental car to Alajar, Sanlucar de Barrameda, Arcos de la Frontera, Ronda, and Granada, train back to Madrid.
I’ll post more observations from our journey when I get a chance. I can’t say there was one particular “high point” that rose above the rest. Arcos was the biggest disappointment, but it led to our staying only one night and adding Ronda and Hotel Monteliro to our itinerary, and we loved the town and hotel.
As far as what I would do differently … Would not have driven south from Alajar (towards Huelva) as the route to Sanlucar. Most of this route was pretty plain (or even bleak), and it took a lot of time. Instead, should have simply retraced to Sevilla and headed south.
Would have visited Arcos, but not stayed there. Ronda, Grazalema, or another village or town are better bases. Note that El Bosque and Zahara de la Sierra, while attractive towns, are on edge of mountains. Grazalema was more in the mountains, and Ronda is simply a lovely town to be in.
Would have liked to take the driving tour of Parque Nacional del Donana. Would also have liked to have a good long day hike in the mountains near Grazalema/Ronda.
For the rest of this addendum, I’ll stick to some logistical observations and advice.
FLYING IN AND OUT
Although I enjoy Madrid, I probably jumped to quickly on the Lufthansa sale to make Madrid our arrival and departure city, since it wasn’t really an essential part of our itinerary. We expended time and a substantial amount of money to get to Cordoba and back from Granada by train. It would probably have been better to fly into Sevilla and out of Sevilla, Malaga, or Granada.
DRIVING
Renting a car adds a lot of flexibility. We rented from Hertz which had an excellent rate and very good service at both ends. Be prepared, however. I found most Spanish drivers courteous and competent, and driving outside cities and towns was pleasant, both on highways and back roads.
In major cities, there are a large number of young, (mostly male), aggressive, inconsiderate, and not as skilled as they think drivers who make it dangerous and unpleasant to drive. Older parts of cities can be very hard to find your way in.
I bought the most detailed map of Andalucia I could find (“Andalucia/Costa del Sol/ Sevilla” from Geo Center UK), and it wasn’t sufficient. Note that this map also does not actually cover all of Andalucia.
In general, I found route signage very poor. So, be prepared. Here are some tips:
-- If you pickup and/or drop off your rental car in a major city. Try to do it Sunday morning
-- Be sure to have detailed area and city maps in advance, even for small cities, such as Sanlucar.
-- Get very detailed directions to and/or from destinations, including hotels, car drop off, etc. I printed maps and directions from Via Michelin and they were not adequate in several cases because the information on the map did not correspond with the signage on the highways or roads.
Also, before renting, contact your Visa card provider(s) by e-mail (so you have a record) and get a clear understanding of what CDW coverage they provide. In most cases, it will be adequate and you can decline t his expensive option. Print the sections of your Visa contract that cover this (as well as any communication from the Visa provider) and carry it with your International Driver’s License.
HOTELS
Pay attention to the noise factor in your research and selection. In major tourist areas, the loud drunks are really obnoxious and can keep you awake until the sun comes up. Church bells, while a lovely sound in the evening, can also keep you awake, which lessens their immediate charm. Because of the hard surfaces in many hotels, internal noise can also be a problem. Bring good ear plugs.
Consider staying outside the intense tourist areas. You can probably find better value and quieter environment. For example, in Cordoba, it would be very practical to be outside the old city around the Mezquita and spend the day and evening in the tourist area.
EATING
Next time, I’ll take the time to go through the myriad guide books and create my own annotated “menu and tapas” decoder. (Or, if someone can suggest a really good one, please do.) The typical guide book lists simply don’t cover the incredible variety of what’s available, or provide enough description, which makes it much harder (or riskier) to explore the food. On the whole, we did well, but this idea struck me as I faced a huge mound of raw small sea snails that yielded a snotty-little blob tasting of pier pilings.
(And I love raw shellfish.)MONEY
Use Visa and/or ATM cash withdrawal. E-mail your Visa and other providers to determine charges for currency conversion and ATM withdrawals. We have two Visa accounts, one charges 1%, the other 3%, for currency conversion. We have two (different) ATM cards. One charges nothing for foreign currency withdrawals, the other charges 3%.
PASSPORT AND ACCOUNT INFORMATION
When I carry my notebook computer, I create a document with all this kind of info and then encrypt it (in addition to password protecting it) so it can’t be retrieved if my notebook is stolen. On trips without the notebook, I create and print a document with all numbers adjusted by adding 1 or doubling. This wouldn’t stop a secret agent from breaking the “code”, but the average thief would fail when attempting to use the printed numbers and would (I’m hoping) go on to the next victim.
READING
Read “The Ornament of the World” to get a really fine-grained understanding of the era during which Moslems ruled areas of Spain. Much better than anything I found in guidebooks.
CARRYING STUFF
Take a Kiva compressible over-the-shoulder bag. Packed in it’s own pouch, this is about the size of a tangerine. Opened up you have a great bag for carrying groceries, picnics, etc.
In walking around or on public transport, I carry valuables in a PacSafe “purse”. It’s about 6”x8”x2” and has an adjustable shoulder strap with a thin steel cable. The outer fabric of the bag has a light wire mesh. The zipper can be clasped and/or locked with a small luggage lock. This bag isn’t adequate for carrying a lot of stuff (water bottle, multiple guide books, etc.), but you can get money, credit cards, passport, keys, one guidebook and map into it.
Trending Topics
Nov 23rd, 2007 | 09:06 AM
#8
Original Poster
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 106
Likes: 0
FYI -- Here's a link to the map of Andalucia I referred to (available from maps.com).
http://www.maps.com/map.aspx?pid=16078
http://www.maps.com/map.aspx?pid=16078
Nov 23rd, 2007 | 09:40 AM
#9
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 25,320
Likes: 0
PConte: Thank you so very much for this..I am eagerly awaiting more details about the trip. This really ranks at the top for me! I hope to return to southern Spain before too long so I am hanging on every word! I hope you will provide details about the jamon feasting and other eats!
Nov 23rd, 2007 | 10:43 AM
#12
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 57,886
Likes: 0
Oneo f the things people need to take into account in visitng Spin is that dining hours ARE very different than in the US. You do eat dinner at 10pm. Which means that people going out after dinner arrive at nightspots at midnight and stay until 4 or 5 in the am (sort of like NYC, only a little more so).
So - if quiet rooms are a necessity - or you will be bothered by stret noise - it;s best to organize the right types of rooms in advance.
(We stayed in one hotel in Madrid that ran BINGO! games until 3 am a couple of night per week. And at 4 or 5 am we frequently heard groups of young people heading home from a night out singing and calling to one another. Not an issue for us since we're used to commercial garbage collection and dumpsters being cleared in the middle of the night - but can be a problem if you expect quiet.)
So - if quiet rooms are a necessity - or you will be bothered by stret noise - it;s best to organize the right types of rooms in advance.
(We stayed in one hotel in Madrid that ran BINGO! games until 3 am a couple of night per week. And at 4 or 5 am we frequently heard groups of young people heading home from a night out singing and calling to one another. Not an issue for us since we're used to commercial garbage collection and dumpsters being cleared in the middle of the night - but can be a problem if you expect quiet.)
Nov 23rd, 2007 | 07:51 PM
#15
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 4,204
Likes: 0
pconte,
Thank you so much for the great information. I already cut and pasted it into my Spain file.
Since you didn't care so much for the hotel you stayed at in Cordoba, thought I'd add one we stayed in that we liked:
http://www.hotelconquistadorcordoba.com/
Thank you so much for the great information. I already cut and pasted it into my Spain file.
Since you didn't care so much for the hotel you stayed at in Cordoba, thought I'd add one we stayed in that we liked:
http://www.hotelconquistadorcordoba.com/
