In an expensive town like Marbella, a good deal can be hard to find--and we mean that quite literally. While our stay at The Town House was easy on the pockets and the eyes, with its under-$200 room rate and roof top terrace, finding the place was a bit harder.
The nine-room pensión is located off a square inaccessible by car, so it may not be ideal for disabled travelers or travelers with lots of and/or heavy bags. Otherwise, The Town House provides a practically flawless stay.
Sir Paul Mcartney's ex-wife and perpetual-golddigger Heather Mills, 41, has taken a liking to a 36-year-old hunky hotel worker.
When Millsie went on vacation to the Abama Hotel in Gula de Isora, she spotted Jamie Walker (a "kid's rep" for the hotel) playing with her daughter -- and the rest is history.
A source there told us: "She went over to talk to him with her nanny and there was an instant spark."The next day, Heather got her nanny to call Jamie to say, `You know that woman you were talking to, would you like to go out to dinner with her?'..."It was a secret operation because hotel staff aren't allowed to mix with the guests. Heather and Jamie managed two secret dinner dates before she returned to England.
Note to Heather: yeah, so, about your upcoming appearance on Trump's Celebrity Apprentice? Stay on your side of the pond. Send your boytoy to take your place.
Note to selves: the staff at the Abama Hotel may be worth the trip. Start saving your money.
In Seville, just about every building has a patio-perfect rooftop, so it's a wonder why more hotels don't capitalize on this prime space with rooftop bars. We had to ask a local if any existed and he pointed us in the direction of Hotel Azahar.
The place may not be the best hotel in Seville (past guests complain of small rooms, some with no windows--claims we sadly did not get the chance to vet), but its rooftop bar, Etnia Terrace, is certainly worth a trip. Anyone can hang out here and take advantage of the breezy vista, which looks down on Jesús del Gran Poder, a prime location to watch the religious processions go by during April's Semana Santa.
Get there early (that's midnight by Spanish standards) to commandeer one of the two small, elevated patios or to take a dip in the Jacuzzi (above) in privacy, as the place doesn't get going until at least 1 a.m. and the sound of techno music takes over.
"Um, wow," were the first words that came to mind when we first laid eyes on Hotel Villa Padierna in Marbella, Spain. A destination unto itself, the Ritz-Carlton property has 112 guest rooms and suites, a 21,000-square-foot Thermae Spa, beach access, two pools and an 18-hole golf course.
Despite our initial impression (and really, look at that picture--who wouldn't have that reaction?) it seems the hotel leaves something to be desired among some past guests. One recent reviewer said the hotel is a retreat for "golf lovers only," which likely ties into other guest complaints that Villa Padierna is "within walking distance to nowhere."
Surprisingly, some complain about the price of food and drinks onsite. (Honestly, we'd like to meet the people who sign up for a room at the Ritz-Carlton and then gripe about a $15 cocktail.)
A more legitimate dislike seems to be that not all rooms have balconies, so when you book, be sure to ask for a room with a terrace. Just don't then have the audacity to complain about the view.
Can someone tell us what is up with Spain's King Alfonso XIII? He's seemingly like the 19th century version of Andre Balazs, what with his demands that Spain have the most opulent hotels in Europe. That was the expressed intent of his namesake hotel, Hotel Alfonso XIII in Seville, which is still widely regarded as the luxury property in the city, despite the presence of a few smaller but no less luxurious boutique hotels.
Then there's the Hotel Ritz Madrid, which was borne out of Alfonso's desire to build a luxury hotel to rival the Ritz in Paris. Ah, if only online guest reviews existed in 1910.
No matter, the Hotel Ritz Madrid continues to stack up pretty well against its competition in Paris and elsewhere. A member of Orient-Express and the Leading Hotels of the World, the hotel is often noted for its exceptional service and its location across the street from one of Madrid's most famed attractions, the Prado Museum.
Though some reviewers wish the hotel would update its décor, others noted that the dated design was all part of the charm.
The Hotel Ritz Madrid seems to attract all types: families, honeymooners and celebratory travelers--at least those who can afford it, given that room rates start at $885, including VAT. Hey, if you want to live like a king you've got to expect to pay like one.
You know the scene. You open the door to your brand new hotel room, run over to the window, open the blinds and bam, you are hit with the anti-view. Maybe you are looking down a dirty alley, witnessing a drug deal, staring at an air shaft in the face, or seeing a brick wall. Whatever you are viewing it is not extremely pleasurable. Help out your fellow hotel mavens by uploading your anti-views to the HotelChatter/Flickr photo pool, or by sending the photo along to us. Remember to tell us the name of the hotel and the room number with the not-so-easy-on-the-eyes view.
Well located in the city's shopping district and the Nueva Montaña Business Park.
We definitely agree that it's near a business park because this is one of the views out of the NH Santander, truly one of the ugliest anti-views we've seen in a while. It's just a bunch of scrap metal. And it gets worse. Check out this one too.
However, the view is not everything, because it's actually regarded by guests as a pretty good hotel to stay in: not somewhere you'd choose for the view, obviously, but a clean, central and reasonably-priced hotel. With rooms starting at around $105 a night that's definitely reasonable and many people say the buffet breakfast (included) is above average too.
A recent trip to Ronda had us staying at Hotel San Cayetano, which came highly recommended from both previous guests and guidebooks. At 60 euros per night and the promise of free WiFi, we were hooked.
Of course, we're always skeptical of a hotel with all glowing reviews, though we must admit, much of what impressed other visitors is still true: the hotel is in a great location, close to the city center, with rooms that are tastefully decorated (though the lobby isn't much to look at).
But given all that--and here we borrow a line from the timeless classic "Clueless"--the hotel is a full-on Monet.
Our room, as one of our travel companions dully noted, "reeked like Easter eggs that had been hidden too long." The other room reserved for our group featured that oft-coveted amenity of mold on the ceiling. The WiFi, while free, just barely worked.
And though hardly the hotel's fault, it would have been nice to know that opening the windows to let in some fresh air for all of five minutes also lets in a slew of flies. Consider yourself forewarned.
Overall, the stay wasn't horrible. Staff was friendly and the beds comfortable, but to all those glowing reviews Hotel San Cayetano has gotten, we say whatever.
Because the dollar sucks, Rafael Hoteles is running a "New Currency" program with a set exchange rate of 1.3 at its eight properties across Madrid, Barcelona and the Spanish Pyrenees, meaning some room rates in Barcelona and Madrid start at $98. Sounds great, doesn't it?
Rafael Hoteles sure thinks so, further promising no surprises at checkout (though the rate does not include taxes and service charges.)
But suspiciously, the offer is only valid from July 1 through September 15--perhaps because the heat in Madrid and Barcelona gets unbearable in July and August, likely warding off tourists in need of hotel rooms? Just wondering.
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by jennm
"Um, wow," were the first words that came to mind when we first laid eyes on 
