ekscrunchy

I found a great apartment in Valencia (at least it looks great) on VRBO. We would probably stay there for 10-14 days, with an overnight trip to Cuenca, staying at the parador.
If the apartment is not available (I did not see any alternatives as nice as that one, but will take another look, and am open to recommendations; I am waiting to hear from the VRBO people as to availability); I know MariGross stayed in an apartment in Valencia). Alternatively but less attractive, we could stay in a hotel. My last trip to the city was about 10 years ago when I stayed at the Westin with a friend. The hotel was nice but the location was the best. By now there must be more hotels opened. I'd love recommendations for something on the upscale side, preferably in or close to Russafa/Gran Via barrios.

In Cuenca, as per Maribel, we will book a room with a view at the parador.

I think we will fly in and out of Valencia, with train trip for the overnight in Cuenca.

Maribel

Where is the location of the apartment?
If it doesn’ t work out and you do need a hotel, there’s the Only You, the former Astoria Palace ( where the tourist board put us up during a Fallas fam trip), the 5-star Caro or the newer Palacio Vallier , but booking .com has many apartments from which to choose. For me the Westin doesn’t have the greatest location and we weren’t overly impressed with the garden rooms at the Hospes although the rooms in the main building are nice. The Las Arenas is great if you want to be adjacent to Malvarrosa beach.

cdnyul

In Cuenca, if it a view you are after, take a look at Hotel Convento del Giraldo: the Superior room has a rooftop balcony

A couple of pictures:

ekscrunchy

Thanks to you both!!

Maribel, I pored through the VRBO listings and there were a number that looked nice but of these, I ruled a few out--one had almost all reviews complaining about noise. Another looked poorly furnished. There look as if there are three that might fit; the first one looks great. The host got back to me immediately saying that the reason the calendar looked so full was that they released dates in blocks, so not all dates that look booked are actually booked. She/he asked about my dates and I've now responded twice but have not yet heard back, so Ii. wonder.. This is the one:

https://www.vrbo.com/10932372ha?vgdc...s.general.link




In second place would be this one, PENTHOUSE CATHEDRAL QUARTER, BUT it is on the top floor with no elevator. Partner says that is ok, but obviously we would both prefer an elevator. One review counted the steps at something close to 160. As long as we had help with luggage, I guess that would be ok, but not certain... Dates seem to be open. (Last 2 weeks November, give pro take a day or two):

https://www.vrbo.com/6185896ha


And then there is this one, which is on the small side, with a small bed. It looks ok, but not great due to size:

https://www.vrbo.com/8233660ha?chkin...rtyId=18966222


I would be so grateful to read your comments. As you know, they don't' give exact location, but they each seem to be within an 11 minute walk of the central market....but I take that with a small grain of salt..maybe these hosts walk very fast!

All in all, the selection is smaller than I had hoped.....I will take a good look at Booking.

Of the hotels, the Only You looks very nice....they have premium junior suites with a terrace, but not sure how useful that would be in December..will look up the temperatures. In some ways a hotel might even be better. The truth is, I probably would not do much cooking, and with a big hotel breakfast, we would only have a snack for lunch, or skip that meal entirely, and just have dinner. Or have breakfast and a big lunch when we go for paella.... What didi you think of the hotel, if you don't mind saying that here... The location seems good, although not so near to near Russafa.... But so far I've not found any apartments in that barrio, either.

ekscrunchy

Oh, my.....I don't know why I did not look at this site first, but these both look lovely, on AIR B&B:


https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/22981158?adults=2&check_in=2024-11-17&check_out=2024-12-01&source_impression_id=p3_1705703057_2xGliR7Bk44D sGPU&previous_page_section_name=1000&federated_sea rch_id=f5392ab7-d8bd-4b29-b5cb-0b65409819f8



https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/38293006?adults=2&check_in=2024-11-17&check_out=2024-12-01&source_impression_id=p3_1705703505_V5zc68V1oE0u n6jL&previous_page_section_name=1000&federated_sea rch_id=29a26d22-b0c9-49b2-8b49-65ea991c9f0a

Maribel

Hi eks,
As soon as I get to my computer I’ll give them all a look.
Btw, at Narru last night a couple next to us picked up a box of angulas to go. I don’t know how many gramos were in the box but they paid a whopping 1,040 for their take a way, This afternoon at Casa Urola in the Old quarter there were percebes on the menu—250 gramos for 30 euros.
We’re in San Sebastián this weekend for the Tamborrada’ eating very well!

ekscrunchy

Hi Maribel!!! I wish I was along with you in Donostia! I wondered if anyone paid that price to buy the angulas and, good spy that you are, you answered the question!!! Amazing!!

After spending hours looking, I finally found an apartment that looks wonderful, and it is near the Russafa Market!! Two bedrooms, two bathrooms, good design, tiny balcony, elevator and great reviews; it looks as if it its available. So now I am going back and forth between the ONLY YOU hotel, and this place... Am I correct in thinking that Russafa is a better location overall? What about proximity to restaurants that I would put on my list?? (you already know my style!). I've only rented 3 apartments: Barcelona, Merida, Mexico, and Sevilla). Each one provided an excellent experience.

https://www.airbnb.com/book/stays/38...25947060592212

ekscrunchy

The VRBO Valencia apartment that I linked, above, the Convento, is located near the Valencia Nord train station, near Calle de Mathematica Manzar and Calle del Convento de Jerusalen; I wonder if this is a good area for a rental. My top choices would one that one, the Convento (first floor, no elevator) and the AirB&B near the Russafa Market. Is the Convento nearer the city center and the Central Market than the AIR B&B in Russafa that I also linked, above??

The alternative would be to stay at the ONLY YOU hotel.

I am having a tough time deciding, since I barely know the city, having spent only about 5 nights there about 10 years ago. Having attended supper school a lifetime ago left me with almost no memory of various barrios!

From looking at Google maps and reading, Russafa looks like an area for nightlife for young-ish people, but it does not look very charming or with the lovely architecture that I remember from my stay closer to the center. People emphasize there nightlife in Russafa, and I wonder ifs the area bears resemblance to Chueca in Madrid, where I do not think I would like to stay.
We do not care about nightlife. My emphasis is on food, but we certainly are ok with taxiing to restaurants. The walk from Russafa to the center would likely be too long for my partner. So really, from what I read, the main attraction for me would be the market in Russafa. But is it worth renting there just be be near that market, or are we best off with a hotel in the center, OR with the flat near the train station which looks like an easier walk to the center for sights, architecture, ceramics museum and other "sights?" I find myself really torn between the options. Not a bad thing, but I would love to read some more information here...

Heartfelt thanks to all, with Maribel at the top of the list, as always!!

kanadajin

While waiting for Maribel to chime in, my off the cuff reaction (caveat it has been a few years since my last stay in Valencia).

Looking at the map, I see that the VRBO unit is a little beyond and to the side of the Nord station from the center of things. From memory, while not bad I would not consider this location to be ideal, of course depending on your visit priorities. To me it seems a little out of the way, with a good walk to the Cathedral, plaza Mare de Des, old town, Mercat Central etc. I am not you of course but if it were me, I would try to be a little more central, although I am sure that you could make it work regardless.

I remember the Russafa neighbourhood, which is even more "ex-centered" (is that a word?). We have been to that particular market but it was a let down (at least for us - a few overpriced cafés, a few shops selling trinkets and souvenirs, that sort of thing and not much more), certainly nothing like the Mercat Central which easily wins hands down. It did give us the impression of a more "hip" area.

My 2 $ (inflation, you know). Let's see what Maribel will think.

ekscrunchy

Kanadajin, your comments are very much appreciated. I read a lot of online threads recommending Russafa, but I'm now not sure about the area..maybe too young and too nightlife-centric for us.....will await the comments from "our dear leader!"

ekscrunchy

Adding one more flat to the mix, in Russafa, that looks like it is at or near the intersection of Career Cadiz and Carrer Denia:


​​​​​​​https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/5317221...8-a44221850eaa

Maribel

I also like the one you just added and the location is close to Jorge Juan.

Maribel

Darn!
The long post I just composed just got lost! I'll try to reconstruct it.

Maribel

So sorry ekscrunchy,
Here is my lost post that disappeared.
The Eixample is the district, of which Ruzafa is the "trendy" neighborhood, so. the beautiful architecture and upscale area I was actually referring to is in and around the Mercado de Colón, not an actually market but a design space filled with bars, restaurants and a few shops. The streets that I like there are Jorge Juan, Pizarro, Cortés, Ciril Amores, Carrer Colón, Gran Vía Marqués de Turia.

The restaurants there recommended: Habitual, Salita, Lienzo, Fierro, Rausell, Maipi, Canalla Bistro.

I would certainly rule out the apartment w/o elevator. Why? Because you may not get help from your Airbnb host, but you never know. My experience with airbnb in Málaga, Pamplona, Córdoba: They had all gone to contactless entry. They sent me emails to download an app which would open the building door and then the apartment door. I had trouble initially with this. I never saw those 3 hosts. While I found an extra set of keys in the apartment and had a phone number to call my host if needed, I didn't meet them.
Therefore, I would go with a super host who actually lives in the building!

Which brings me to.....which one do I like the best? The "STUNNING CENTRAL DESIGN PENTHOUSE - TERRACE", whose super host actually lives in the building. I do love the sit out terrace and the contemporary design. And it's closer to the Mercat Central, which you'll probably want to visit daily! And have an esmorzaret daily at Central Bar, in the middle of the market. Best huge sandwiches ever! I'm sure you've seen the Valencia episode of José Andrés & family go to Spain and the place where they stopped for their esmorzaret.

Maribel

More restaurant notes:

• Quique Dacosta's most recent entry into the restaurant scene, Llisa Negra, with really nice, original rice dishes prepared over an open fire with orange wood in the open kitchen. And the most original ensaladilla rusa I´ve ever had, caramelized. It's a "restaurante de producto". Quite stylish and in the center.
• Bodega Casa Montaña, truly unmissable, in the now gentrifying fishermen's quarter of El Cabanyal, a classic from 1836 with wonderful, traditional small plates and fantastic wines from the owner. It won an award for Best Wine Bar in Spain from the International Wine Challenge Industry awards. Everything I´ve ever had there has been terrific. Extremely popular
• Fraula, on Ciril Amores in Eixample, the newly minted Michelin star
• Askua, a classic for grilled meats, Galician beef

ekscrunchy

Maribel, I won't have to do any research at all for restaurants, or for anything in Valencia for that matter!
Question: Last time I was there, I had a recommendation (do not recall where this came from) for CASA JOMI in Nazaret. We took a taxi there with the hotel staff nervously seeing us off, as they told us this was a "very dangerous" neighborhood. CASA JOMI was a unique experience for me; I'm sure I wrote about it in my trip report. They specialize in cured and dried fish and it was a place that I would never imagine a tourist would visit, or even know about. Recently I read bout the death of the proprietor, who seemed to be an iconic figure in the city's restaurant world. So I wonder if you know this place or have been there, and if it gets any press or is it popular with Valenciano's (??). They were wonderful to us, even waiting outside the door for us when we arrived in the taxi (the taxi driver also cautioned us that this was a shady neighborhood, but it did not seem so..)

Second question: What exactly are salazones? Are they cured meats and seafood? Cured, but not canned?



I'm going to link my trip report from my last stay in Valencia, just to keep it handy..

https://www.fodors.com/community/europe/que-viva-valencia-wandering-and-eating-amidst-the-orange-blossoms-881879/page3/




Also: This bar/restaurant, LA SASTRERIA, seems interesting for the decor alone; in Cabanyal; recommended in VOGUE ESPANA:

https://lasastreriavalencia.com

Maribel

I remember from your trip report that adventurous taxi ride to Casa Jomi. The death of the proprietor was deeply felt by his customers. I haven´t been. I do have La Sastrería on my list because it will be a great first stop before a meal at Casa Montaña in Cabanyel, since it's so close by..

Salazones are cured meats and seafood--it's an ancient food preservation technique, most often used for seafood, like mojama.

https://www.foodswinesfromspain.com/...ies-of-the-sea

joduhl

Hi. Are you looking at Valencia for November 2024?? We have stayed twice in this apartment, including for the entire month of January last year.
It is in a great location, in the Barrio del Carmen - just a few blocks to the central market and the Silk Exchange and in the other direction the main square - Plaza de la Reina - and many wonderful cafes and local restaurants. We are not ones for high end dining, but rather like to go where the locals go and we found many great places.

There does appear to be some availability for next November. Very nice owners who live across the way.
https://www.vrbo.com/trips/egti-26E-...TA3MA?filter=3

We are actually going back to Valencia next month for 3 weeks and this time staying near the beach, in the El Cabanyal neighborhood. It will be a different experience, but still the city we have grown to love. The public transportation system is very good so we can go back to our "old neighborhood," but look forward to discovering new places and spending time at the beach.

We found both of these places through VRBO but our sons are coming to visit us this year and they are staying in AirBnB, also in El Cabanyal neighborhood.

I have a trip report that I can share with you directly if you're interested. It names specific places we visited, including restaurants.

Maribel

eks,
The chef of La Sastrería in El Cabanyal has moved on to the new Señuelo.

https://valenciaplaza.com/el-chef-se...vo-restaurante
https://www.guiarepsol.com/es/fichas...enuelo-331515/

kleeblatt

My favourite thing to do in Valencia is rent a bike and explore the large park that runs through the city. Then continue down to the beach and enjoy the views and atmosphere.

Valencia is one of my favourite cities in Europe. You'll love it!