Casa do Alentejo

Advantages: A five-star stay…
Disadvantages: …with just three-star facilities

...influences thrown in for kicks. For example: chicken stuffed with vegetables, Andean cheese and bacon, served with lemongrass risotto and fruit chutneys; or, trout poupiette and roasted Andean potatoes with greens in a teriyaki and aguaymanto vinaigrette. We had both of these and very good they were too. Most of the ingredients are said to be organic, incidentally. The wine list is limited and almost entirely South American, but it's easy to find something drinkable to go with the meal. Service is friendly and helpful. Unfortunately I've lost my itemised bill, but I do remember that the prices seemed very reasonable by local standards. Room service is also available. * Chain affiliation * Having talked at the outset of preferring independent hotels to chains, I'm slightly embarrassed to discover that the Casa San Blas... Read review

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Advantages: One of the best examples of Catalan Modernism
Disadvantages: Very expensive

...in~ Mid December is probably the quietest time of the year to do anything of a touristic nature in Barclona and the Casa Batllo is a particularly good example of that. It's not actually a very big building and can easily get jam-packed with tourists. If you try to get into this attraction in summer the lines are long and the wait's interminable. But we strode straight up to the ticket booth without any delay. However, it might have been better to take some time to get over the shock of €16 entry fee. 'For goodness sake' I muttered under my breath 'I want to visit the house, not buy it!' The Entrance fee includes a very good and comprehensive audio tour. At some times in the year I think it's possible to buy a cut-down ticket that only includes the main floor of the building and excludes the attic and the chimney. However we weren... Read review

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Advantages: LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION
Disadvantages: Not Hotel for the softies out there.

...We Quatro Fontanas (or the Fountain Travel Club) stayed at the casa Franci last October. The first thing to stress is that this is Bed & Breakfast not a Hotel. The owner and his Family used to live in this Flat (Apartment) they have made it into a Bed & Breakfast and have another Apartment nearby. We booked through VENERE.COM which we find is quite a good site for Italian Destinations, one advantage of this site is that you do not have to pay up front when you book. You pay the Hotel on arrival, so if you need to cancel there is no cancellation charges given the correct notice. The Apartment is located in a Steet to the left of St Peters about 200 yards from St Peters. When you arrive you need to be in the end of the street furthest from St Peters Just past a Large Church. You enter through a locked gate... Read review

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