Booklady,

I am truly getting confused. I had another member write to me to tell me to avoid the Tryp Capitol and that whole section of the Gran Via. I then cancelled that reservation, and followed your earlier advice and made a reservation for the first three nights at the Husa Princesa. I have emailed the Husa Princesa to inquire if they would accept the Bancotel vouchers for the following three nights. Still waiting for an answer, but the price is right 2 vouchers per night (100 Euro) vs. a rack rate of 330 Euro per night.

The other advice I was given was to stay at the Suecia for 6 nights or the Intur Palacio San Martin. The Suecia only has 1 night available for Bancotel, and will not accept vouchers for the other 5 nights, so that is not an option for a hotel (I sent an email inquiry). The Intur Palacio San Martin will accept vouchers for the first 3 nights, and I have sent an email inquiring if they will accept the vouchers for the following 3 nights. Still waiting for an answer to my email.

Presently, I am booked at the Husa Princesa for the first 3 nights, and the Emperador on the Gran Via for the second 3 nights.

Please let me know what I should do, as this is truly giving me a headache.

Because I am presently trying to maximize the use of the vouchers, I am now at 30, but 20 was better, but this is a vacation, so I am not going to quibble over $500.

Based on my present accommodations in Madrid, I changed the hotel in Barcelona to the Rivoli Las Ramblas to use all of the vouchers. I had a reservation at the Rafael Diagonal Port.

And, I've had someone write to me to suggest that I should not stay at the Melia Colon in Seville but change to the Westin Alfonso XIII. There is availability through Bancotel to make that change, but it will cost me 2 more vouchers, but it will work out okay, if I stay at the Husa Princesa for 6 nights (that is if the Husa Princesa will take vouchers for all 6 nights).

Also, the advice I was given in an email was to not stay in Cordoba and that I won't need two full days there. It was suggested that I stay in Seville the whole time, and only make a day trip to Cordoba for 1 day, and spend 3 full days sightseeing in Seville.

Lastly, I rechecked Air Europa's flight schedules and found out that there are flights from Granada to Barcelona, so I won't have to backtrack to Seville to catch the flight to Barcelona. That is very good news!

I am so confused!!! So, my question is what should I do? Should I stay at the Husa Princesa for 6 nights, or is it too far out of the way? Should I have 3 nights in 2 hotels in Madrid, go back to my original idea of the Tryp Capitol, or stay at the Intur Palacio San Martin for the first 3 nights, or 6 nights if they will accept the vouchers?

Should I stay two nights in Cordoba, or stay 4 nights in Seville and make a day trip to Cordoba? If I stay in Seville for 4 nights, should I stay at the Melia Colon or the Westin Alfonso III?

Also, should I stay at the Rivoli Las Ramblas or change the reservation back to the Rafael Diagonal Port?

I guess I am asking if my original selection of hotels and areas in the message above were awful?

You are the Spain experts, this is my first trip to Spain. I can give great advice for Prague and Boston, but I feel like I am drowning here. Monday, I am going to buy maps for each of these cities.

Anyway, as you can tell, I am now more confused than ever , and quite overwhelmed. I do appreciate your expertise and excellent advice and I look forward to your next post.

If I should not stay overnight in Cordoba (I'll make a daytrip there from Seville), and maximizing the Bancotel vouchers, this is what I have come up with:

3/14-3/20, 6 nights at the Tryp Capitol in Madrid, making day trips to Segovia, El Escorial, and Toledo (6 vouchers), 3 star hotel - train from Madrid to Seville

3/20-3/24, 4 nights at the Westin Alfonso XIII in Seville, making a day trip to Cordoba (12 vouchers), 5 star hotel - train from Seville to Granada

3/24-3/26, 2 nights at the Melia Granada in Granada (2 vouchers), 4 star hotel - fly from Granada to Barcelona

3/26-3/30, 4 nights at the Rivoli Las Ramblas in Barcelona (10 vouchers), 4 star hotel

This comes to a total of 30 vouchers or 6 checkbooks, using all of the vouchers. Also, this is only 4 hotel changes, instead of what I had before. This part, at least having fewer hotel changes makes more sense. Let me know if I have this right this time . This has certainly been an eye-opening learning experience!

From what I've read the temperature should be in the 60s during my trip, I'm guessing that this time period is considered either low season or shoulder season. Am I correct about the temperature and the season?

Please let me know if I've laid this out correctly. Booklady, I am following your advice about the Tryp Capitol -- you have been my best mentor, but I respect everyone's advice, but you have given me the best description of the area of the Gran Via, and you must know about my weakness for shoes.

Okay, I know that I can take trains everywhere from the cities I am staying in to all of the cities/towns I want to visit except El Escorial (I could be wrong here, but couldn't find information on www.renfe.es or www.travelinginspain.com/train.html so I guess that I will have to take the bus -- I did find a bus schedule!

I am going to rely on all of your expertise, and, I am a fast learner. Thanks!

Hi Lipstique,
I am sorry I am a bit tardy in answering your previous post.

Regarding the Trypp Capitol, I can only attest to its location, because I passed it many times and said to myself, next time I am staying at the Capitol. It is centrally located to the main sights. Have you done a search of MM Board for the Trypp Capitol to see what previous travelers that have stayed there have said?

I personally stayed at the Suecia and the HUSA Princessa, and highly recommend these two.

First the Suecia is located within walking distance (for me) to the Prado and Reina Sofia Museums and within walking distance (for me) from the Puerta del Sol and Plaza Mayor, plus it was next to a Renfe store, a few paces across the street and in a very safe area. My room was the same type as I would get at Best Western. The hotel had a nice Swedish style breakfast buffet, a restaurant, which I did not use, and a nice bar which was in full swing at around 1 p.m. when many Madrileños came to party.

Second the HUSA Princessa was a spectacular hotel near to the Plaza de España.You were treated like royalty, big soft, bath robes . The rooms are extremely large. Amenities include: large screen TV; a minibar stocked with every type of beverage; the bathroom provides you with all amenities you would wish, soap, shampoo, conditioner, shoe kit, sewing kit, & comb. For a fee you can have your hair done, nails, pedicure, and launder your clothes ( very expensive). They have a free gym, and have access to a complete restaurant and cafeteria. Across from the main lobby was the grandest ElCorte Ingles Ever! BUT,
it was indeed too far to walk to the center of Madrid. But the taxis were plentiuful and will take you there for 3-4 Euros. It is a grand hotel that you would find here in the U.S. like the Sheratons. Very safe and secure. I did notice that many American, US Air, and Delta flight crews stayed here. I recommend it as a nioce place to relax after a fun-filled day of sightseeing.

Shoes well you are coming to the right city. Shoes everywhere and what styles, from ultra feminine chic to very trendy Campers; what colors, every color of the rainbow! There are wonderful threads on this Board under shopping where many members have given specific advice about particular shoe stores. Purses too Lipstique are wonderful here! Prices are about the same as at home, but the quality is better.

Next time I am bringing an extra suitcase for the shoes and purses.

Hope this helps.

Booklady, thanks for taking time out on a Saturday during the summer to respond to me .

Maribel on the Fodor's board (she's a peach) has discouraged me from staying at the Tryp Capitol because she thinks the area is too noisy , and she described the area as Times Square. Maribel also recommended the Suecia and the Hotel Opera (which is a Best Western property). Per Bancotel's website, the Suecia only has availability for 1 night, and the Hotel Opera has available for 3 nights, and I am staying 6 nights. I have emailed both hotels and found that they have availability, but at the present time they are not accepting the Bancotel vouchers for the extra nights that I need. I will email them both again in December, January and February to see if they have high vacancy rates and if they will reconsider accepting the vouchers. If they do have high vacancy rates, I will try again to make reservations there using the vouchers. As I mentioned before, I think that from a hotel's perspective, an occupied room paid for with a voucher in a "non-availability" time period is still better than a vacant room. Otherwise, I am still keeping the reservation I have at the Tryp Capitol -- I really don't mind staying in an area that has the activity described as Times Square.

Other than that, I am finally set with my hotel reservations and don't intend to make any further changes.

I still need to find a flight from Granada to Barcelona. So far, my research shows that none of the airlines - Spanair, Air Europa, and Iberia fly that route directly. I can either take a connecting flight through Madrid, return to Seville and fly to Barcelona directly (but the flight departs at 9:00pm , or else return to Madrid by train and then take a flight from Madrid to Barcelona. I still have sometime to figure that out, but if you have suggestions, I would appreciate your sage advice.

Shoes and handbags , my two biggest weaknesses. Might as well change my monicker from Lipstique to Imelda Marcos. Well, it doesn't make sense to take another big empty roll bag with me, as Madrid is the first stop on my 16 day vacation in Spain, and I'm most likely, traveling alone, so I will have to schlep them around myself. Well, let me think about this ... if I use cabs to the train stations, I might be okay. I'm guessing that there must be something similar to a Mailboxes, Etc. in Madrid for me to ship my purchases to my office so I don't have to take them along with me on my sojourn. Otherwise, will the stores pack up my purchases and ship them back to the US?

I'm beginning to see that the savings on the hotels through Bancotel versus the hotels' advertised rack rates, will now be spent on shoes and handbags :o . Thank goodness for your advice about Bancotel.

Please, let's keep in mind that this is the Transportation forum. Hotel discussions should take place in the Hostels & Other Lodgings forum. Thanks!

Ooops! So sorry MadridMan!
Got carried away!