We have airline tickets which we purchased through a local travel agent. Having checked the airfares on line the travel agent seemed to offer the best deal. We are flying into Sevilla to visit with my son for six nights. She has booked us at Hotel Occidental-Sevilla (which is very close to my son) for six nights cost: $150 per night plus 7%tax (no bkfst). We will rent a car and drive to Granada and stay for two nights at the Tryp Albayzin Hotel cost: $150 per night/triple room plus 7% tax (includes bkfast) or.... She offered the Alhambra Palace Hotel in Granada for $282/triple (includes tax and bkfast). We will then travel to Madrid for three nights at the Tryp Ambassador Hotel cost $210 (includes tax and bkfast). She offers mid size car rental for two nights (auto trans) $386.10 w/insurance or (manual tans) $181.57 w/insurance. <BR>Though I cannot not seem to find these hotels listed in the guide books (with the exception of the Alhambra Palace Hotel) the rates seem high including the rate at the Palace. I know nothing about Spain and I get the feeling traveling in Spain without using a reputable travel agency might not be a good idea. The rates quoted for the Palace in Granada seem high compared with guide books. <BR>Can anyone help? Are you familiar with these hotels, rates? Suggestions.....all would be much appreciated. <BR>Thank you!

Hmm. Rates seem unusally high for Spain, renown for being less expensive than places like Paris & London. Suggestion: Get the Eyewitness Travel Guide for Spain. Look in the back for hotel recommendations. They have a good variety, decribe the hotels, give contact info., etc. <BR>I did not use a travel agent and just showed up at the airport in Madrid and inquired at the accommations booth. They ask your price range & call for immediate confirmations. They also speak English. I also did the same at the train station in Sevilla. I used Eyewitness in Cordoba. Spain is wonderful and safe. Very friendly people. <BR>Enjoy your trip!

ET, <BR>Check the website www.hotelcity.com <BR>There is a special shown for Madrid's Ambassador and for the Tryp Albayzin. <BR>Ambassador rack rate is shown as 28000 pesetas ($176.00) for a double; book on line for 21000 ($132.00); for Albayzin a 19580 rack rate can be booked on line for 16000 pesetas or about $101.00 <BR> <BR>Check any of the major auto rental companies on line; they all have websites. With only a two day rental, how are you getting from Seville to Granada and subsequently to Madrid? <BR> <BR>Tell your agent she's not doing a job in your best interests, but rather in hers.

If you are traveling any time between now an next summer, you are grossly overpaying. If you have done any traveling in Europe, Spain is a piece of cake, except possibly for the language "barrier"; and even that is no big deal. My wife and I vacationed in Spain last November and are returning there next month. We averaged about $100 per night for hotels -- all of them in the 4 star category -- except in Madrid, where it was about $150. See if you can get your hands on Guida de Hotels (I'm away from home now, so I do not have my copy) and look up the rack rates for these properties. It is an "official" guide book; and very reliable. We are renting a intermediate sized, manual transmission car from Hertz on a pre-pay arrangement and our cost for 2 weeks this year is less than $270. If I were you, I would call the hotels and car rental agencies directly and check the rates; if the hotels are as up-scale as your quoted rates suggest, they will have someone who can communicate with you in English.

Hi ...I couldn t agree more with most of the previous postings, the travel agent could do a better job, for one all those hotels belonging to international chains?...get into the real Spain., <BR>Karen Brown's Spain Charming Inns and Itineraries is a good book, she lists many great places to stay ( the prices listed there are for high season) also try <BR>www.paradore.es for the great paradores of Spain , four star hotels in beautiful buildings and www.hotelsearch.com for hotels all over SDpain.Try to favour small charming or medium size , favour the 4 stars instead of the 5 stars, you will be closer to real Spain...the Karen Browns book tells a lot about Spain as many other fine travel books. <BR> Do a little homework and do it on your own, you will better off.. <BR>Buena Suerte

After my previous post, I did a little internet research on each of the hotels you name. Use the Altavista search engine and put each of the hotel names in quotes -- you will get about 30-40 hits on each. Follow the promising links to do your own research and make your own judgments. Current prices and phone numbers are available, and it looks to me like you will be paying about 20-30 $ per night over the published rates.

Et, <BR>I certainly agree with the previous posters that your travel agent has quoted you some unnecessarily high rates. <BR> <BR>Regarding the car rental, I just booked a week rental (compact, manual Ford Escort) through Avis for a friend departing for Spain tomorrow at a pre-paid rate of only $135 (including VAT but not CDW) after checking with six different rental agencies, including Auto Europe and Kemwell. (Auto Europe, which would have secured the car from Avis was $10 higher than Avis itself). <BR> <BR>As for your hotels, Wes has done his usual superb job! Through hotelcity.com the rate in dollars (today's official bank rate) would be only $103 for the Tryp Albaicin, $135 for the Tryp Ambassador. The Tryp hotel web site (www.tryp.es) is quoting $84 for the Albaicin and $115 for the Ambassador. <BR>Their 5-star, newly renovated Hotel Tryp Colon in Seville goes for only $125. (I'm not including extra person charge or VAT). <BR>Your travel agent's choice for Seville, the Occidental has an internet rate of 19,800 ($130) at www.occidental-hoteles.com <BR>I can't locate an internet booking site for the Alhambra Palace in Granada, but I do have the Guia Oficial de Hoteles, and will look up the rack rate for you and e-mail it to you when I return to my "travel office" (my cluttered home study filled with Spain travel guides). <BR> <BR>Are you sure that you want to use international hotel chains for your lodgings during your trip? As Graziella has mentioned, there are lovely, charming, atmospheric, independent hotels that can be found for around $100 per night. Rooms at the Parador in Cordoba go for only $112 (internet rate at www.parador.es), and the Parador on the Alhambra grounds in Granada has a rate of $212 on the web but is quite difficult to book (always filled-must book six months or more in advance). But have you considered the gorgeous, 16th century mansion, 5-star Casa Imperial in Seville (only $135 through hotelcity.com) or the Palacio de Santa Ines or Carmen de Santa Ines in Granada (around $100)? Again, I couldn't agree more with Grazielle regarding the Karen Brown guides-have used them for years; her selections are suberb and highly atmospheric, and you can view them at www.karenbrown.com <BR> <BR>Again, I believe that through a bit of searching on your own, you can do a much better job than your travel agent. My friend whose 10-day trip I recently planned will spend an average of $100 for his lodging (only $94 for the 4-star Hotel Suecia in Madrid with a perfect location, booked through travelscape.com.), and as Bo_Jack has stated, you need not spend more for high quality accomodations. <BR> <BR>Hope this hasn't confused you!

ET <BR>You'll find the Hotel Alhambra website at www.alhambrapalace.es

et, <BR> The "official" rate from my Guia Oficial de Hoteles for a double at the Alhambra Palace, high season is 21,500 (about $140). Their web site at www.h-alhambrapalace.es will wow you with pictures, but unfortunately it doesn't give prices; however, you can reserve on-line by e-mail. By the way, the Alhambra Palace is a Karen Brown (and BOB the NAV!) favorite as well as one of mine (but I do love more the sweet little one-star America). <BR>Happy hunting!

The following URL gives 1999 rack rates for the Alhambra Palace Hotel: www.euroflat.es/alhambra/Rooms.htm <BR>Stated rates are 21,500 Pts. (about $143 for a "Double Room with Bathroom." Rates are 32,000 Pts (about $215) for a "Garden Suite (juinor suite)". Rates do not include 7%VAT and I do not think they include breakfast (but could not really be sure of this).

Sorry, ET, but your travel agent must be on commision... those prices FOR SPAIN are outrageous! We rented a med sized car unlimited mileage for 10 DAYS for $210, taxes included! (AVIS). <BR> <BR>The only deal that appears reasonable is the hotel in Granada. <BR> <BR>By the way, I have never used a travel agent. No reason why you can not do this planning on your own.

Sincere thanks to all of you who have responded so generously with your time and advice. It appears that I had forgotten in to include that I will be traveling in Spain the last two weeks of <BR>March 2000. I have spent the better part of the morning working on making travel arrangements. I have as of the moment been unable to connect the Hotel Alhambra Palace but I will work on it until I do. If any of you are familiar with the hotels I have mentioned please advise as well. Once again, much appreciation for your opinions and advice. <BR>