Name: Anthony Quinn
From: Connecticut, USA

Stayed at: Jose's apartment

Would you stay again? Yes, right away - didn't want to leave.

Complaints: No complaints- the apartment was more than I expected.

Things liked: The apartment is in a fantastic part of town, close to everything.  A great neighborhood, with food shops, cafes, and fun restaurants and tapas bars all around - great local flavor.  The apartment itself was extremely comfortable and had everything one could need - paper towels, cleaning supplies, even laundry detergent - perfect for tired travelers.  And the terrace is a real treat with a wonderful view of the mountains.  We had lunch everyday on the terrace.  The apartment is quiet at night and it is well built and had a quality feel to it.  We all just loved it!!!About our stay in Granada it is the obvious attractions that are not to be missed - the Alhambra, the Albaicin, the Cathedral and tombs, and the surrounding area that are breathtaking and make the visit to Granada a must.

Good bars etc: Actually, just around the corner are great tapas bars (plaza de Principe).  Also the local fruit and vegetable shops are great, the cafe on the same side of the street a few blocks down is a real local hangout (everybody knows everybody else) and it has a great feel.

Bad things: Yes, the only bad experience is the money changing and someone should let visitors know that the money exchange rates can vary dramatically.   On my first day in Granada, the banks were closed and I went to a money changing place in the Plaza Nueva.  I changed two hundred dollars after being told that the dollar was at 180 pesetas minus comission.  Since my prior experience of commision(in the airport) was minimal, I didn't question it right away. I was shocked to receive 150 pesetas to the dollar.  When I asked the person in the booth to explain, she tried to tell me that it was a common commission, and gave me some confusing information, which to a non-speaker would have been impossible to explain.  The comission turned out to be 18%.  When I complained the lady gave me 8% back after some confusing arithmetic which didn't quite add up to 8%.  So, beware.

Note from John:  The best way to use money in Spanish is to use your credit card and get money out of automatic cash machines as you need it using your pin number. Then you will be charged the official exchange rate which is not too bad at a reputable bank such as the Caixa, BBV etc
Most of those bureau de cambio places state that there is no comission in big letters as an enticement, then they use a terrible exchange rate.

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