Paradores: the historic luxury hotels of Spain

by Sean McLachlan on


Spain is known for its rich history, fine art, and excellent cuisine. By staying at a government-owned Parador, you can get all three right in your hotel.

Just look at this shot by Michael Stallbaum . This castle in Zafra, Extremadura, dates to 1437 and was once home to a duke. It’s the sort of place where you’d expect to pay a few euros, get your ticket stamped, and line up for the guided tour. Actually it’s a hotel with luxurious rooms, a restaurant, a garden, and a pool! It stands in the center of a beautiful and old town and right next to a sumptuous Renaissance church.

The Paradores of Spain offer luxury accommodation in some of Spain’s most historic and popular cities, many of which, like Cáceres and Mérida, are World Heritage Sites. In Extremadura, Spain’s historic southwest, there are seven. Besides Zafra, there are Paradores in Guadalupe (in a 15th century hospital), Jarandilla (15th century castle), Plasencia (15th century convent), and Trujillo (16th century convent), Mérida and Cáceres.

When I visited Mérida with my family, we stayed at a Parador housed in an 18th century convent. A lofty chapel is now a lounge and activities room, and an interior courtyard has columns from Roman times. I’m not sure what conditions were like for the nuns two hundred years ago, but our room had comfortable beds and all the usual amenities. The staff were very friendly and helpful. Don’t worry if your Spanish isn’t up to snuff; Paradores always have people on staff who can speak English and other languages.

The popular destination Cáceres has one of Spain’s older Paradores, a 14th century palace built atop Arab foundations. Much of the interior is original, including the grand mantelpiece in the lounge. It’s currently being refurbished and will reopen April 15.

While I’ve concentrated on the Paradores of Extremadura here, you can find more all over the country. Probably the best and certainly the most popular is the one in Granada, housed in a 15th century convent on the site of the famous Alhambra. This Moorish palace is one of the architectural wonders of the world with its quiet gardens, burbling fountains, and intricately carved marble. The best time to go is on the full moon, when the marble glows with an ethereal light. Book WAY in advance for this one.

Another plus with staying in a Parador is that most have excellent restaurants. There’s usually a formal restaurant and a bar that serves light meals and tapas. They tend to attract a lot of the local population, which is always a good sign.

Guys, a word of warning. My girlfriend took me to the Parador in Sigüenza. Now anybody who follows my work knows I’m a sucker for castles, and the combination of staying in a 12th century castle and a bottle of fine Spanish wine made me pop the question. I think it was a plot.

Don’t miss the rest of my series: Exploring Extremadura, Spain’s historic southwest

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Hoteliers sue Choice and Wyndham over hotel loyalty programs

by Melanie Nayer on

Are hotel companies illegally taking loyalty fees from hotels, where guests who don’t know they’ve been enrolled in a hotel’s loyalty program are staying? That’s the question under discussion after franchisees filed class-action lawsuits against two major hotel brands.

The suits, filed in U.S. District Court in Orlando last month, allege that Wyndham Worldwide Inc. and Choice Hotels International Inc. have “inflated the ranks of their loyalty programs and are collecting fees from hotels when those guests stay at franchise properties,” according to a story in the Orlando Sentinel. The story goes on to say lawyers for the hoteliers have asked for more than $260 million in damages from Wyndham, and more than $225 million from Choice.

Here’s the issue:Franchisees say the hotel companies are ‘auto-enrolling’ guests who book online into hotel loyalty programs, unless the guest opts out at the time of booking. Then, the hotel is matching personal data (emails addresses, home addresses, etc.) to the guest to reward points (not hotel membership numbers), which franchisees say results in hotels collecting program fees of up to 5 percent of gross room sales generated by guests “who may or may not have stayed at their property because of the loyalty program, and who may not have known they were entitled to benefits.”

“The real purpose of a rewards program is that you build customer loyalty,” David Wood, an attorney for the franchisees, told the Sentinel. “In that event, the hotel franchisee would benefit. But under proactive matching, that doesn’t happen.”

Wood also goes on to say that charging the extra fee for the loyalty programs is against the franchise contracts of both companies and is a violation of Florida’s Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act.

Readers: What do you think? If it costs you nothing, do you care if the hotel auto-enrolls you into their loyalty program?

Miami Dolphins look to Miami hotels for help with $225 million stadium revamp

by Melanie Nayer on

The Miami Dolphins want some renovations done on their home, and they’re looking to Miami hotels to make it happen.

According to a report in USA Today’s Hotel Check-In column, the Miami Dolphins are pushing a proposal to raise Miami hotel taxes to fund a $225 million stadium renovation. The hotel-tax bill, which would up hotel bed taxes from 6 percent to 7 percent, says the extra tax revenue earned from hotels will be split between the football stadium and the Miami Beach Convention Center.

Apparently, this proposal by the beloved Dolphins and Florida Rep. Erik Fresen, R-Miami, is causing a mixed reaction in the Miami community. The business community opposes the idea, but tourism officials say hiking the tax and funding the Sun Life football stadium would help increase the stadium’s chances of hosting another Super Bowl in the future, according to the Sun-Sentinel.

As for the Dolphins? They want a partial roof, high-tech screens, lighting and 3,000 new premium seats. Dolphins CEO Mike Dee told the Miami Herald that investing in the stadium will add about $2.5 billion to the local economy through 2040.

We want to know what you think: Do you think hotels should increase their tax rate to pay for renovations of the Dolphins’ stadium? Would you pay the increase?

Capsule hotels come to China

by Melanie Nayer on

Following in the footsteps of Japan, China has introduced “capsule hotels” – a cheap, convenient and possibly claustrophobic option for travelers on a budget.

If your travel plans take you to Shanghai, you could enjoy a night at a capsule hotel for as little as $10 (68 Yuan). The 68 “room” hotel opened next to the Shanghai Railway Station, making it easy accessible for travelers on-the-go. The concept of capsule hotels — small pod-like spaces complete with a narrow bed, tiny TV, reading light and “shade” that you pull down for privacy — originated in Japan and book up with business and budget travelers needing a quick nap and cheap hotel option before their next stop.

The Shanghai capsule hotel imported the miniature hotel rooms from Japan, and each room is complete with a power point, clock, light, television and wireless internet. Each of the capsules is 1.1-meters (3 feet) high, 1.1-meters (3 feet) wide and 2.2-meters (7 feet) long. The hotel also has a public lavatory, shower room, smoking room and shared guest room.

As of right now, the hotel is for men only. Prices start at 68 yuan ($10) for 10 hours or 88 yuan ($14) for 24 hours.

Our friends at AOL Travel have more information.

MGM Resorts launches hotel loyalty program for Las Vegas hotels

by Melanie Nayer on

Las Vegas lovers: get ready to earn back what you lost at the tables.

MGM Resorts just announced it will launch a hotel loyalty program that includes room upgrades, casino credits, and dining and shopping rewards.

Called M Life, the program will launch Tuesday and, according to Travel Weekly, will expand into a full loyalty program later this year recognizing guest spending on hotel stays, shopping, dining and gambling.

The introduction of the loyalty program competes with MGM’s rivals on the Las Vegas Strip, many of whom offer loyalty programs and players clubs, thanks to association with larger brands. The Cosmopolitan resort (part of Marriott’s Autograph Collection) and the Venetian and Palazzo (both part of the InterContinental Hotels Group system) currently allow customers to earn loyalty points and redeem rewards at various hotels and retailers. However, MGM Resorts’ program goes beyond traditional hotel loyalty program, by introducing gaming and the casino into the mix.
The program will have four tiers (Sapphire, Pearl, Gold and Platinum) and allow “players” to gamble their way to hotel benefits including free rooms and upgrades, pre-sale tickets to concerts and shows and VIP services. The Express Comps feature will enable guests to use their card anytime to instantly redeem rewards.

According to Travel Weekly, “For instance, if a guest is playing at a slot machine and gets hungry or wants to buy a show ticket, they can instantly redeem rewards at participating venues, said MGM Resorts. Express Comps appear as dollars, making redemption transparent and simple.”

The M Life program will cover Las Vegas hotels Bellagio, Aria, MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay, Mirage, Excalibur, Luxor, Monte Carlo and New York-New York.