View from our balcony & outdoor tables

Last winter my family invited me to come stay with them in the Marriott Plaza Andaluza, a vacation club resort in Spain.

Besides its location, what I loved most about it was the inclusive property details and furnishings. This is the sort of resort that caters to the large family on vacation as much as they cater to the romantic couples. There are many white hill towns to see and coastal areas to explore, this location worked perfectly for sight-seeing in Southern Spain.

There are multiple outdoor pools of differing sizes and styles. One we walked by was clearly meant for watching over the little ones, while another was set back from the beach front and overflowing with beach chairs pointing directly into the sunlight, perfect for sunbathing. Read More »

Margaret Busby, a 63-year old disabled pensioner, is complaining that the ‘nice and peaceful’ holiday she asked for turned out to be a Hard Rock clone with non-stop parties and freaked out teenagers.

Magaluf Resort in Majorca, Spain

Mrs. Busby, who hails from Bispham near Blackpool, Lancashire, needs a wheelchair or walking sticks to get around, and is calling her brief stay at the Aparthotel Fiesta Jungla in the Magaluf resort on Majorca, Spain a ‘Holiday from Hell.’

Apparently she saw a window advert for a ‘Thomson Freestyle’ package and enquired about it.

This is what the brochure says – “You’ll find accommodation that ranges from some of the coolest destination hotels on the planet to hip villa retreats on the beach. And whichever you choose, expect a holiday that packs in more style than a Milan catwalk.”

Sounds pretty innocent, relative to a Holiday from Hell. To be fair, the travel agents tried to talk her out of it, and offered her other options, but she wouldn’t take no for an answer, and demanded to go freestyle.

To make a long story short, Mrs. Busby found herself in a hotel packed to the rafters with out of control teenagers, loud music from a female DJ with a foul mouth, and drunken revellers having sex in the pool.

Mrs. Busby has now filed a complaint, and even though the travel agents did nothing wrong, the question still remains. Why would anyone in their right minds send a disabled 63 year old woman to a party hotel famed for its nightlife and full of drunken teenagers? Should Margaret Busby get her £300 back?

Photo – public domain (source)

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Hotel America, Granada, Spain - Perfect for your tour of The Alhambra & Generalife

What could be a more perfect combination than a unique opportunity to stay within a famous attraction combined with great room prices in Spain?

For families vacations or a romantic retreat, the 17-room Hotel America could be the answer. Located within the walls of The Alhambra, a 14th century palace and fortress, is this surprising hotel and restaurant.

This 19th century hotel started out as a house but is now a hotel composed of two buildings with a quiet garden courtyard in between. All of the rooms have a private bath or shower, telephone, central heating and air conditioning. Some of the rooms look out onto the courtyard and some with beautiful views of the Alhambra gardens.

Secluded Courtyard Perfect for a Romantic Meal

With seasonal specials and room rates between 50-150 Euros a night, it could be a great place for either a romantic getaway or a family stay. Wouldn’t it be nice to spend all day exploring this famous landmark knowing you had rooms waiting within the walls? Since this is one of Spain’s most visited attractions, if you need help they will get your tickets to the Alhambra for a small fee.

This hotel is filled with modern amenities like free wi-fi but retains lots of genuine warmth and cozy rooms filled with antiques.  With its amazing location you can choose between eating at their restaurant, with its romantic courtyard, choose from nearby restaurants like La Mimbre or venture further into town via the bus.

Antique filled rooms at Hotel America in Granada, Spain

We loved our visit to the Alhambra and its Generalife gardens.  The three hours we spent was not nearly enough and I can see why people return to this beautiful place over and over again.  When we do, staying at the Hotel America is definitely going to be part of our plan.

Hotel America

Real de la Alhambra, 53
Alhambra – 18009 – Granada
Andalucia – Spain
Tel: + 958 22 74 71

Photos by Sharon Castellanos

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Turning Stone Resort and Casino

I’ll admit I haven’t been following Tiger Wood’s adulterous affairs all that closely.  It’s hard to escape from the onslaught of  Tiger Woods stories though and what I do know is that his trysts are in the double digits.  So where were these alleged torrid steamy nights?

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