Spain hotel help please?

[Deleted]

We're planning on going to Spain for 10 nights in May.  We'll go to Madrid, Granada, and Seville.  

I think we're pretty set on Granada and Seville -- planning on staying at the Hospes Palacio de los Patos in Granada and the Palacio Villapanes in Seville, unless anyone has negative comments about either or knows of another place that is a can't miss.

In Madrid, I'm a bit torn.  We were thinking the Hotel Villa Real, which had high reviews by CN Traveler in 2012, but seems to have fallen off the Gold List (and the tripadvisor reviews are a bit more mixed than I'd like).  It is about $170 a night, all in.  The Intercontinental is $199 a night and we'd get good Virtuoso perks (upgrade, free daily breakfast, club lounge access, and a tour of the Real Madrid stadium (my husband would probably enjoy).  But I don't tend to prefer large chain hotels, and I'm concerned about it being businessy rather than close to what we want to do -- but still, the price and perks may more than make up for that.  Any thoughts on either of these or other place where we should keep looking?  We're trying to stay under $300 a night (and hey -- less is more) but it looks like there are a ton of good options in that price range.

[anna7602]

I have no thoughts on those particular hotels, but the Spanish economy isn't doing so well. You shouldn't have a problem staying in a hotel for less than $300/night. Where is the Intercontinental? Madrid has a very good metro system, so take a look at the map and see what the subway connections are to the spots you're most interested in getting to from the Intercontinental.

[Deleted]

It is on the Paseo de Castellana -- map here: tinyurl.com/pdqdtfr

Hotel Villa Real is down by the Prado: tinyurl.com/mjk76se

We won't figure out what we're actually going to do until way closer to when we'll be there, so I guess just a nice area with restaurants and shops nearby that isn't too over-the-top touristy or businessy is attractive to us? We end up walking a lot (when we went to Paris last time, the only mass transit we took was to Versailles -- except for a cab to Montmartre, we walked everywhere else. We're weird.)

[anna7602]

Oh, I used to work around there. The American Embassy is in that hood. That area is kind of blah. Lots of offices, embassies, but nothing super hip that I can recall. I temporarily lived at the NH Zurbano hotel (listed on that map, just up the road). I think you would want to be a little further down Paseo de la Castellana, closer to Calle Goya, if your goal is really to walk everywhere. Or in a neighborhood like Barrio Santa Ana, that has a ton of cute bars.

[Deleted]

Thanks so much, Anna -- sounds like that's not the area we want to stay in!!!

[osumelissa]

In Madrid, we stayed at this hotel: us.preciadoshotel.com/index.html

I really liked it - it was on a quiet street, but very close to tons of things. Easy walk to sites and the subway. Plus free minibar and free wifi.

[frlcb]

Would you stay in a parador? They are unique to Spain and are all amazing - they are all historic buildings like castles and monasteries. www.parador.es/en/ We always stay in them in Spain and have yet to be disappointed.

[Deleted]

Jan 6, 2014 20:49:57 GMT -5 frlcb said:

Would you stay in a parador? They are unique to Spain and are all amazing - they are all historic buildings like castles and monasteries. www.parador.es/en/ We always stay in them in Spain and have yet to be disappointed.

We definitely, definitely want to stay in the city, so not on this trip!

[frlcb]

Jan 6, 2014 22:24:16 GMT -5 v said:

Jan 6, 2014 20:49:57 GMT -5 frlcb said:

Would you stay in a parador? They are unique to Spain and are all amazing - they are all historic buildings like castles and monasteries. www.parador.es/en/ We always stay in them in Spain and have yet to be disappointed.

We definitely, definitely want to stay in the city, so not on this trip!

I didn't just mean for Madrid, They have them all over Spain, including Madrid, Seville and Granada, that one is actually part of the Alhambra.

[Deleted]

Jan 6, 2014 23:27:17 GMT -5 frlcb said:

Jan 6, 2014 22:24:16 GMT -5 v said:

We definitely, definitely want to stay in the city, so not on this trip!

I didn't just mean for Madrid, They have them all over Spain, including Madrid, Seville and Granada, that one is actually part of the Alhambra.

Again, we're really looking to stay in city centers so we're more centrally located for sightseeing/dining/etc. 

If we stay in the countryside in a future trip, we definitely plan on looking at paradores.

[librarygirl]

No help with the ones you mentioned but I loved my stay at the Westin Palace in Madrid. It's a turn of the last century hotel, just incredible and it's also right across the street from the Prado, block from the Thyssen. 

[frlcb]

Jan 7, 2014 8:27:11 GMT -5 v said:

Jan 6, 2014 23:27:17 GMT -5 frlcb said:

I didn't just mean for Madrid, They have them all over Spain, including Madrid, Seville and Granada, that one is actually part of the Alhambra.

Again, we're really looking to stay in city centers so we're more centrally located for sightseeing/dining/etc. 

If we stay in the countryside in a future trip, we definitely plan on looking at paradores.

Okay, sorry. While some of them are not centrally located they do actually have them in some city centers and I was just trying to be helpful! Enjoy your trip, I have been to Spain more times than I can count and we love it every time. 

[anna7602]

Jan 7, 2014 10:16:30 GMT -5 frlcb said:

Jan 7, 2014 8:27:11 GMT -5 v said:

Again, we're really looking to stay in city centers so we're more centrally located for sightseeing/dining/etc. 

If we stay in the countryside in a future trip, we definitely plan on looking at paradores.

Okay, sorry. While some of them are not centrally located they do actually have them in some city centers and I was just trying to be helpful! Enjoy your trip, I have been to Spain more times than I can count and we love it every time. 

The one in Santiago de Compostela is right in town, in case you ever make it to Galicia.

[frlcb]

Jan 7, 2014 17:13:47 GMT -5 anna7602 said:

Jan 7, 2014 10:16:30 GMT -5 frlcb said:

Okay, sorry. While some of them are not centrally located they do actually have them in some city centers and I was just trying to be helpful! Enjoy your trip, I have been to Spain more times than I can count and we love it every time. 

The one in Santiago de Compostela is right in town, in case you ever make it to Galicia.

We have stayed in that one, it was amazing!

[anna7602]

So did we, frlcb!

[genet313]

Alfonoso XII in Seville is simply gorgeous.  Seriously, it's gorgeous, centrally located and wonderful.

I studied abroad in Spain and my parents stayed there when visiting me, lovely.

[Deleted]

Jan 12, 2014 12:14:22 GMT -5 genet313 said:

Alfonoso XII in Seville is simply gorgeous.  Seriously, it's gorgeous, centrally located and wonderful.

I studied abroad in Spain and my parents stayed there when visiting me, lovely.

It's already fully booked for one of the days we'll be there, so unfortunately it's a no-go!

[taylormade]

This is where I stayed in Madrid. Loved it because it is right on a square, so you can walk right outside the hotel and have nightlife/restaurant/people watching.

www.melia.com/en/hotels/spain/madrid/me-madrid-reina-victoria/index.html

I don't remember the rooms at all (it was about 2-3 years ago that we were there) but we loved the location. We were there in May and paid 188 USD per night

[genet313]

Jan 12, 2014 13:44:51 GMT -5 v said:

Jan 12, 2014 12:14:22 GMT -5 genet313 said:

Alfonoso XII in Seville is simply gorgeous.  Seriously, it's gorgeous, centrally located and wonderful.

I studied abroad in Spain and my parents stayed there when visiting me, lovely.

It's already fully booked for one of the days we'll be there, so unfortunately it's a no-go!

ah, figures.  it's very popular. 

hotel colon was also another one people liked, but different neighborhood.

please try to go to la carboneria while  you are there (if it still exists). it's a wonderful flamenco bar.  impossible to find, but once you do, you won't forget it.  and it takes you through the older part of town, which is lovely.  

also, get churros and chocolate in the plaza del triunfo.  so yummy

[librarygirl]

Jan 12, 2014 16:02:06 GMT -5 genet313 said:

Jan 12, 2014 13:44:51 GMT -5 v said:

please try to go to la carboneria while  you are there (if it still exists). it's a wonderful flamenco bar.  impossible to find, but once you do, you won't forget it.  and it takes you through the older part of town, which is lovely.  

I lived in Sevilla in 2006 and some Spanish friends took me one night to La Carbonería and even they said it wasn't the easiest place to locate (they were locals too). I've heard though that word hasn't gotten out about it in more recent times as in its no longer the unique spot favorited by locals (I see from doing a Google search that Rick Steves mentions it and it also shows up as a hit for TripAdvisor). 

Yes, walking through the windy, body hugging streets of the Barrio Judío is an experience like no other! 

[thejen626]

I'd find a hotel near the Plaza Santa Ana. It's very walkable, lots of great restaurants and people watching. My parents live in Madrid so we stayed with them, but one night we got really drunk and just stumbled into a hotel, it was in that area and it was perfect for midnight churros and a decent breakfast in the morning.

I wouldn't stay by the American Embassy, there's nothing over there except the Hard Rock Cafe lol

[dulcemariamar]

Jan 12, 2014 13:54:28 GMT -5 taylormade said:

This is where I stayed in Madrid. Loved it because it is right on a square, so you can walk right outside the hotel and have nightlife/restaurant/people watching.

www.melia.com/en/hotels/spain/madrid/me-madrid-reina-victoria/index.html

I don't remember the rooms at all (it was about 2-3 years ago that we were there) but we loved the location. We were there in May and paid 188 USD per night

I have never stayed here but I would go to this place a lot for lunch. They have the best Spanish croquetas in Madrid. IMO.