Spain Photos (lots) and trip report (a little) from July trip to central Spain
Aug 26th, 2007 | 09:50 AM
#21
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Joined: Jan 2003
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OK, here's my hotel reviews:
Booked all the hotels about 3 months ahead of time, on the internet. Although I often using booking sites, on this trip I went directly to the hotels sites. In all cases the hotel’s rooms, locations, etc were exactly as advertised. When booking hotels my highest priority is location – both for safety and ease of walking to things. On this trip I also wanted AC (obviously – Spain in July=hot) and I wanted a mini-bar/fridge so I could buy food at grocery stores for picnic type meals, have cold water, etc. Given those requirements meant I didn’t stay in extremely inexpensive places, kind of mid-range, which in Spain is still really pretty cheap. I would stay at any of them again.
Salamanca: Hotel Torre del Clavero was a very pleasant hotel in a great location for a very reasonable price. It was exactly as advertised – looked just like the photos on the web, had everything it was supposed to or needed: lift, AC, TV with CNN, mini bar, free internet on computer in lobby. Extremely clean and comfortable although it didn’t have tons of charm but I would definitely stay there again. Location was excellent – about 3 blocks, 5 minute walk from Plaza Mayor but on a quiet street so even with the window open a few nights it was not noisy. 53€ a night for a single but I actually had a double, tax included, breakfast extra, I didn’t take it.
Segovia: Hotel Acueducto, very nice modern hotel in excellent location right next to the aqueduct, about 10 minute easy walk from the bus station, close to all sites. The hotel looks like the photos on its web site and has everything you could need – TV with CNN, mini-fridge, AC, lift, great breakfast bar included in the price. I would stay here again in any room, but the room I had, 406 had to be the best room in the whole place. It has a huge private terrace (big enough for at least 20 people) with a breathtaking view of the aqueduct and the old town and the bell tower of the church so close you could almost touch it with storks nest on top. I was a single but it was a double room and it was absolutely huge. Everything was spotlessly clean. In case you don’t get that room, or one of the few other rooms with smaller terraces, there is a public terrace on the fifth floor with the same view. Staff spoke English €64/night including breakfast and tax. There are some photos of the room and the hotel and the terrace here:www.pbase.com/annforcier/image/84269986
Toledo: Hotel Santa Isabel is a “charming” little hotel deep in the center of Toledo. The room was just average and kind of dark but comfortable enough, and even as a single room, large enough. It had TV, AC, spotlessly clean bathroom, window that opened (and a statue of Saint Isabel just outside the window on the convent across the extremely narrow street) . The building is extremely old and has lots of charm even if the room didn’t really. The halls have beautiful tiling. The breakfast was pretty simple and a la carte so you only paid for what you ate – e.g. toast and coffee was €2.50. It was very quiet. Staff spoke English. The location was great for exploring Toledo, one minute from the cathedral, 5-10 minutes from Plaza Zocodover. But I would definitely take a taxi to get there as the streets in Toledo are quite confusing and you’d most likely get lost. Upon leaving I easily walked to Pz Zocodor and took the bus to the train station, but by then I knew where I was going. €33 a night – definitely a good deal.
Madrid: Hotel El Prado Very comfortable modern hotel in great location in center of Madrid. Everything looked like photos on web and it had everything you could need – TV with CNN, AC, lift, minibar, spotlessly clean. Free internet on computer in lobby. Staff spoke English. Breakfast was extra but you could just have coffee and a pastry for €3.50 or more extensive choices for more money. Two minute walk from Plaza Santa Ana, 5-10 from Plaza Mayor. Five to ten minutes in other direction is the Prado. Atocha train station about 15 minute walk, Several metro stops nearby. My only complaint was that my single room didn’t have a real window – the window opened onto a utility hallway, so no daylight. But I think there was only one room like this per floor and other than that it was perfectly fine and it certainly was quiet. The location felt very safe even at night. €67/night plus tax and breakfast.
Booked all the hotels about 3 months ahead of time, on the internet. Although I often using booking sites, on this trip I went directly to the hotels sites. In all cases the hotel’s rooms, locations, etc were exactly as advertised. When booking hotels my highest priority is location – both for safety and ease of walking to things. On this trip I also wanted AC (obviously – Spain in July=hot) and I wanted a mini-bar/fridge so I could buy food at grocery stores for picnic type meals, have cold water, etc. Given those requirements meant I didn’t stay in extremely inexpensive places, kind of mid-range, which in Spain is still really pretty cheap. I would stay at any of them again.
Salamanca: Hotel Torre del Clavero was a very pleasant hotel in a great location for a very reasonable price. It was exactly as advertised – looked just like the photos on the web, had everything it was supposed to or needed: lift, AC, TV with CNN, mini bar, free internet on computer in lobby. Extremely clean and comfortable although it didn’t have tons of charm but I would definitely stay there again. Location was excellent – about 3 blocks, 5 minute walk from Plaza Mayor but on a quiet street so even with the window open a few nights it was not noisy. 53€ a night for a single but I actually had a double, tax included, breakfast extra, I didn’t take it.
Segovia: Hotel Acueducto, very nice modern hotel in excellent location right next to the aqueduct, about 10 minute easy walk from the bus station, close to all sites. The hotel looks like the photos on its web site and has everything you could need – TV with CNN, mini-fridge, AC, lift, great breakfast bar included in the price. I would stay here again in any room, but the room I had, 406 had to be the best room in the whole place. It has a huge private terrace (big enough for at least 20 people) with a breathtaking view of the aqueduct and the old town and the bell tower of the church so close you could almost touch it with storks nest on top. I was a single but it was a double room and it was absolutely huge. Everything was spotlessly clean. In case you don’t get that room, or one of the few other rooms with smaller terraces, there is a public terrace on the fifth floor with the same view. Staff spoke English €64/night including breakfast and tax. There are some photos of the room and the hotel and the terrace here:www.pbase.com/annforcier/image/84269986
Toledo: Hotel Santa Isabel is a “charming” little hotel deep in the center of Toledo. The room was just average and kind of dark but comfortable enough, and even as a single room, large enough. It had TV, AC, spotlessly clean bathroom, window that opened (and a statue of Saint Isabel just outside the window on the convent across the extremely narrow street) . The building is extremely old and has lots of charm even if the room didn’t really. The halls have beautiful tiling. The breakfast was pretty simple and a la carte so you only paid for what you ate – e.g. toast and coffee was €2.50. It was very quiet. Staff spoke English. The location was great for exploring Toledo, one minute from the cathedral, 5-10 minutes from Plaza Zocodover. But I would definitely take a taxi to get there as the streets in Toledo are quite confusing and you’d most likely get lost. Upon leaving I easily walked to Pz Zocodor and took the bus to the train station, but by then I knew where I was going. €33 a night – definitely a good deal.
Madrid: Hotel El Prado Very comfortable modern hotel in great location in center of Madrid. Everything looked like photos on web and it had everything you could need – TV with CNN, AC, lift, minibar, spotlessly clean. Free internet on computer in lobby. Staff spoke English. Breakfast was extra but you could just have coffee and a pastry for €3.50 or more extensive choices for more money. Two minute walk from Plaza Santa Ana, 5-10 from Plaza Mayor. Five to ten minutes in other direction is the Prado. Atocha train station about 15 minute walk, Several metro stops nearby. My only complaint was that my single room didn’t have a real window – the window opened onto a utility hallway, so no daylight. But I think there was only one room like this per floor and other than that it was perfectly fine and it certainly was quiet. The location felt very safe even at night. €67/night plus tax and breakfast.
