Advantages: Located within the business district and ideal for airport
Disadvantages: Nightlife is a good taxi ride away

...Hotel Rey Juan Carlos I Avenue Diagonal 661-671 Barcelona 08028 Spain (t) +34 933 644 040 Language: Catalan Currency: Euros Climate: Mediterranean ~~~~~~~~ Background ~~~~~~~~ The hotel is a complex, known locally as the Royal Complex, which comprises the 5-star Rey Juan Carlos Hotel, the Palau de Congressos de Catalunya (Conference Centre), along with extensive leisure facilities. The hotel is very modern hotel, but with traditional routes, still evident within the hotel. "The Leading Hotels of The World" market the hotel, which is a marketing company who have a number of the finest hotels in the world as members. The Rey Juan Carlos is considered to be the 35th best hotel in the world. Although, modern contemporary is my favoured style, the grandeur of the atrium and the atmospheric nature of the hotel... Read review

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Advantages: Beautiful beaches
Disadvantages: Nothing to do

...My boyfriend and I went to the South of France in the summer, we stayed in Nice after looking at the horrendous prices of the hotels in Monte Carlo! Then we planned for our first day to get a bus to Monte Carlo. The bus ride was great, they were more like coaches; comfy seats, seat belts, tv, AC, a toilet, everything! We knew that Monte Carlo was a very luxurious city, so thought that we would be living the high life for the day, unfortunately not! When we got off the bus, we went into the local shopping precinct. We entered on royal red carpets (which are all over monte carlo!) We were with our backpacks and wearing relatively scruffy clothes, and the whole time we were there, we were looked down on. We knew that there were going to be people alot better off than us, but we didn't expect to be treated like this. We went... Read review

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Advantages: Everything you would expect from a luxury hotel.
Disadvantages: Distance from the clubbing scene

...The Columbus Hotel is an amazing, modern choice amongst the older options for accomodation in the world's trendiest principality. The first point to be noted is the exceptional location of the hotel: it is nested near the Monte Carlo port and within walking distance of charming waterfront restaurants. There is easy access to any point of the city from this luxurious hotel and at the same time, it is located in an area which escapes the rush of tourists which usually occupate the Place de Casino or the Monte Carlo Beach. The ocean front rooms provide a wonderful view of the radiant waters of the Med ! The service in the hotel is destinguishable. It is definately worth every one of the four luxury stars (max. available to French resorts) ! The staff was completely polylingual and demonstrated an enviable competence in English, French... Read review

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Advantages: Wonderful entertainment.
Disadvantages: I can't afford to go.

...There is something very special about the Monaco Grand Prix. This is certainly not just a car race! The whole event is one of the occasions when a large percentage of the richest people in the world get together for one long party. Of course the race is important or is it? Actually it is probably not the most important event of the weekend. There is so much business undertaken at Monte Carlo that the race does tend to loose it’s importance a little. But for the drivers it is very important. For the drivers it is unique. It is so different from any other racetrack, even other road circuits. It is the ultimate challenge for a driver to weave his way through the ribbons of steel barriers and concrete walls missing these by fractions of an inch that mean the difference between victory and disaster. There are never many cars... Read review

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Advantages: It's Monte Carlo
Disadvantages: Not for the financially-challenged

...If I say Monte Carlo to you what image does it bring to mind? Do you picture Michael Schumacher and chums speeding around the hair-pin bends? Can you see yourself sipping champers with the in-crowd in the Hotel de Paris? Do your eyes turn green with thoughts of THAT harbour…the harbour where if you’re yacht is worth less than £5million you would really feel VERY embarrassed. Or do you reminisce about “our Gracie”, the beautiful Grace Kelly who fell to her death in the high high roads so near to the Palace that had become her home. No? Still not quite you? Well how about a night of high jinx with the high rollers in the most famous Casino in the world? Now that’s more like it! One thing I’m fairly sure of is that when people think of Monte Carlo they usually just... Read review

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Advantages: Relaxing, very close to the beach,10 mins away from shops
Disadvantages: not the place to go if you want nightclubs, as its the quieter side of the island

...I first stayed at this hotel, two years ago, with my boyfriend, and he and his parents had been going to this part of the island for many years, but when he mentioned Ibiza my first thought was, its going to be very noisy, full of clubs, bars and lots of drinking, as i had heard all the stories, but i thought i would go just to see, i couldn't have been more wrong,. The hotel itself has just been redecorated, and is very well kept, there is an indoor bar, and restaurant and they also have an outside dinning area, but space is limited so you have to be early for dinner, there is a large pool, which has a seperated area for children, There are steps leading down to the beach, and another outdoor bar just off to your left as you reach the bottom of the steps, which is also part of the hotel. They have evening... Read review

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Advantages: Beauty, Luxury and Class
Disadvantages: too expensive

...300 days of sunshine, 30 000 residents, 108 different nationalities, 7600 Monégasques 12 000 French citizens, 5 000 Italians all living on 2 square kms. Monaco is without a doubt the most expensive place on the Mediterranean but still crime free! Monaco, where the palace is situated, on the rock, sixty meters above sea level. Monte-Carlo is the rest…and what a rest…..luxury, class, beauty, cleanliness, but also lots of investors and concrete. Official language is French and monegù. Official currency is Euro. English and Italian are widely spoken. ☼€≈€≈€≈€≈€≈€≈€☼ LUXURY ☼€≈€≈€≈€≈€≈€≈€☼ It's everywhere; I am not talking about the luxury you would find in certain areas of the planet, but « the Belle Époque » luxury. You... Read review

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Advantages: Rustic, Powerful, Emotive
Disadvantages: None, unless you have a problem with late 70's sound quality

...A Flamenco tour de force. To Flamenco-lovers, Carlos Montoya is a legend. He educated the rest of the world about various Flamenco styles, leaving his native Spain in the 1930's. Settling in the U.S.A, he would then shape a very specific style with the influence of Jazz. I think that most of the Jazz influence can be distinguished through Carlos Montoya's playfulness. He enjoys discharging lightning-fast tempo in various parts of his pieces and has the ability to then pick up where he left off with ecstatic simplicity. This album was released in 2004 under Pazzazz Records. Originally, the tracks were recorded in 1979 (all of them). 13 of the 15 tracks are by Carlos himself. The remaining 2 are both traditional; or at least traditional-based. Another great factor is that these tracks maintain the slightly coarse recording sound... Read review

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Advantages: Great Claycourt player - film star looks
Disadvantages: Moody and doesn't present his personality well

...Juan Carlos Ferrero (SPAIN) ---------------------------------------- Very little seems to be known about this player in the UK – probably due to the fact that he is a Spainish clay court player and such does not last long at Wimbledon. He is, however a very talented player, having reached Number 1 in the world and winning the French Open. He has also been a member of the winning Spanish Davis cup Team. This player not only plays sublime tennis on his day but also has film star looks. He is a baseline player and as such his greatest strengths are his groundstrokes, with a particularly ferocious forehand. His serve is adequate, but will not earn him many free points and does not put his opponents under too much pressure. His volleys (what volleys?) umm – not much more to say on those. Rumour has it that he gets vertigo... Read review

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Advantages: The Grand Prix of all Grand Prix's
Disadvantages: Monaco ain't cheap!

...FORMULA 1 MONACO GRAND PRIX - MONTE CARLO Now, I was fortunate enough to attend the Monaco Grand Prix in 2001, on an incredibly hot, but glorious May afternoon. This Grand Prix is the Jewel In the Crown of the Formula 1 Racing season and the most eagerly awaited of all t