mksmither

Know this is probably a stupid question, but can someone please explain what these are? I keep seeing posts about them, but can't figure it out. Thanks.

suze

Well the dictionary definition says:
"esp. in Spain, a government-owned inn or hotel intended for tourists"

Kristina

They tend to be in buildings that have some historic or cultural significance like a castle or monastery.
Google "Spain parador" and you'll find the official website.

ira

>What's a Parador<

2 dors.

ekscrunchy

They are scattered throughout Spain, although most are not in large cities. Many are in areas that are off the beaten tourist trail. They are run by the Spanish government and, in my experience, are always handsomely restored and decorated (some are modern but most are centuries-old) in the style of the particular region. Except for the few in very touristed areas, they are generally patronized by Spanish and other European travelers. The restaurants are usually good bets, again for the food of the particular region. Many people, myself included for my upcoming trip in May, plan their itineraries in a way that allows them to stay in paradors most or every night. For the most part, they represent good value for the Euro, although none are in the budget range. The total number of these establishments would be close to 100 by now, I would guess.

adeben

Then, again, for some of us (particularly me!), a parador is simply an over-priced hotel in Spain.

SeaUrchin

I thought it was something people spit tobacco in.

Mary_Fran

Check out the Paradors website:
http://www.parador.es/english/index.jsp
The easiest way for me to look at a particular parador is to choose from the drop-down list on the upper right side of the home page.

We found Paradors to be a pretty economical option for our trip to Spain in fall 2004, taking advantage of the 5 night special, which lets you stay in 5 different paradors over the course of your trip, currently for 85 euros a night.

The Paradors we stayed in were very nice.

artlover

As Mary Fran suggested, check out the Parador.es website and you'll get a better idea. We purchased the 5 day card for our visit last May and were really happy that we did and plan to stay in Paradors again on our next visit to Spain. They're all different, but really, I enjoyed each and every one we stayed at. My favorites were probably Leon (which was so gorgeous I couldn't even sleep!!!) and Segovia, which was very different than Leon--modern as opposed to ancient, but was just as spectacular!