This was our first time in Spain and we will be back!
Spain
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Oct 23 - Nov 3, 2022
This was our first time in Spain and our first big trip since Covid-2020 shutdown. We did not have a lot of free time to do our own research and book a trip on our own. Luis understood the types of activities we wanted to do and the places we wanted to see. He provided a lot of background information on the places we will be visiting and summary itinerary with times and locations of tour meeting places. He responded on a timely manner whenever I sent a message with requests or questions. The accommodations he booked for us were exactly where we wanted to be - centrally located and near public transportation. They were clean and comfortable. The staff in the hotels/apartment were cheerful and helpful.
We enjoyed the private walking tours Luis arranged for us. It allowed us to see many sites at a more flexible pace. Our guides - Almudena (Madrid), Maria (Toledo) and Luca (Seville) were very knowledgeable of the area and pointed out things that we would have missed if we were just walking on our own. We appreciated that they were checking in on how we are doing with all the walking. They were all open to receiving feedback as to what is and is not interesting to us.
Luis also arranged for group tours to Cordova, Granada and Ronda. We were first concerned about going on a larger group tour but the tours were well organized and efficient. Although the bus ride were long, they were comfortable. We were in awe of the Alhambra as well as the view of the town from Alhambra. Just amazing! It was unfortunate that I got sick and missed the Cordova tour.
The last trip that Luis arranged for us was a small group tour to Montserrat from Barcelona. It so happened that our guide only had 1 tour that day so we had the flexibility to stay a little longer in Montserrat and listen to the Boys' Choir. It was a blessing to hear the angelic voices of the choir.
Overall, we had a great time! Exhausted but full of fond memories! Thank you Luis and staff for helping us enjoy our first time in Spain.
Hotel Reviews
Our room was clean and comfortable. The location was great -near many sites and public transportation. The staff was very helpful. The breakfast buffet had a wide selection of food and tey were delicious.
The building exterior and lobby has character. It is not very big hotel so there is not a lot of people going in and out of the hotel. The staff was friendly and helpful - they helped us arranged for take away breakfast on days we had early tours. We were only able to eat breakfast at their restaurant once and we wished we ate there every morning because what we had was yummy! The hotel is located in a busy street so at night you can hear some commotions. One thing they need to update is that their website says they have laundry service but we were told that service is no longer provided.
This 1 bedroom apartment is spacious and had all the amenities we needed. The facade has character but the inside is very modern. It's in the heart of Las Ramblas across Palau Guell and a short walk between to Metro stations. It was nice that the entrance is keyless and we felt safe walking in the street of the apartment even late in the evening.
