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Where is The Cleanest Hotel in The World?

Where: Plaza do Obradoiro 1, Santiago de Compostela, Spain, 15705

Health and safety not top of the list when you’re deciding on a hotel? Us neither, though spending the past four days laid low with a stomach bug in Egypt has made us think twice.

Luckily for hygiene freaks and the walking wounded, H&S hotel experts Check Safety First have produced a list of the most hygienic hotels in the 10 countries they work in – from the Czech Republic and Germany to Mexico and the Dominican Republic.

Topping the list is the Hostal de los Reyes Católicos Parador in Santiago de Compostela. Apparently it has “clearly shown its commitment to the well-being of its guests”. Perhaps that’s because it’s had over 500 years to practice customer service.

Hygiene and history will cost you, mind – rooms start at €231 ($345), although if you’re under 35 you can bag a room for a relatively teeny €110 ($164) with the Young Persons Getaway offer.

Tags: Historic Spanish Hotels / Barcelona Hotels / Paradores / Monica Guy / → All Tags

Spanish Hotels with History :: Hostal de los Reyes Católicos

Where: Plaza do Obradoiro 1, Santiago de Compostela, Spain, 15705

After spending two weeks recapping the Lisbon Hotel Scene for us, Monica Guy is back with some history lessons. She's chronicling some of Spain's historic hotels this week. Enjoy.

Talking of Spanish Hotels with History, this one boasts to be the oldest 'proper' hotel in the world.

The Hostal de los Reyes Católicos is a 5-star Gran Lujo hotel--better than a 5-star--and it's located superbly right opposite the magnificent cathedral in Santiago de Compostela's central square. It's also known in English as the Royal Hospital or in Spanish as the Parador de Santiago de Compostela.

The hotel's partly funded by the government as a parador, a status awarded only to the best hotels in the most historic of buildings in Spain.

The décor? Use your imagination. Dark wood, dim lighting, high ceilings, exposed stone, the odd suit of armour or oil painting glaring down at you. We stayed there for a night last year and can't remember anything of the room except that it was super-luxury and super-traditional - a bit too traditional for our taste.

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Tags: Gwyneth Paltrow / Mario Batali / TV Set Hotels / Paradores / Spain Hotels / → All Tags

Staying in Spain :: Batali-Paltrow Style

Where: Real de la Alhambra, s/n, Granada, Spain, 18009

This fall, PBS will debut the series "Spain... On the Road Again," based on an enviable Spanish road trip taken by Mario Batali, Gwyneth Paltrow, New York Times food writer Mark Bittman and Spanish actress Claudia Bassois.

We're jealous of this trip for many reasons (as well as Gwynnie's command of Spanish), but mostly because, according to Food and Wine, the famous foursome stayed at a handful of paradores--churches, palaces and monasteries converted into hotels by the government--including the nearly-impossible-to-get-into Parador de Granada.

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Malaga Parador Serves up Great Views and Food

Where: Castillo de Gibralfaro, s/n, Malaga, Spain, 29016

As the birthplace of Picasso, Malaga houses many of his works in a namesake museum; but in our opinion, the best work of art is found at Parador de Malaga Gibralfaro, a hotel that sits on the towering Mount Gibralfaro above the rest of the city.

Some of the best aerial views of Malaga can be had from the balcony of this hotel's rooms, which are well kept and, in most cases, are large enough to include a sitting area. Head to the rooftop pool for even better views over the property's towering pine trees. Another artistry is to be had in the café bar, with the chef's brown-sugar-and-sautéed-onion twist on broiled goat cheese, an Andalucian favorite.

The hotel's secluded location up a winding mountain isn't a match for travelers who like easy access to a city's center; though the roughly 10-minute cab ride into town costs about six euros. For whatever reason, the hotel attracts an older crowd, so if you're in search of a lively hotel scene, we recommend looking someplace else.

However, if you fall between the ages of 20 and 30, look into the aptly named "Young Persons Getaway" offer, valid through the end of the year, which includes a standard double room and buffet breakfast for about $87 per night.

Tags: Odd Hotels / Paradores / Estancias / → All Tags

Location, Location, Location

The witty Monica Guy returns with her wishlist of hotels. It's a Cubicle Dreamin' of sorts, the kind you get into when your boss is in meetings all afternoon. Enjoy.

Forget this "superb location near the Old Town" "within walking distance of the Arc de Triomph" "convenient for the airport" rubbish. We're talking hotels with real locations. Castles, hilltops, deserted islands. Converted churches, dug-out caves, tree-hotels in dense rainforests.

Or hotels on the moon, when Richard Branson gets his act together with Virgin Galactic.

Hotels where you don't care whether the hairdryer works or whether there's a shoe-horn in the laundry basket, because you're in such a damn superb spot in such damn fine surroundings.

Monica's picks after the jump.

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Tags: Budget Hotels / Spain Hotels / Paradores / → All Tags

Another Way to Save in Spain: The Parador Hotel Zurbaran

Where: Marques de la Romana 12 , Guadalupe, Spain, 10140

Budget Travel had a nice article recently about cool hotels run at reasonable prices because they're part of a government program for preservation purposes or just to promote tourism. Our own Hotel Maven Annie0007 gave us the lowdown on these paradores back in April.

A BT recommendation is in a gorgeous spot in Spain, the Parador Hotel Zurbaran in Guadalupe, Caceres. In the 15th century this hotel was the St. John the Baptist hospital and nowadays it's a 40-room hotel that's full of Spanish character.

In fact they call this Parador a "luxury four star" but the rates are much more reasonable than that sounds, with summer room rates going at 125 Euros ($170) for a double (without breakfast). There's a beautiful swimming pool and an orchard to stroll through, and the restaurant serves local cuisine like bacalao monacal (a special cod dish) and ajo blanco extremeno which is described as a dish for garlic lovers. And there are numerous local historic sites to visit when you get sick of hanging out at the pool.

[Photo: Aguilas]

Related Stories:
· Little Known Bargain Hotels [BudgetTravel]
· Visiting Spain's Paradores [HotelChatter]

Tags: Spain Hotel Reviews / Granada Hotel Reviews / Paradores / → All Tags

Visiting Spain's Paradores

Where: Real de la Alhambra S/N, Granada, Spain, 18009

Spain reveres its old places, and for nearly a century the government has taken the steps to turn some of its more beautiful locations into paradores -- that is, old forts, convents, fortresses, and castles, that are now sumptuous and historic hotels.

These architectural beauties preserve the heritage and culture of Spain -- it's even official policy at the paradores to serve regional cuisine -- and they're scattered all over the country, from the Meditteranean to the Basque region. The name, too, is steeped in history: the word "parador" comes from the Arabic word waradah, or "halting place."

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