Scopri il tuo soggiorno a Ubeda

Picture this: you've been wanting to go and see Úbeda for years. Then your friends regale you with a voucher to stay in any parador in Spain. Where do you choose to go? To Úbeda at last! You make a reservation for a nights' stay and are so happy that you finally can go and enjoy some precious time off, which is a rarity in your life because you work 7 days a week for months on end. Then, through no fault of your own, you see yourself obliged to cancel the very last minute. You immediately inform the parador and ask to change the date (any date). The answer is a firm no, because of their rigid cancellation/modification policy, annulling your friends' gift in the process. When after several emails to and from the parador with no satisfactory answer at all as to why it is so difficult to change a reservation, you vent your thoughts on a platform, and to add insult to injury you get an answer from the director stating that they DO make exceptions but that yours is not a valid reason for changing a reservation. It makes you literally sick to the stomach to be treated like that. Would you ever stay in a parador again? A firm no is the answer. Never ever have I encountered this kind of non-customer service, this lack of empathy and this complete rigidness. You then try to contact Paradores on Facebook and they don't even answer at all. Customer service? Zero!! Complete loss of faith in this probably otherwise fantastic institution, but I will never set foot in a Parador again.

Reúne todos los requisitos para calificarlo de excelente: muy céntrico (en la plaza del Ayuntamiento), en un precioso edificio renacentista con un patio interior magnífico sobre el que se accede a las dos plantas, habitaciones amplias, muy limpio, decorado con gusto a juego con el edificio, dos inmensas camas muy cómodas, desayuno surtido y variado... y el personal. Te facilitan por correo previo dónde aparcar (al lado, en Santa Clara) hay un aparcamiento público gratuito y los coches quedan recogidos de 12 noche a 7 mañana). Ah, un hotel con muy buenos precios.

I primi sono i positivi: buona posizione; su una strada tranquilla; buon personale; WiFi veloce che ha lavorato sulla terrazza; bella zona di seggioloni in basso. Ma: Mi sorprende che un hotel a quattro stelle non avesse una cassaforte o un frigo nella stanza. C'è un po' di forma nera nel doccia. Come molti hotel spagnoli, annuncia che ha aria condizionata, ma non significa davvero. Non prima/mezza aprile, la stanza era a 25 gradi quando siamo arrivati. La ricezione ha regolato qualcosa, ma ha portato la temperatura a 22 gradi e sembrava volerci ore.

Ubeda is a wonderful and picturesque town. Booked a suite with balcony at the Hotel Palacio - which was extremely large and very grand (pictures on the website are v accurate) and yet fairly unpractical. Good points: very central; valet parking (expensive but was incredibly useful at an exceptionally busy period); wrap around balcony was amazing for watching the Semana Santa processions. Not so good: no WiFi reception in bedroom but there was in the enormous entrance/bathroom; balcony was not one you could relax on, no outside space - rooftop pool was closed (they said it was closed when booking) and looked completely out of commission so you couldn’t just sit up there - bet the views would have been very good. Kind of weird to have so much space but a lot of it you couldn’t use. Didn’t have breakfast - instead went to the incredibly good value Coffee Garden around the corner. Not sorry I stayed here but should have done better research I think.

We were pleasantly surprised. The room was a decent size and was comfortable and quiet. The staff was very friendly and helpful. The location was very good – close to sites we wanted to see and restaurants, the two we ate at turned out to be good and reasonably priced. You can park right under the hotel, a convenience. We ended up finding a handicapped spot a bit away, but what the heck it was free. The room rate was very reasonable at $75, total. Breakfast was additional, 8 euros each, I believe and was very disappointing with very limited and mediocre choices, although I did manage to get them to make me some scrambled eggs after a couple of attempts, because I think they had quite a bit of difficulty understanding my English. I would go elsewhere for breakfast, if you can find a place. The only weak link here.

We were given a room on the second floor overlooking the swimming pool and garden where a bouncy castle is situated for parties. Unfortunately for us we had a very disturbed night with guitar playing and out of tune singing from below which went on till 2.00am. The room is fine though the shower is temperamental and can soak the bathroom as it spins out of its wall attachment! It is advertised that English is spoken but it isn't and trying to navigate the menu for dinner is a nightmare. I would suggest that an English translation is obtained. Google translate is helpful but not always accurate. Ubeda is an interesting city with many beautiful buildings and is well worth a visit though the hotel is about a thirty minute walk to the old town centre. The museum of St John of the Cross is particularly interesting as is a tour of the small mediaeval synagogue.