Anything recommended other than the Parador? Perhaps Chinchon would be a nice stop en route from Granada to Madrid?? Hostal Chinchon? We've never been there.--CC

I'm afraid Chinchón only has one hostel which has a website. It's Hostal La Casa Rural and it doesn't appear to be located in the very center of the town but on the edge - according to its map, anyway. Maybe it's closer than it looks. Double room is 41 Euros. You might email them and ask how long is the walk to the Plaza Mayor.

There's also Hotel-Mesón La Cerca @ 60 Euros +VAT +2 breakfasts.

Chinchón doesn't have MANY hotels and very very few have websites. I think the above 2 are the ONLY two which do.

Saludos, MadridMan

Thanks, MM. I had only found La Casa Rural. I will e-mail them to determine location. What's the parador run? (I've e-mailed them "just in case.") Hostal La Cerca looks nice. Price includes breakfast. Isn't there a Hostal Chinchon?--CC

Yes there is a Hostal Chinchon. I saw it listed in Lonely Planet, but I don't have the guide with me at this moment.

I read a "line" about Hostal Chinchon in "Rough Guide." Apparently it is "near" the Plaza Mayor. No e-mail but a fax number. Shall I give it a try?--CC

The reference to the hostal in Lonely Planet was that it was 'pleasant'. They also mentioned another hostal. Le Routard only mentioned the Parador. I'll know for sure when I get my hands on the guide in a few hours.

In the meantime, I found this link for another hotel in Chinchon via. www.tripadvisor.com:
http://www.jpmoser.com/condesadechinchon.html

Ah...La Condesa looks really nice. 85 Euros is a bit high. A "pleasant" Hostal Chinchon sounds good. Does your guide book give room rates? When you have a chance, could you tell me the name of the other hostal recommended and the description? --CC

Carole Chiaro, Hostal Chinchón DOES have a website!!! I JUST found it doing a Google.com search. It's @ http://www.HostalChinchon.com - website's only in Spanish but it looks just perfect for you and prices too:

TARIFAS. Habitación doble 39,87 €* Habitación triple 50 €* *A los precios se les incrementará el 16% IVA.

THEY SAY they're in the middle of the city on the Plaza Mayor but no map is shown nor are their any photos of the front so....

Looks like the perfect match for you, Carole Chiaro! And for me too should I ever want to stay the night!

Saludos, MadridMan

Bonjour madame! Lonely Planet says of Hostal Chinchon that it is 'a pleasant place with an internal patio just off Plaza Mayor. Singles & doubles with own bath and TV cost 4000/6000 ptas + IVA.' Soooooooo, I found Hostal Chinchon's link to see if prices were in Euros (they're not):
http://www.turinet.net/empresa/h.chinchon/
as well as this one for another hostal:
http://www.fotorural.com/chinchon/
I don't want to outdo myself (!!) but went on to find a list of Chinchon hostal links:
http://www.vidarural.com/chinchon/aloj.htm
I'd really appreciate a review of your stay in Chinchon when you return. Plume

HA! BEAT'CHA BY 4 MINUTES!! :p hehehee...

Isn't that funny ... That thought was crossing my mind as your post popped up on the screen

Hehehee.. Too funny. But doesn't Hostal Chinchón look just perfect? If it is, in fact, "right on the Plaza Mayor" and it is really that cheap!? Wow! If only their website had an English version for non-Spanish-speakers. Regardless, looks good to me! And we all TOTALLY EXPECT AND DEMAND feedback on this place if you do stay there, Carole Chiaro. Take photos too, if you can. Maybe I'll try to do the same if I can make it to Chinchón next month.

Saludos, MadridMan

All this talk about Chinchon has made me curious. Is it worth it to go there as a day trip?

WOW!! Thanks to all!! How did you find it? I swear that I used ALL of the search engines, typing in Hostal Chinchon and couldn't find it listed. (Maybe 'cause I don't remember where to find the "o" with an accent.) Yes, I will definitely provide feedback on Hostal Chinchon--digital photos and narrative. I will e-mail them for reservations!--CC

Carole Chiaro, I found Hostal Chinchón in Google.com by putting their name in quotations as "Hostal Chinchon" (with or without the accented ó). The quotations forces the search engine to seek something with those quoted words in that order and at that length.

We're looking forward to your review - HOPEFULLY they'll have a room available for your expected dates.

Saludos, MadridMan

I'm awaiting an e-mail reply from Hostal Chinchon. I'll try again, via fax, if necessary. It looks like a good choice at the right price.--CC

I spent many happy times in Chinchon when I lived in Spain. It is just down the road from my husband's hometown. It is a small village built on hills with the plaza at the bottom of the slope. As any Spanish town it has lots of bars and restaurants, but Chinchon is more tourist oriented than others. The most well know spot for eating and drinking is Las Cuevas del Vino, but there are many others. Just in the plaza itself there must be between 5-7 restaurants. The Plaza is a classic "Estilo Castellano" escept it has three floors instead of two. The castle on the hill is in ruins now but it does have a noble history. Note Goya's painting "La Condesa de Chinchon". The church on the hill above the plaza boasts a Goya. You can walk from one end of town to the other in 15-20 minutes. If you go, don't miss a visit to the panaderia in the plaza.

Que te lo pases bien.

Gloria

I have tried both e-mail addresses for Hostal Chinchon and have not received a reply. I tried to fax them but there appears to be a problem, i.e. supposedly fax was sent but there was an "error" on the page so I don't think that they received anything. I'm not sure what I did wrong! (Faxing is not exactly high tech!!)--CC

Hi there! Strange isn't!! I've emailed and faxed a few hotels in Spain that have never responded, so I guess this one gets chalked up in the same category. I wonder how busy hostels in Chinchon will be at the time you'll be there. Maybe you don't need a reservation. This isn't one of my most enlightened pieces of advice, more of a thinking-out-loud session. Plume.

Hi, I'm back. I found this hotel on the Frommer's website while looking for something else:
http://www.frommers.com/destinations/moreaccom.cfm?h_id=36401
Maybe they have a working email! All the best ...

Thank you, Plume Poppy. I successfully faxed Hostal Chinchon and have now e-mailed Hostal Nuevo Chinchon. Surely one of these will have a room available.

Since we are visiting on a weekday in May, I would imagine that there is a room available. But 'ya never know!! --CC

Chinchon is perhaps the most interesting rural village of Madrid. I went there two years ago (it isn´t easy to get there by public transport)and I don´t think Carole will find any problem finding a room on a week day. I must admit I am curious about this thread so if you Carole keep having problems getting in touch with one of the hotels I would not mind phoning them from here and inquiring in your name whatever you want to know, ;-)

Andrés

Well Carole, I'll be waltzing into Chinchon sometime in mid-May unannounced and with no reservations. We may well be there at the same time. Soooooooo, it will be interesting to compare notes afterwards. Hope you get an answer with this round of emails!

Muchas gracias, Andres. I may need to ask for your help in securing a reservation since I have not yet received a reply. My "telephone" Spanish is not particularly good so I rely on e-mail and fax to do the job. Can I e-mail you direct?

Plume poppy: My husband and I will be there on May 22nd. What about you? --CC

Hi Carole! Unless I extend my stay in Spain by two weeks, which is a strong possibility, I'm flying back home on May 22. Soooooooo, I'll be there in mid-May or even somewhere around May 22 depending on whether or not I proceed with the extension. Now how's that for a vague answer! I'll know for sure in a few days. Wouldn't it be great to meet in Chinchon!!!

Hey Plumepuppy, don't forget to drink some of that delicious Anís de Chinchón! I hope you have a wonderful trip both you and Carole Chiaro.

I will visit Chinchón in December!

Carole I have just ringed the Hotel and they have confirmed to me that there is a habitación doble for you on the 22 May and that it doesn´t matter if you get there late.

Keep me informed, and good luck!
Andrés
667324660

Thank you so much, Andres, for making the reservation at Hostal Chinchon. We really appreciate it!! We find that we do best when we have reservations in advance; otherwise, we spend a lot of time trying to decide when to stop and where to stay.--CC

No, no, I did not make the reservation. They told me the reservation had already been made, I only confirmed it ;-)

Andrés

Then Hostal Chinchon must have received either my e-mail or fax but simply didn't acknowledge it. No problem. At least I know now, thanks to Andres, that we have a reservation!!--CC

Well, bon voyage Carole! I will only make erratic appearances on this board prior to my departure next week. Enjoy, and don't forget to have a glass of Anis de Chinchon. Bye for now!

I'm planning a short stay in Chinchon in May 2008, and miss the "post mortem" reports that were promised by Carole. Is there anybody else who had actually stayed in town and can comment on lodging?

I stayed at The Condessa De Chinchon for a couple of nights last July.The hotel was fine,if nothing special.Close to the Plaza Mayor,and opposite the Parador,fairly cheap and with a good parking garage.I found Chinchon very disappointing.The Plaza Mayor was being renovated and the whole placw was a building site.No romantic meals on the balconies overlooking the plaza

Well I would ay that if you looked "through" the buliding site , Chinchon is really quite nice . I went last summer and I too was disappointed to find the whole of the Plaza Mayor wrapped in Scaffolding so I'm planning a trip back soon . Despite the disappointment I had a walk around and had some wonderful sangria with friends on a warm night in a beautiful courtyard watching all the swallows and swifts darting around .
Does anyone here know if the building work has finished yet or when it's due to be completed ? Maybe i'll wait a while anyway until Madrid's ( much needed ) rain has finished .
just one note , Chinchon is not serviced by a railway so a bus journey or car is the only option . Steve .