General Questions about Spanish Hotels

[donaldsc]

I am planning a post cruise driving tour in Spain and Portugal. When we book hotels in the states, we assume that the hotel and especially the room will be non-smoking. This is what we prefer.

 

Many of the hotel and B&B sites that I am visiting are only in Spanish so I have been forced to use Google Translate to figure out what I am booking. Needless to say, it has been interesting.

 

Anyway, I have 2 specific questions -

 

1) Can I assume that Spanish hotels are non-smoking or do I have to ask before I book;

 

2) In other trips both in the US and abroad, we almost always stay in B&Bs instead of hotels. When I go onto TripAdvisor to check on B&Bs, somehow they do not sound like the B&Bs in the states. Are they?

 

Thanks

 

DON

[LondonTowner]

It is not illegal to smoke in hotel rooms in the EU. However, having said that, you will find that the hotels will only have one or two rooms available for smokers. This tends to be in business type hotels in cities where they will have people from cultures used to smoking.

 

The rest of the hotel will be non smoking in accordance to the law.

 

Last year myself and OH we're having lunch in a nice restaurant in Crete and were surprised to see 2 men smoking at a table inside the restaurant, but it doesn't bother us.

 

I have never stayed in a BB in the U.S. So don't really know what you are asking?

[English_in_Spain]

As LT says, some hotels in Spain have smoking bedrooms but they will be in the minority. All hotels will have non-smoking rooms so just ask for one when you check in. Also, it is the law in Spain that all the indoor public rooms - bars, lounges etc must be non-smoking. The one thing you may have a problem with is if you have a balcony you may have smoking neighbours.

 

You do not need to look at Spanish web pages. Have a look at booking.com and you will find descriptions in English.

 

I also have never stayed in B&B in US. I am assuming the sort of thing you are looking for - small simple hotel with no frills - are called hostals in Spain (not to be confused with hostels). Not all of these have en-suite bathrooms so be sure to check this out if that is what you want.

 

More expensive, but worth looking at if touring Spain are Paradores (Pousadas in Portugal). These are government run hotels. Some are in modern buildings but many are in converted castles or other very old, interesting buildings.

 

[LondonTowner]

A good suggestion from English in Spain about the paraders and in Portugal they have Pousadas which are similar. If you are over 60 years of age the paradoxes offer good discounts. I think they call it the Goldan Years or something like that.

 

You could also Google 'hoteles rurales' which will bring up nice, small hotels in the countryside.