Fodor's Travel Talk Forums - Spain Hotel Comments-Please Help

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Spain Hotel Comments-Please Help

I am planning a trip to Spain in June 2003 and have reservations at the following hotels: Madrid - Hotel Lope de Vega Sevilla - Hotel Becquer Ronda - Hotel San Gabriel Nerja - Parador Granada - Parador Toledo - Hostel del Cardenal Any and all comments on these hotels would be appreciated. Thanks.

Donna, I'm familiar with all and this looks like a solid list to me. Olga and others should comment on Seville's Hotel Bécquer, as I usually stay in one of the small hotels in the Barrio de Santa Cruz. (prwood just posted about the Bécquer recently, as he and his bride spent a night of their honeymoon there). We're headed ourselves to the Granada Parador in April (finally having managed to book far enough ahead!), the Nerja Parador has recently been redecorated and is located right above Burriana beach, we've really enjoyed the friendly little good value San Gabriel and also the very atmospheric, antique-filled Hostal del Cardenal with serene little nooks and crannies, gardens, gurgling fountains tucked into Toledo's Arab walls. The Cardenal also boasts a fine restaurant with pretty terrace run by the family who owns the legendary Sobrinos de Botín ("world's oldest restaurant" and of Hemingway's Sun Also Rises fame) in Madrid. Madrid's newish Green Lope de Vega is an excellent choice (spiffy, friendly, fresh, up to date) for touring the museum triangle and Old Madrid. Looks like you've done your research very well. Hope this helps.

Maribel, Where do you stay in Seville?

Selena, My "paradise" is the Casa 7, but it only has 6 beautiful rooms and alas is completely booked (plus pricey) during my next yr's trip for Holy Week and Feria. I've sent several Fodor's friends there who have loved it. But I could *almost* as happily stay at the Casas de la Judería (in one of their larger, suite-type rooms) or Casas del Rey de Baeza in the Barrio or the Casas de los Mercaderes near the cathedral. For a more inexpensive B&B type place, I'll try the Amadeus, also in the Barrio. Can't afford the Casa Imperial in high season, but it's quite pretty and would be a romantic honeymoon spot. There's also the new Casa del Maestro that I haven't seen, belonging to a flamenco guitarist, but maybe Olga can tell us something about it.

Hotel Lope de Vega is a fine choice. We spent a week in room 504 which is slightly larger. Extremely attentive service. We showed up at 11 am from our flight and when they noticed that my wife did not feel well due to jet lag, they hurried and got us into a room by 12. Their breakfast buffet is marvelous. You are just around the corner from a VIPS for anytime eating--since many restaurants only open at nine in the evening. VIPS also have a Telebanco ATM and Newspapers. The Madrid Vision tour buses stop at the other side of the fountain. Be sure to try La Vaca Veronica for lunch or dinner. Great fillets Argentine style and good wine list but moderate prices.

Donna and Maribel, I´m actually no help with regard to hotel Becquer and Casa del Maestro, I haven't personally seen either of them, only their websites. I have heard good things about the Becquer in this and other forums, seems to be a solid no-nonsense, tourist hotel choice. The Casa del Maestro is very new, no word of mouth has reached me so far. As far as the location, I like the Becquer´s for convenience, but the Casa del Maestro for quietness- it´s on a tiny street, whereas the Becquer is on a busy intersection -the interior rooms are probably fine, though-. Judging by the website, the Casa del maestro looks beautiful, like a traditional andalusian private home, like a less luxurious Casa 7, right Maribel ? Tough choice, it depends on your personal priorities and the atmosphere you are looking for, I guess.

Hi Olga, Yes, that's exactly what I would have said about the Bécquer: tried and true, easy to book (Best Western), no-nonsense, solid conventional, dependable 4 star hotel-no surprises. I just "discovered' the Casa del Maestro on the Inns of Spain site and was intrigued by it. While the Casa 7 is aristocratic, "to the manor born", slightly formal (we kept our room very tidy!) and quite British, filled with priceless family heirlooms, with white-glove butler service, the Casa del Maestro seems in the pictures like a simpler but still quite pretty and very Andalusian private residence. The new Timeout Andalucía guide says: "a hidden gem with bags of character located in a quiet street. The house once belonged to renowned flamenco guitarist Niño Ricardo and the sympathetic conversion is full of pictures of El Maestro and other flamenco greats. The rooms are exquisite, with big beds, fluffy pillows and designer furniture, while the bathrooms are decorateed in blue and white porcelain with deep baths. At the centre of the building is pretty patio where guests can enjoy breakfast... the Casa offers 4 star quality in a 2 star hotel". A poster recently praised the Casa del Maestro on the madridman site, and Flamenco-world uses it for their small group Seville tours. Forgot to mention that the rack rate (including full brk.) for the Casa 7 has gone up considerably this yr, from 120 to 170, which now is a stretch for our normal budget but still worth a splurge because it's so unique. I'm just a sucker for small, private noble homes converted into charming, character-filled lodgings (like the Villa de la Palmera too) and always seek them out.

I've stayed in the Becquer twice and it was affordable with a great location. I went with two friends, so they accomodated us with a triple, which was really comfortable.