Hotels in Spain

Can anyone recommend hotels in northern Spain, or a Spanish chain
equivelent to the Logis de France? We're looking to spend a couple of
nights in San Sebastian and a couple more crossing the Pyrenees.

 

I bought a Michelin guide to Spain when I toured there, but it was
effectively useless: very incomplete.

There are loads of decent hotels which are used as truck stops. Don't go
by the outside - the most unprepossessing interiors often hide glorious
courtyards and lovely rooms.

We just stopped at any hotel which mad a few trucks parked outside it,
especially if it had a sign saying "piscina".

I've looked for a really good comprehensive Spanish hotel guide, but
there doesn't seem to be any such animal.

 

I was beginning to wonder. Cheers, TOG.

 

As Champ says, the Paradors are good. The one in Santo Domingo de la Calzeda
about 70 miles south of Bilbao was particularly fine but quite pricey. Food
was excellent. Good for exploring the Picos de Europa if it's mountains you
want rather than the Pyrenees particulalry.

In San Sebastian we stayed at the Silken Amara. It's a good quality business
type hotel but at the south end of town so a bit of a walk to the harbour.
It was very nice but lacked character! It had a great Tapas bar and also
underground parking (at a price).

 

I found two excellent places by using Sawday's site. (Alastair Sawday)

John

 

Looks good. Thanks.

 

We'll probably try for somewhere a bit cheaper, but thanks anyway.

 

That's a useful site. Thanks.

 

Paradors are indeed ace. We stayed in one on our tour.

 

Don't know the north. One bit of advice though - if you get a map, make
sure it's very recent, as they've changed all the road numbers in Spain
recently.

 

I don't understand why brits call bars "Tapas bars". I only know of one
bar that *doesn't* do tapas (usually referred to as "tapitas" as these
lot like to use the diminutive). Perhaps you don't normally get tapas on
the coast? I went to a "tapas bar" in Yorkshire once (Holmfirth). They
were *charging* for tapas. Unbelievable.

I know people here that never have a meal. They just have lots of tiny
drinks and get a tapa with each drink. Cheap way to subsist.

 

We have a few here, around rue de la Roquette.

<fx: thinks>

Hmm ... now I know what I'm eating this evening ...

 

Not quite right. They've half changed the road numbers in Spain. That is -
most roads have two numbers - the one that you are following on the map, and
the new one that appears from nowhere just as you are trying to find the
by-pass to the city that you're trying to avoid entering. Trust your Garmin
or the sun to get your bearings. Doing it on road numbers doesn't work.

Paradores are ace - and we saw an advert (which I cant find now) - they have
a booking agency in the UK and theyr'e offering special deals whic we worked
out to be about £26 pr night. Get in touch via the website - they'll let
you know. We stayed in 8 of them. Superb quality. Superb settings.

John

 

No probs - I tend to navigate by the sun anyway.

Just be grateful we're not descending on you - this time. Oh, and
regards to Nessa.

 

We'll have a look. Ta!

 

Not that simple. Roads may be owned by several authorities: The central
state (Madrid), one of the 17 autonomous regional governments or one of the
51 provincial governments (sometimes a road is crap in one province and
suddenly perfect just across the province border).

Then, main changes AFAIK have been:

- Some 5 years ago in Catalonia the Generalitat decided to change the
numbers of its roads to a system using a leading C and two numbers. If your
map shows a C17 road heading north of Barcelona to Vic and Ripoll, it is up
to date. If that road is called N152, the map is dated. Also consider that
since the early '80s Catalan names are used. If you see Lérida instead of
Lleida (or San Baudilio instead of Sant Boi, Cucufate/Cugat,
Quirico/Quirze), please ignore how much you love the map you parents used in
their first holiday and buy a new one.

- Several months ago the central administration (Madrid) changed the name of
national roads, autovias (toll free) and autopistas. Be extremely careful
with that! Toll free highways emerging from Madrid were N-I, N-II... N-VI,
and now they're A1, A2... A6 (did Audi sponsor it?) But, toll highways
formerly known as A-number are now AP-number. Where is the problem? South of
Barcelona you may be looking for the clean fast and safe former toll highway
A7, now AP7, and follow directions to A7. But there was no toll free N-VII.
A7 now is the old N340, two lanes, truck flooded, slow, dangerous, boring,
crap.

So, advice: buy some up to date Michelin maps where you see Cxx roads in
Catalonia and APx and APyy toll highways.

About GPS, there are permanent works on new roads, so 2 years old maps may
be dated. That happened to me recently in Zaragotham City with Tom Tom
Navigator.

Paradores are historic buildings (ancient castles and the like, but some new
buildings too) refurbished for tourism some 40 years ago and then kept up to
date. A very good option.

 

I might just do that.

 

BTW, I am a Thunderacer too

 

Heh. Where do you live?

 

Domènec says...

Good man