Hello, can anyone reccomend a safe and nice Hotel in Granada near the Alambra. I will be there in two weeks. How safe is Granada? I hear people are not very friendly in this town.

Not very friendly ?? Can anybody who knows the town well comment on that? I am studying at La Universidad de Granada next semester. I have not been to the south of spain yet.....but I have been told that the people in general (of course there are always exceptions), are very warm and friendly.

My suggestion for a place to stay in Granada is the Hotel Macia (a search will probably reveal threads with other positive commentaries on this place). It's clean, friendly, serves breakfast in the morning, and if you're lucky your room might have a view of the Alhambra (the front-facing ones do). It's not technically "near the Alhambra" since it lies at the bottom of the hill leading up to the palace--on the Plaza Nueva. There is, however,a cheap local bus that you can catch across the street from the hotel that will carry you up the hill. The advantage of staying at the bottom of the hill, from my perspective, is that you have access to a greater variety of places to eat, things to do, other things to see (e.g. the Royal Chapel in the cathedral)than you do staying on the hillside. It's also easier to make a trip up into the Albaicin from here.

As to friendliness, we had a very positive experience in Granada. Ate at several places with very friendly and helpful service. The people at the tourist office were also very nice.

I was in Granada last weekend. The people are friendly and there is ¨hippie¨ environment with people wearing dread-locks.This place has a real bohemian feel , not to mention the alahambra, which is incredible.Don´t miss the caves of sacramonte, where authentic flamenco is performed, which is the best that I have seen so far in spain(don´t go to this place alone since you have to go up a hill across from the alhambra at night, I went with about forty people and it was worth it). I stayed at hotel Alixares which is by the Alhambra. It is on one heck of a hill but the bus stops close to it. you can take it into the city for .85 euros. Enjoy

I stayed at the Hotel America, inside the Alhambra grounds next to the Parador. It was a wonderful stay. The hotel, despite being a small one, has a ton of charm/character and great service and breakfast. The patio/garden is worht the price alone, never the location. As for Granada, I found it quite enjoyable and safe (as compared to Madrid where I almost got mugged in broad daylight right outside the Prado museum). Beware of the gypsy ladies outside the cathedral!!NOthing if not persistent!