Mar 8th, 2013 at 4:00PM: Welcome to this week's edition of "Hotel News We Noted," where we round up the week's best, most interesting and just downright odd news of note in the hospitality world. Have a tip? Send us a note or leave a comment below.
The hotel world has been buzzing this winter with new and planned openings, extreme amenities and packages galore. Here's our take on what you need to know this week:
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Madrid posts
Hotel News We Noted: March 8, 2013
Mar 8th, 2013 at 4:00PM: Welcome to this week's edition of "Hotel News We Noted," where we round up the week's best, most interesting and just downright odd news of note in the hospitality world. Have a tip? Send us a note or leave a comment below.
The hotel world has been buzzing this winter with new and planned openings, extreme amenities and packages galore. Here's our take on what you need to know this week:
...Museum Honors 75th Anniversary Of Picasso's 'Guernica' With Special Exhibit
Oct 4th, 2012 at 9:00AM:
It's Picasso's most famous and discussed work. "Guernica" was the artist's response to the Luftwaffe's bombing of the Basque town of Guernica during the Spanish Civil War. Some 1,654 civilians died. Nazi Germany was supporting General Francisco Franco and his Nationalists in their attempt to overthrow the Republican government, a fight he eventually won.
Now the Museo Reina Sofia in Madrid, ...Photo Of The Day: Madrid's Palacio Real
Jul 22nd, 2012 at 7:00PM:
Today's photo, by Flickr user APANCHA, takes place at the changing of the guard at Madrid's Royal Palace (Palacio Real). The tight marching pattern of the soldiers, evenly spaced as they pass in front of the palace's stately architecture makes for quite a show for photo-snapping tourists. There's an intriguing geometry to the shot - the neat, upright marching of the soldiers almost seems to ...Spain Raises Airport Taxes
Jul 7th, 2012 at 2:00PM:
The government of Spain has announced that it is raising airport taxes.
The amount of the increase depends on the airport, with the average being 18.9 percent. Taxes at the two busiest airports, however, will more than double. Madrid's Barajas airport will increase from 6.95 euros to 14.44 ($8.64 to $17.94). Barcelona's El Prat airport will go from 6.12 euros to 13.44 ($7.60 to $16.70).
...Two Overlooked Art Spaces in Madrid
Jun 28th, 2012 at 1:00PM: Madrid is famous for its art. The "Golden Triangle" of the Prado, the Reina Sofia, and the Thyssen-Bornemisza attract millions of visitors a year.
But there are plenty more places to see art than those famous three. One of my favorites is the Conde Duque, an 18th century barracks that has been turned into an art and educational space. Behind an elaborate Baroque gate are three large courtyards. ...Madrid Street Art Old And New
Jun 27th, 2012 at 12:00PM:
Madrid is filled with art. From world-famous museums to cutting-edge indie galleries, this city has it all.
You don't have to go to a museum or gallery to see art, though. The streets are filled with it. This photo shows a mural at the intersection of Calle de San Andrés and Calle de Espiritu Santo, just south of the popular Plaza Dos de Mayo. The mural stretches across an entire ...Madrid's Summer Art Season
Jun 11th, 2012 at 11:00AM:
Madrid is one of the best destinations for art lovers, and this summer's exhibition season is as great as usual.
From June 12-September 16, the Prado is showing "Late Raphael," the first major survey exhibition on Raphael (1483-1520) to combine paintings and drawings in order to focus on the last seven years of the artist's life, when he was at the peak of his ability. It also examines the ...What Is The Highest European Capital?
Jun 4th, 2012 at 11:00AM:
I've lived in Spain part time for eight years now and I've been under the impression that Madrid is the highest European capital at 667 meters (2,188 feet) above sea level. You see the "highest capital in Europe" claim everywhere, including city tours, travel websites and even the second edition of "City Guide Madrid" by Blue Guides.
A friend who just came back from hiking in Andorra, ...World's Oldest Backpacker To Travel Europe This Summer
May 16th, 2012 at 2:00PM:
When most people think of backpacking, they picture a bunch of youths in their mid-20s eating street food, hiking to city sites and sleeping in dorms of 10 or more travelers. Australian nomad Keith Wright is breaking the stereotype, and at 95 years old, has planned a two-month backpacking tour of Europe for this summer.
Nicknamed the "world's oldest backpacker," Wright began backpacking ...
A Traveler In The Foreign Service: Meet An Intrepid Diplomat
Apr 4th, 2012 at 10:00AM: In our ongoing attempt to demystify the Foreign Service, we're going to occasionally introduce you to diplomats living in various parts of the world. Amy Tachco is a 36-year-old Foreign Service Officer (FSO) originally from Southern California and Central Ohio who joined the Foreign Service just over ten years ago.
Amy and I joined the Foreign Service at the same time and were part of the same ...Photo of the Day: Duty free Flamenco
Feb 16th, 2012 at 7:30PM:
After many years of international travel, I've learned that duty free isn't necessarily a deal. Unless you're a smoker or live in a country where alcohol is heavily taxed (like Turkey), you won't find much value among the jumbo-sized Toblerone bars or rows of designer perfumes. But I still enjoy the ritual of browsing through the shop, trying some free samples, and maybe taking home a tasty ...Photo of the Day: Olives, olives, and more olives
Feb 7th, 2012 at 6:00PM:
Honestly, have you ever seen olives look so appetizing? This epicurean Photo of the Day was snapped at the Mercado San Miguel in Madrid, a traditional Beaux-Arts food market recently restored and reopened in 2009. Flickr user LadyExpat used a Nikon D90 to capture the details in the delicacies: the vibrant colors, the fillings contained in the olives, the reflection of light in the juice. ...Hikes near Madrid: a new guidebook shows you the way (in English!)
Sep 30th, 2011 at 1:00PM: Every year, thousands of English speakers visit Madrid on holiday or to teach English. Most never explore the many hikes near Madrid, and that's a shame. The Sierra de Guadarrama offers some challenging and varied routes, and the lowland areas of the Comunidad de Madrid offer pleasant rambles. One of the best spots is La Pedriza, which can be a tough slog and easy to get lost in.
One of the ...Naval Museum in Madrid: an overlooked treasure
Sep 12th, 2011 at 12:00PM: After six years of living in Madrid, I've finally made it to the Naval Museum.
It's overlooked by most tourists. In fact, it's overlooked by a lot of madrileños. I've met some locals who didn't even know it exists. Perhaps being so far away from the sea they don't expect there to be a major naval museum downtown. It also doesn't help that it's tucked behind a modest facade that's easy to ...Video of the Day - Paragliding over Spain
Aug 30th, 2011 at 5:00PM:
Want to film a catchy music video without a massive budget? Consider grabbing some of your most adventurous friends, getting them to do some outrageous outdoor activity, and then hire a talented editor to overlay some snazzy effects & motion graphics.
Madrid-based editor Jorgiatos recently posted this music video that was shot in and around Castejón De Sos, a town near the ...
Treasures of Teotihuacan go on display
Jul 28th, 2011 at 10:30AM:
Teotihuacan is the New World's most impressive city. Founded in the second century BC, it was a center of civilization for 800 years. Its Pyramid of the Sun has a greater volume than even the Great Pyramid at Giza, Egypt. Teotihuacan is located in modern Mexico just outside Mexico City. In a country filled with amazing ancient ruins, it's one of the best.
An exhibit at Caixa Forum, one of ...Top ten tapas and free eats in Madrid
Jul 24th, 2011 at 2:00PM: In Spain, the "tapa" is the traditional free snack that often accompanies a drink in a bar. There is something unusually delicious about free food, especially when presented alongside a glass of red wine or an ice-cold "caña" (small glass of beer). "Tapas" are sensible – no drinking on an empty stomach. They also serve to whet the taste buds before a meal. Some even call tapas an ...Drugs and travel don't mix (in most places)
Jul 24th, 2011 at 10:00AM:
Flying out of Madrid's Barajas airport last week I spotted this curious poster. Sorry for the crappy photo, but there was a light right in front of it. The poster asks, "Do you seriously believe that being around drugs overseas would be fun?"
The message is one to think about. Most recreational drugs are illegal in most places, and going to jail isn't fun anywhere, yet I have to wonder about ...Madrid day trip: Romanesque churches and a Gothic cathedral in Segovia
Jul 20th, 2011 at 9:00AM: Segovia is an easy day trip from Madrid and has plenty of medieval and Renaissance buildings to capture the imagination. Yesterday I talked about the Alcázar, the city's castle, and today I'm looking at Segovia's many churches.
Most of the churches are Romanesque in style, like Iglesia de la Veracruz, which was actually built outside the city walls in 1208. The signage says this church ...Madrid day trip: the Alcázar castle in Segovia
Jul 19th, 2011 at 10:00AM:
As I mentioned yesterday, Segovia makes a great day trip from Madrid. One of the highlights of any visit is the Alcázar, or castle. Rising from the highest point on the promontory on which Segovia is built, it dominates the town and looks impossible to attack. The architects cut away part of the bedrock to make a dry moat cutting off the castle from the rest of the town, so to get in you ...
