We're staying at the Villa Real during the end of Semana Santa. Any ideas about eating or getting out around that hotel? Any advice on what to ask for in room-type or location when checking in?

[ 02-05-2002: Message edited by: MadridMan ]

Hi austinguy! Welcome to the Spain-Loving group!

Where in Spain is this Hotel Villa Real? It's a big country and narrowing it down to the city would help a lot. Thanks!

Saludos, MadridMan

Sorry, Madridman.

The Hotel Villa Real is in Madrid - Plaza de las Cortes 10 - across from the Parliament building.

Thanks. Any thoughts or advice are appreciated.

Hi again, austinguy!

I used the SEARCH link above/right and didn't find anything previously posted on the message board so I dug a little deeper on the internet, even newgroups, and found very very little in the way of personal experiences. If you stay there, you HAVE to come back here and tell us about it, okay?

I DID find a kind of article, " Fine art and Fine Dining at Madrid's Villa Real by Myrna Katz Frommer and Harvey Frommer " (not the travel-guy) and his wife, but it's mainly about the restaurant and the building itself.

Good luck and please do let us know whatever you find about them. Thanks!

Saludos, MadridMan

[ 01-31-2002: Message edited by: MadridMan ]

I stayed at the Villa Real with my parents last summer. Georgeous! The hotel is part of the "Small Luxury Hotels" collection. ( www.slh.com -- I think). We had a split level suite with a balcony. The breakfast buffet is incredible. Fabulous location-safe, quiet, in the old quarter steps from the Prado and Plaza Santa Ana. Located in the Plaza de Cortes.

[ 02-04-2002: Message edited by: MadridMan ]

Thanks, Jessica. My wife and I are staying at the Villa Real for four nights - through Easter on March 31 - with our daughter who is spending this semester at the University of Barcelona. And two friends of ours will be with us. Do you recall any good places for tapas or entertainment in the neighborhood?

The Villa Real Hotel is conveniently located right in-between Huertas area and Pza. Sta. Ana. It's sort of behind the Palace Hotel, right across from the Parliament, and it's a gorgeous building. I haven't been inside it, but it sure looks like an EXCELLENT CHOICE, congrats!

For advice on neat places to eat or hang out around it, search for "Huertas", or "Huertas area". There have been two recent threads, one is 'Menú del día', and the other one is called 'Huertas, Madrid'.

austinguy, please promise us that upon returning, should you stay at Hotel Villa Real afterall, you'll come back here to this/your thread and tell us all about it? This way future travelers can gain insight through you to help make their own choices. Thanks!

Saludos, MadridMan

[ 02-05-2002: Message edited by: MadridMan ]

I promise, Madridman. I'll come back and post after our visit.

And I appreciate the help you've given me - and the posts of the other visitors.

Stayed at the Villa Real on our honeymoon last September. Very nice. We also had a split level suite. Didn't eat at the restaraunt there, but it looked pretty cool. Very "hip" looking bar. The staff were very nice too, congratulating us when we checked in. I had mentioned it only on the online form when I booked, so I was a little bit surprised they even noticed, but sure enough, there was a bottle of wine and another little congratulatory note waiting for us in our room. We found a lot of great little tapas bars and cafes in the surrounding area, particularly to the west(?)or south, I believe, as we walked back from the ReinaSofia Museum. I don't recall the name of that area. An easy walk to the Prado and to the Puerta del Sol as well.