San Martí de Empúries Beach, L´Escala, Girona.

A very nice village:

A lot of restaurants to enjoy Spanish food:

A small but nice church:

We went here with Montse and Patxi, we had enjoyed a great beach day and ate so fine with few money.

Café del Parc, Girona.

This is a place I like a lot. It´s in Girona, Spain.

They have a very variated menu with a great tea selection.

You can enjoy the place at the restaurant or at the terrance, where you have great views to a small lake with ducks.

Address:Cl Migdia, 17003 Girona (Gerona), Spain.

Phone: 972202414

Enjoy also the video:


I love it!

Watching the game Italy - Paraguay at Grazie Mille, Madrid

Of course my team is Spain! But I also have other favorites. Italy is my second favorite team, after Spain, of course.

I was wanting to live the experienc of going to watch a match into a place where the fans of that country would be, trying to experience the game as if I would be in Italy... and it was like that! The selected place was Grazie Mille, that is a mix of restaurant, pizza, cafeteria y cocktail bar.

When I called to do the reserve, it was no possible to reserve more tables, we could go there but to watch it being standing. We went anyway, a bit earlier to try to get a good place.

We tried the tiramisu + capuccino offer, it was ok and a very good price.
Close to the time the match will start, they told us we should pay a minimum compsuption of 5 Euros per each one. It was ok, but if I would know that before, we would wait to take the tiramisu + capuccino. Anyway the prices there are quite ok. In general, I like the place a lot, the food is ok, I can´t tell this is the best Italian restaurant I know, but it´s is the one with best prices and as far as the quality is ok, great! :D

It was my first time watching an Italian game with Italians. I really felt like if I would be in Italy! Even the match was in Italian!

When the match started, everybody sang the anthem with proud. It was so impresive to saw them, they were so respectful when Paraguay made the first goal, of course not glad with that, but not giving a lot of importance to it. I also saw them getting excited when a good play was going on, and to claim when it failed, but in a very civilized way. I saw them yelling and hugging, kissing and congratulating themselves when Italy did the goal. Also was impresive to saw them clapping when the game was over, no matter it was a draw.



Here a resume of the match:



Marco Nurro and Fede Chicou were there doing a report for elmundo.es, yes! Sil and I were at the video! :D

I liked a lot the experience, but I can´t tell if I would do it again... at least I´m sure I won´t if the case is to be stand again. The place was great, the only negative thing was that time to time the signal was break. The point is that I can watch the games at home, in my great sofa, with a 42 inches t.v. and in HD... but living the excitment of the own country fans was also great! So, I should think about it! :D

Hotel Marriot Guatemala

Hotel Marriot Guatemala

Known “in my times” as El Dorado, also one of the hotels with tradition at the City that I´m afraid had change the chain quite a lot of times, but it didn´t affected the good quality of this good hotel.



I have already talk about this at the post "Breakfast in Guatemala: Sunday Brunch" but someone advised me it will be more useful to place them in different posts, so here is it, it contains exactly the same of that post, in case of new comments about this place, I´ll write a new post.

BBQ La Chopera in Calatayud, Spain.

As I mentioned in my post about Termas Pallares Spa, this Eastern we went to spend some days to Alhama de Aragón.

The day we went to the Monasterio de Piedra, we went to eat to the BBQ la Chopera, in Calatayud. As far as the previous days we had seen the restaurants at that region were so crowdie and even in some places we weren´t able to go in, I made a reserve the previous day. At the phone the guy that attended me was so kind.

We had some troubles finding the place, because the I-phone works with google maps a s GPS and the address of this place was wrong located there, so we had to call several times to finally find the place.

Wondering, it was almost empty. It was our first time at this grill and we went due a recommendation found at 11870.com. The food was really good, that far the prices also wondered us. For example, I took this:

and it was no more than 7 Euros.

Irene, the lady that attended us, told us that she can remember better days with the place full every day. The problem was when the new road had open, their house stayed a bit apart and since then they don´t have the same quantity of public than before.

Due quality, prices and excellent attention, I do recommend the place to you! :D

Termas Pallares: the Spa.

They have a lot of spa services, with prices starting from 25 Euros and on. About spa circuits, besides the Aquatherma that I talked about in a previous post, they also offer the termaspa with: aroma shower, warm hydromassage pool, toning pool, humid thermal bath, dry or finnish bath, cauldron, crosscurrent pool. This costs 50 Euros and last an hour and 15 min.

Rosa tried a massage with a cream with pearls. I was waiting her advice to decide to take an herbal massage or something, but finally I haven´t done it.

Something I liked a lot was that they also have a free doctor service. Sil had to go because cough problems and she was so kind, warm and professional.

The pity is that the Price of the room just includes one access to the Aquatherma, I asked if it was possible to exchange it and to have a termaspa instead, no matter if I should pay the difference of the price, but it wasn´t possible.

It´s a bit complicated for me to tell you if I would or not recommend the Termas Pallares Spa. The whole area is nice and close to it is the Monasterio de Piedra (I´ll talk about this place in other post), that place is precious and worth view. So, if you are going to Monasterio de Piedra and you want to stay at the area for several days, then it´s nice to go to this spa as well. Better if you stay at Gran Hotel Cascada. But, to do it as we did, that actually our aim was to have some relaxing days in a beautiful place and to enjoy the spa, no, that´s not something I would do again there. The reason is very simple: for me it means to travel from Madrid, 3 hours going and 3 hours coming back in a car. The prices of this spa are ok, I´m not saying they have so expensive prices, but as far as I already have in Madrid great options with cheaper prices, I don´t feel like needing to go to Termas Pallares for enjoying a relaxing weekend. Also is that I really didn´t like the detail of having included just hour and a half of one of their spa circuits and to have to pay extra for the robe and sandals.

But yes, I would go again, just in a travel where my priority would be to visit the Monasterio de Piedra, to enjoy a bit the whole Calatayud area and maybe to spend a night at Gran Hotel Cascada or at least to go to the Gastroteca to eat and to stay a bit at the thermal lake.

So! I´m still searching that marvelous place, out of Madrid, with spa, for going to enjoy a fantastic relaxing weekend time to time! :)

Grand Hotel Cascada, Termas Pallares Spa.

As part of the tourist complex of the Termas Pallares Spa, they have a five stars boutique hotel that is marvelous!

From their own site:

“Surrounded by 68,000 square metres of parks and lush gardens, including a hidden private thermal lake, this new boutique hotel near the city of Zaragoza offers guests the perfect place to escape and relax.

The 25 spacious rooms are both stylish and innovative and equipped with every modern convenience. The onsite gourmet restaurant is a must as are the soothing treatments of the Termas Pallares Spa. This is truly a place in which to escape the worries of today.”

We went to meet this hotel due they had very interesting tasting announced in different places of the spa.


As far as the county state where the spa is located is huge and they had placed this hotel far away from the road, you find a lot of peace there. The lady of the reception desk was so kind and really concerned about our welfare.

We went inside the bar and I liked a lot the atmosphere. With very comfortable coaches, calm music. Miriel was the one attending us, very kind and nice. We took the sushi tasting and some beverages. The surprise was that the one presenting us the sushi tasting was the chef, Juan José Morales Sanmartín (you can watch this at the video, but is in Spanish).



One of the things you still don´t know about me is that I had the very good luck of having a very well culinary culture from my childhood. A big part of this comes from the culture mixes that are in my blood, but also due my family was always a big fan of the good food. Of course that´s something I had taught to Sil as well… so, when she was just 10 y/o she already said her favorite food was sushi! :D And it still is. So, Sil had tasted sushi in a lot and different places all over the world (ok, of the part of the world she knows, we haven´t been in Japan already). For Sil the sushi that we tasted at the Gastroteca was the second best one of the world! For me it was the best one, but here the point is that she went to a great Japanese restaurant in Dallas where for her they have the best sushi all over the world, I haven´t been there already.

We were that delighted with the sushi experience that we were invited to go to the Italian tasting of the next day. Honestly it was ok but definitely the sushi one was quite better. Again the whole staff was great with us.

That day I felt with confidence enough as for asking them to please show me a room of that hotel and to visit the restaurant, the Gastroteca. I was really impressive about the kindness of everybody; talking with some of them I mentioned that and one person told me that actually they all are very happy with their job and the place, most of the workers are people of the village, of course there are also people from outside, but for the ones that belong to the village, they liked the spa before even thinking about working there. I´m quite sure that when a staff loves their work and is happy with the treat received by their bosses, you notice it and unwittingly they transmit it to customers. The result of this just can be a positive for everybody… but! I´m afraid there are just few companies that take this into account!

Giving a look to the Gastroteca I had the good luck that Juan José was there and he spent some minutes with me explaining me the style of the place and we even talk about his professional experience. You can see part of this talk at the video, but again it´s just in Spanish.

Part of what makes this hotel a charming place is that it´s located in front of the thermal lake. The hotel also has some thermal facilities and a natural thermal waterfall, but most of the treatments and spa facilities are at the other hotels… but they have a car that takes the clients of this hotel to the other ones.

Yes, I liked a lot this hotel, the restaurant and the people that work there. I just have to say it´s expensive, but I do recommend it. :D

Hotels Termas and Parque. Termas Pallarés Spa.

The first thing you see at the entrance of Alhama de Aragón, going from the road to Zaragoza, is the Termas Pallares Spa and you have no way to pass it without noticing, because they have 2 buildings at each side of the street, linked by a walkway with the name of the place.



The hotel has a private parking big enough. The reception is not really well indicated, but there is always someone at the parking area that welcomes and indicates you where to go.

At the reception desk gave us the wrong rooms, I mean, the room that should be for Rosa due the reserve code, they gave it to me and vice versa, but that was something we released about just due the name at the envelops of the welcome letter.

I honestly don´t remember if at the reception desk they told us again the prices of the reservation, you see, that´s something I use not to check once at the reception desk when I had a reserve code, to check out the welcome letter neither. But seems from now on this is something I´ll do, among other things, because in the letter of welcome from Termas Pallares, they gave us a coupon of 30 Euros for a future stay if made within six months and also reports of its new loyalty system if you recommend the spa; as well as give you the name of the Director of Operations as contact in case you have any problem not resolved satisfactorily.

The buildings are designed according to the style of the time were built in 1863. The decor of the rooms and halls of both buildings have a mix of styles, but always old. Here some pictures for you to see:

The two hotels share common facilities such as cinema, gym, lounge, restaurant. From all this, I emphasize the cinema, with enough seats in early 1900 style. We didn´t watch any movie, but they scheduled at least one film a day. This seemed an excellent detail especially thinking of the children who can´t (and shouldn´t) go to the spa, so, the hotel for them could be a bit boring, but they have planed things for them.

They also have a kids park and a Paddle field.

The restaurant surprised me with a great breakfast buffet that included eggs in different styles; this is not easy to find in Spain where people don´t have the custom of eating eggs at breakfast time. We had just the breakfast included, but you also can contract it with the dinner included. The first day we went to give a look to the lunch menu there, but it was 27 Euros per person, so we decided to go to explore the village and we found the restaurant Karlos that offers you a great menu that has nothing to envy the restaurant food, for just 14 Euros, but I´ll talk a bit deeper about that restaurant in another post.

What can I tell about the rooms? Very clean, all the needed facilities, well attended. Just that this wasn´t a hotel that made a “click” on me. Telling this in another way, all very ok, but if I should decide to recommend or not the hotel just based on the rooms, no, this won´t be a place I would recommend.

I haven´t seen the rooms at the Termas Hotel, but seems the ones at Parque Hotel are better due they remodeled them not so far away.

Here my video of the place:



(To be continued.)

Temas Pallarés Spa. Introduction.

Rosa, one of the friends that shared with us the travel to Canaima, came to stay few days at home. Of course we went together to my favorite places in Madrid and surroundings (at least the ones we had enough time to go). Taking advantage of her stay and Easter, we went to the Balneario Termas Pallares that I had long wanted to meet.

The place is quite huge, they have:

Tree hotels:

- Hotel Termas 3 stars.
- Hotel Parque 3 stars and remodeled not long ago (but I don´t know exactly when)
- Gran Hotel Cascada, 5 stars hotel –boutique.

A thermal lake.
A park.
The Spa area is part of the 3 hotels.
Two restaurants:

- El Balneario.
- La Gastroteca del Balneario.

Two bars-cafeterias, one of them with summer terrace.
Games salon.
Small cinema.
Tennis and Paddle fields.
Small park for children.

With that many things to experience, even had being there just 2 nights, there´s a lot to tell! So it will take me several posts. As far as I´ll be a bit busy on the next days, I can´t promise to place them following one to the other, but anyway I´ll talk about all what we experienced at this place, including both: nice and not nice things.

(To be continued.)

Hotel Atitlan: the best hotel in Panajachel for really enjoying Atitlan Lake.

Hotel Atitlan

This hotel is extremely nice. They have done a great job with the garden, as good as they even charge the entrance to their gardens to people that is not staying with them. Nice swimming pool an d a great outside Jacuzzi with an amazing view. Mayan sauna. Of course they offer all 5 stars hotel services, even massages and other beauty treatments. They use to have very good food at the restaurant, that btw it´s a bit expensive, but the last time I was there (March 2009), was not that good. So, is better to go to the town to eat, but as far as the hotel is not exactly inside the town, sometimes to dress up just for going to eat… well… after all the food is not really bad! ; )(But going for example to "El Tocoyal" could be the half).







I have already talk about this place at the post Atitlan Lake but someone advised me it will be more useful to place them in different posts, so here is it, it contains exactly the same of that post, in case of new comments about this place, I´ll write a new post.

Ca´s Busso: the Best Restaurant of Mallorcan Food in Mallorca. Visiting the Scrabble Club Scrabbalear!

Ok, this time the one that says so isn´t me but my friends of the Scrabbalear Club: in Ca´s Busso you get the best Mallorcan food of the island. Right now I just can confirm this due my experience in 3 places (Celler Sa Premsa, Ca N´antuna and this one), yes, definitely this was the best one. But you see… if I have to go to each restaurant to confirm it, I can sacrifice myself! XP

Its situated at the side of a road in Llucmajor, for us it was so easy to get there, but you see, Cris was driving and she knows it quite well, but searching info about the restaurant in internet, seems it´s not that easy to find, so better you to go with a GPS or well written the indications.





This is a countryside restaurant, for going with time to enjoy the Mallorcan food. It´s big, but it´s usually full, so better you to do a reserve. It has a restaurant and terrace areas. We were lucky, the weather was nice, so we ate at the terrace, covered by a ranch-style structure, with antique lamps hanging at various points. The views from the terrace are the countryside and the road.



The food was quite nice. Excellent relation between quality and price, in our case it was a bit less than 20 Euros per person and we even leftover a lot of Brut Rice! A real pity! It was so delicious! Here some examples of what they have at the menu and of what we had ordered:





And the restaurant info: Ca´s Busso: Carretera Cabo Blanco, Km 24, Llucmajor phone: 971123002

(To be continued.)

Ca N´Antuna: Dreamed Views! Visiting the Scrabble Club Scrabbalear!

We went out Sóller to Fornalutx. Pochola have done a reserve at the restaurant Ca N´Antuna.



As I mentioned, we were very lucky with the weather that weekend. While in the peninsula were storms, we enjoyed the blue skies and almost no wind. We were able to give us the pleasure of eating at the restaurant terrace which has fabulous views out to Fornalutx.



Again we tasted the delicious Mallorcan food, but it was fun seeing them to have name of plates bearing the word soup and then the plate is quite dry ... and rice plates that seem as soups! :D



We tried a little of everything and I liked it a lot, but the Majorcan at the table agreed that it wasn´t the best place to eat the best food Mallorcan, but clearly, the views of the place gave it an extra for which to go. I totally agree! As if I had been sitting there and then I'd got a burger from Mc Donalds! I would have been delighted! (No, I'm no fan of those burgers or that particular spot, that´s why I say this). But not bad either. Except that there are better places to go to eat Mallorcan food, I agree ... but those views!!! :D





Joana and Nuria gave us a demonstration of what appears to be an unofficial sport at Sóller: shot-effect seed of Sóller! ;P



(To be continued.)

Capuccino San Miguel: the real coffee palace! Visiting the Scrabble Club Scrabbalear!

After eating at Celler Sa Premsa, Pochola and Xisco led us to Capuccino San Miguel. We went walking (no more than 10 minutes).

The curious part was that we were walking slowly, I was taking pics and videos of the places I liked and when I saw this place I liked so much and filmed the entrance, they were a little ahead of me. I caught them thinking it was a real pity not to go there. They were looking for an address and… yes! It was this! :D

The cafe is in an eighteenth century palace. The building is beautiful and has managed to decorate it with such good taste that only to see it, it´s worth entering. When you arrive in the middle of the main room you get a tray of samples of their cakes. Marble tables in the main hall, some stairs that take you to a small section with a few more tables

We sat right in the space under the stairs and the menu, for a coffee and tea fan like me, was like opening a book of poetry. From evocative names to classics as the expresso, all sounded so good for me. A pity that we had ate a lot in Celler Sa Premsa! The menu of sandwiches and cakes was also so tempting. We must go again! ;P

The music, chill out, was the apotheosis of the moment. Yes, as I explained on other occasions, when I'm in a place whose beauty I get through all the senses, often I feel that instead of walking I´m levitating. This time I was sitting but levitating as well!

Here Cris joined us, she´s also part of the Scrabble Club Scrabbalear. I didn´t know her yet but during that weekend we became friends.

We were there for a while enjoying the place and our beverages. I went to the toilette and… the icing on the cake! In the corridor just before entering the bathroom they had a sample of their music in CDs! They also sell them! No, I did not buy any, but the temptation is big and they also have them for sale on its website. :D

I also discovered it also has a courtyard with a fountain in the middle which should be great for spring time. It's totally different atmosphere.

Here the video:



I definitely will go back there! And I will go to the one that they will open during this spring! This will be located in the Paseo del Borne, which will be decorated by Michael Smith, who was commissioned to redecorate the White House for Obama (yes, yes, I mean the Obama that occupies the White House!)

A pity not to have one of those in Madrid!

(To be continued.)

Eating in Celler sa Premsa. Visiting the Club Scrabbalear!

Pochola had reserved a table at Celler Sa Premsa. The food and the decoration of the place is very traditional, with a bullfighting touch.

We started to delight with the delicious Mallorcan food. If it would depend on me, I would do a tasting menu with what everyone took! ;P It was around 14.30 and Xisco, a Scrabble Club Scrabbalear member, came to join us. I use to play with him on tourneys.



We had been there, eating, talking and laughing for a while. As far as I had taste a bit of everything, I could tell I liked all, but in case I would go back there, I´ll defenetely would ask for the Fideua… a great one!

(To be continued.)

Almenara de Catalucia: the Icing on the Cake! Saint Valentine´s 2010 Special Weekend: Final Part.

The restaurant we reserved for lunch time on Sunday 14th. Was Almenara de Catalucia.

Once there Ana María greeted me as if she'd known me a lifetime, that wondered me due we had seen each other just in our first visit there on November. She explained me they had seen my post at my blog and Willy was willing to talk to me. Nice! Hehehe.

We were there a bit early, so we took a snack at the bar. Willy came very excited about the post. I told him I just had been honest. (This is the way it is).

The restaurant was full. We taste new things: octopus, grilled vegetables, rice with mushrooms and shrimp… Mother of God! A delight! As dessert: chocolate cake and a crepe.

I should confess that week, as far as I had car and time, had gone several times to Almenara. This meal is a vice! I insist, after all is good not to have this restaurant close to home! Otherwise I´ll endorse my salary to Willy! ;P

Here some pics:



On Wednesdays Willy has “cocido madrileño”… O H M Y G O D!! I could bet there´s no better one. Curro had tested cocido madrileño of “la Daniela”, that is famous as the best cocido madrileño in Madrid and he told me the savor is very alike, but you can note Almenara´s one has better quality ingredients. Otoh: at La Daniela it costs 21,755 euros, in Almenara 10 euros and we think Almenara´s one is bigger, but in La Daniela they give you more for free if you want.

So! I am about to proclaim myself the No. 1 fan of Almenara! Actually once, eating a risotto, crossed my mind that God exists! And he should be training Willy as his official chef! I only hope that he won´t call him for sooo long for the job! ;P

An especial mention to Ana María and Stefan, the waitress, which even having the restaurant full, always have a smile for you.



Yeap! It was a great weekend! :D

Bulls of Guisando. Saint Valentine´s 2010 Special Weekend: 7th Part.

We went from Asador Escondido to Guisando. We would liked to have a bit more of time for walking a bit around Burohondo and in my own case, to have a look at La Fonda del Arte that from outside seemed to be a nice place… and afterwards, checking it by internet… God! How I missed it! :/ But well, we were almost loosing the day light and it was needed for watching the Bulls of Guisando.

The Bulls of Guisando are 4 stone bulls done by the Vettones around the II or I A.C. century. There´s no explanation about why they did them. There are a lot of things worth view in Spain! I haven´t heard about them before, it supposed to be mentioned at Don Quijote, but actually I had read it and I don´t remember that. But well, you see, I had read it when I was a teen, without internet, so, no easy way to resolve doubts! ;P

Here our pics:



And here a video done by Julio (from Asador Escondido):



After watching them we went to Maqueda, there was the Restaurant Mesón Castellano, the place Julio recommended us for dining. It seems to be really good, once there the waitress told us they had no space for us, all was reserved a month ago. So, it should be one of the best places of that area. The same waitress told us about another place close there.

Here some of the views from the road, going from Burgohondo to Maqueda:



Yes, I know, Miguel Bosé at the background there is a bit strange… point is I´m a fan and it was what we were hearing during the travel! So, maybe chill out music would be better for the video, but…

(To be continued.)

Asador Escondido: Like Visiting a Friend in his Hometown and Also Proves to be a Good Chef. Saint Valentine´s 2010 Special Weekend: 6th Part.

We found Asador Escondido at 11870.com. It was with good recommendations and also was in our way back to Los Enebrales.

Even having the indications about how to get there, it was a bit difficult to find (it makes honor to its name!) Burgohondo is a small village, but in a place with a great views.

When we finally arrived there, it was already 16.30 and in Spain the kitchen is usually closed at 16.00. So, Curro went first to ask if it was still possible to eat there. We were lucky; the kitchen was already close but the owner allowed us to stay anyway. From here on, it was like if we would be friends since time ago and he would be willing to show us the best of his cooking! :D



At the beginning we didn´t know the ones attending us were the owner and his son. Since the beginning they were trying to give us good advice about how and how much to order and that is not really usual, so it´s something we appreciate a lot.

At the back of the menu you can read this:



In resume, it says it is a village restaurant, where you will find normal village food, but done with quality products and made with love. You wouldn´t find new creations there, neither they will change your silverware while eating. The place is unpretentious, but with good food and good prices.

The food was great. You can note the good quality of the products. All we ate was nice. Between each dish, Julio and his son went to ask us if it was ok for us and to talk a bit with us about the place and the village. I don´t remember how, we talked about internet, so we told him we found the place due 11870.com and Curro mentioned that I have a blog (I usually don´t like to mention it)… so! From here on it was like if we would be lifelong friends meeting again after a long time! :)

We had been talking a long while and we also asked him about a recommendation for going to din that night. He also told us some nice tourism places.

We continued with our travel, delighted to have known that place.

(To be continued.)

Walking in… Avila, Spain: Santuario Nuestra Señora de Sonsoles. Saint Valentine´s 2010 Special Weekend: 4th Part.

After San Martín de Valdeiglesias we went straight to Avila, but at the road, just few kms. away of the city, we found this simple but nice Sanctuary:



It was very cold and even the water of the fountains, which was still running, started to create very pretty ice designs.

It wandered me to find there a 3 tellers restaurant, “Nuestra Señora de Sonsoles, Posada Real, Restaurante”. We went inside, it has 2 areas: one as a formal restaurant and the other one is a cafeteria. Both are nice. They have a dolls collection at the cafeteria plus great views to the city.



It was a very attractive place for eating, but we weren´t hungry already, so we just take a tea and a coffee. All the staff was very kind.

We also noticed there was a rural hostel that seemed to be new, just we haven´t went inside. We continued our ride.

(To be continued).

Saint Valentine´s Weekend at Resort & SPA Los Enebrales. Saint Valentine´s 2010 Special Weekend: Second Part.

I went with Curro to the Resort & SPA Los Enebrales, on Friday afternoon, but the traffic was ok. Following the instructions of the web, it´s easy to find the country state where is located the hotel. Just you have to pay attention after Almorox, the sign to enter in the proper road is easy to lost.

The country state is big and in the middle of nowhere (you have 4 kms. at the road just to find out the entrance of the road that goes to the hotel, more or less 2 kms. more). Inside the country state is just the Resort that has only one restaurant.

At the reception desk, chocolates and champagne were waiting us. I can´t tell if this was a special detail due Saint Valentines or if it´s always like that.



The facilities are nice and cozy. Maybe the only one detail I would improve is that there is no lift, ok, it´s just 1 floor, bus as far as they also have not bellboys, you should carry on your bags by your own and if you haven´t pay attention to that detail while preparing your bag, you could spoil the relaxing weekend carrying your bag at the end.

The lounge, nice, when we arrived it was already night, the chimney was already on, as far as we went straight to leave the bags at the room and then back to the lounge, we were lucky to find out the sofa in front of the chimney free. We drink a tea there, watching the fire and went to meet the rest of the hotel after that. When we came back to the lounge, we released we had been lucky before! There was a silent fight for that sofa the whole night! :)



The terrace was precious; no doubt in summer time would be so nice to watch the sunset there.



Our room was a normal double one. Very warm, everything very modern, plasma tv, electric heating. I think due the design of the hotel, all the rooms have a nice view.



There are also suits with Jacuzzi, but maybe because I have a whirlpool bath at home, I didn´t thought the price different was worth to pay for having that kind of room. Here you have the rates to know perfectly what I´m talking about (and remember you have to add the 7% of tax to those prices):



Talking about rates, I should confess this time was a bit difficult for me to know how to approach this post. On one hand our stay there was very, very nice and all the staff were so kind, always with a smile at their face and good manners, great people… but on the other hand, talking about the relation between price and quality (the hotel, the activities, the place…) well… to recommend it or not to recommend it? That´s the point! :/ Well, now I´ll continue talking about the hotel and at the end of this post I´ll talk about this part.

The SPA, from outside and without going inside at all during that night, seemed very well, but I´ll talk about the experience there in another post.



The restaurant, very well atended, prices: normal ones for a Resort, but for me, high, especially if you take into account it was the only one place for eating inside the county state. Above this paragraph you´ll find some prices for having a better picture of it (the pics are for the room service, but don´t think the difference with the restaurant was so obvious). So, let´s do some calculations: let´s suppose you spend in average 30€ per person, per eating time, the breakfast is included and I´m thinking about not drinking so much wine or eating sometimes just a sandwich; 30€ x 4 = 120€ per person, just for food, for a weekend. And you still need to add the 7% of taxes! Yes, sure! You can also go to eat to Almorox, for example, just that you should drive to go there and if you were planning a relaxing weekend forgetting about driving and other urban life things, that´s why you selected a place in the middle of nowhere, isn´t it? But ok, you always can take your own sandwiches with you! ;P




There are also snacks at the lounge, the price of a sweet snack plus coffe is 4.5€.

The country state itself offers big spaces for walking, the landscape is this one:



You also have an events room out of the hotel, nice and with a capacity for 600 people. They seemed to be specialized on weddings and I could bet it´s the best place at that area for that. If that would be for me, I know other places with prices alike that would be nicer for me, or at least more charming, but in case I would live at that area and I wouldn´t like my guests to go far away of home, definitely that would be my option. (But take into account that actually I haven´t search).



A curious detail: they have ostriches there! :D



As activities, inside the county yard, as I said: walking, watching the ostriches, reading, playing board games (they have), the SPA (Note! You can´t use the swimming pool besides you pay for a SPA session!). Out of the place and thinking about not going so far away, there´s a paintball, just that I´m not exactly sure if a paintball does match with a relaxing weekend. You also can do a route at the closer locations (as we did!) ;)

Here the video of the hotel:



Just being there I was relaxed enough. Watching the prices of the restaurant and the SPA, we decided to go out the whole Saturday, with not a real plan, where the road to takes us :D (I love that!), we reserved a night SPA for Saturday at 23.00 and after drinking a Pedro Ximenez (it’s one of the few alcoholic drinks I like) with the fire light; we went to sleep.

On Saturday morning we´d waked up with no hurries. Went to breakfast, I liked a lot the presentation of it but you had no options, I mean, it was a fixed menu and you can´t ask for something different, but I think if you prevent them that you need a special food, they will do for you. I liked it, besides it was obviously not for diets! :)

Note: this is a breakfast just for one person!

So, now let´s go back to the part if I would or not recommend the hotel. This time I´ll divide it by concepts and not taking a lot into account the SPA area (that I´ll talk about in another post).

But first let me continue doing sums: we said just for food, eating there, staying 2 nights, talking about having lunch and dinner, no snacks (or having a snack and afterwards taking just a sandwich), it was 120€ per person. For the room, including breakfast, 2 nights in a normal double room, is 110€ per person. Till here: 230€ per person… but! You should add the taxes! Including them, it´s 246,10€ per person…. And remember! We haven´t even touch the water of the swimming pool!

So, if I recommend or not this hotel would depend on the following situations:

- You go there because you want to be a couple of days isolated from the world, almost not going out of the room (I leave this for your own interpretation…) ;) and as much going time to time to play something at the lounge, maybe a walk to watch the ostriches: well, not, I don´t recommend it to you. I know other places close to Madrid, Avila or Toledo with better options and prices.

- You want to organize a company event, the kind of going to do activities to encourage the comradeship and that, maybe even having the whole hotel just for you and not giving the people the temptation of escaping of there… Yes, in this case I recommend it, but if you let me think and search a bit more in google, maybe I found you other nice places with better prices! ;P

- You want to enjoy a good SPA, a couple of days for relaxing, romance and pleasure for the senses: no, I wouldn´t recommend you this place then, I´ll explain better why in the SPA post, but resuming, the same: I can recommend you nicer places with a better SPA quality and the same or even better prices.

- You are looking for impressing someone, that has no real idea about SPAs, showing her/him also that money is not a problem for you, maybe due you are seducing her/him and being isolated from the word is a plus for you ;P Yes! This is your place!

- You are looking for a place for your honey moon, you don´t think you will go out of your room so often, the price is not important for you and you want to ensure a very well attention, with all the facilities for making it a unforgettable experience… and the SPA is just anecdotic for you both! Actually just to have the SPA area just for you 2 (or almost), for a night, with candles and champagne: Yes! This is your place!

Following my story, as I mentioned, the idea was to go out the whole day, where the road led us! :D It was a great day, winter one, of course, that means we had 3 degrees but you see, something I love about Spain is that even in winter time you have blue skies and a shining sun. We were lucky to have a day like that! :D



(To be continued.)