Customer Reviews

Frommer's Spain (17th Ed.)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

Note: This is for anyone contemplating purchasing the new 2006 travel guide of Spain by Frommers. Don't waste your money. Although I have purchased over 30 Frommers books in the past and enjoyed each one, the Spain book was awful. In Madrid, the book lists 20 or so "Top Attractions" (which is customary for Frommers). However, try to read about these attractions (e.g. what they are, hours of operation, etc.) and you can only find about half of them in the book. How do you know if it is worth treking across town for something that has no description?

In addition, some attractions in Barcelona are not correct on the map (literally they are across town from where Frommers puts them). I ended up stopping in bookstores and reading Eye Witness in order to see what I was missing.

Save your money. I am also sending a complaint directly to Frommers as well. For the rest of the reviews (prior to mine) on this page, note that they are for other Frommers Spain versions (not the 2006 book).

The date on the latest edition says 2007, but this book is completely out of date.

I took a quick look at the Madrid chapter and immediately found the following:

(a) The subway map is old (p. 98); line 8 from the airport started running to Nuevos Ministerios a long time ago but this is not shown.

(b) On pg. 94 it is claimed that there are airport buses to Plaza de Colon. They used to go there, but since Feb. 2005 (two Frommer editions ago!) they terminate at Avenida de America.

(c) On pg. 41 there is the wacky claim "There is a very favorable exchange rate in Spain when you pay in US dollars". The exchange rate for euros isn't any different in Spain than anywhere else, and it isn't "favorable" at all. When do you think this sentence was written?

(d) There's an article about internet access away from home. That's useful and modern, right? Well, it recommends hotspots operated by T-Mobile "at more than 1000 Starbucks coffee shops nationwide". The 'nation' they're talking about is the USA!

As I said, I got this during a quick browse; this is not a complete list of the weirdness in this shoddy little book.

I just got back from Spain a few days ago, having used the 2006 Frommer's Spain to plan our trip. None of the entries have been updated to reflect 2006 pricing for entry fees to museums, etc. The book has a small section in the front called "What's new in Spain" or something along those lines, but the rest of the book does not appear to have been updated for 2006. We ended up spending more than we had expected at almost every single place we visited on Frommer's advice due to the fact that the pricing was outdated. In hindsight, I would have saved some money and bought a used 2005 version. And FYI, most attractions have student discounts which knock up to half of the admission price off, so don't leave your student ID at home if you have one!

I broke from my tradition of buying Lonely Planet Guides to try out Frommer's on my trip to Spain.

What a mistake that was! I found several errors in directions to hotels and a complete lake of detail on many of the cities I visited.

Additionally, there were major sections of the country that were not covered at all. If you are going to the south east coast stay away from this book!

The choices are very limited and the descriptions of the hotels seemed to be always overrated. I did not see one instance of "stay away from this hotel because..." like one sees in the Lonely Planet Guides. I don't think the writers have ever visited any of the hotels as one hotel was clear across town (Malaga) instead of "Just across from the train station" as the Frommer's promises.

To sum up, be safe and buy a different guide - maybe edition 19 will be better researched.

I used this guide for a recent 14-day trip with friends to Granada, Costa del Sol, and Madrid. It was not at all helpful--and several times, the book's recommendations were completely off base. We will not use Frommer's again.

I began using Frommer's travel books/guides in the 1970s, for Central and South America, and Europe. They were my favorite guide books then, and are still the best, providing clear, concise information for the traveler, with a predominately midlevel budget range. All their books, however, usually contain excellent low-budget suggestions, as well as information provided for luxury accommodations. With that endorsement, I most highly recommend "Frommer's Spain 2003." I have traveled in Spain widely, but that was 15 years ago. On a glorious return trip to Spain early last spring, I found the updated guide even more informative than the one I used so long ago.

"Frommer's Spain 2003" provides a wide range of suggested accommodations, from budget to luxury, and I decided, before my trip, on a lovely pension in Barcelona, which was my "base of operations." I made reservations, by telephone, a month in advance and found the place, and the price, to be exactly as described, along with the excellent service. Frommer's suggested local restaurants became my favorites, and the owners of the pension also made some excellent suggestions. I selected my lodgings in Marbella (Costa del Sol), Grenada, Seville, and Madrid from Frommer's, as well, and although I clearly preferred some over others, I was comfortable at all. The information in the guide was accurate in all cases. My ideas for day trips, from each of these cities, were based on a combination of past experience, the advice of friends and Frommer's suggestions. Frommers had the best and most original information about off-the-mainstream places of interest, including festivals, fairs, markets, shopping, entertainment, nightlife, etc.

The fold-out country map, and city maps are extremely easy to follow. I have the world's worst sense of direction, and never got lost - even on my own, original walking tour of Barcelona's winding streets.

All of the many magnificent things to see in Spain, each city's major attractions, the museums, art, churches and galleries are obviously included. It is the selection of lesser known sites, and out-of-the-way itineraries that makes this guide so special. I have read that some people find the book to be too big or bulky. I find it to be just right, and never needed to refer to another guide during my entire trip.

For before trip preparation, you may wish to brush-up on Spanish history, art - whatever your area(s) of interest. If so, you will do well to look at books specifically on the topics of your choice. Frommer's does provide a BRIEF chapter of historical information. It may be sufficient for your needs, but I think it worth mentioning here.

Overall, this is the Best book to take, especially if you plan to take only one, to assist you in enjoying the glories of Spain, past and present!
JANA

I've been to Spain several times, and until now I've been using the Lonely Planet 2003 Spain guide. On my upcoming trip there in May I thought I might update and perhaps complement my old guide by getting a 2007 edition
from another publisher. So, I picked up the Frommer's 2007 and started reading it in depth when I got home. Well, it's just not that good. The layout is very annoying and they barely list any hotels that aren't expensive. Also, they leave alot of tidbits out that the lonely planet has. (Like the chapter on Toledo for example, says nothing about the mass migration of the population to high rises around the city. Lonely Planet mentions things of this nature. Many of the Lonely Planet chapters usually make mention of a negative aspect of a certain area, which every good book should have.)

Not to mention the maps in the frommer's are basically nonexistent. Nothing more than a faraway street map with only the main roads filled in. The map of sevilla for example, only lists a couple major arteries and the names of plazas. For a city as confusing as sevilla, this isn't a big help. Good thing I already know my way around. To conclude, I'd say that Frommer's is just missing that one essential aspect: Soul. The book has no soul. No opinions, no diversity, no explanations of seedy happenings or places to stay away of because of certain things. Just no soul or passion and terrrrrrrrrible maps.

My wife and I have been great fans of Frommer's books on our travels. However, we found the Spain Frommer's guide only average. While the book was excellent in terms of highlighting what to see and do, it was way off base when it came not only to restaurant recommendations, but also in terms of the existence of actual restaurants. Many of the restaurants didn't even exist, or had different names altogether. I can understand if this were an old edition. However, we used the 2002 edition, and it wasn't up to usual Frommer standards.

We also used Frommer's for Portugal. That was a bigger disappointment as the ratings of things to do and places to see were way off from what they really were.

Thorough, Comprehensive and well-put together.

From all the travel books out there on Spain this one is not a compilation of mere facts, photos, phone numbers and page-fillers.

What sets Frommer's apart is the information provided and the style in which is presented. You will find lodging options for various budgets, a list of most important sites to see and even suggested ways to spend time in a city if you have only 1 day or as much as 5 days, great places to eat and great places to splurge if you can stretch your dollar. Be aware that this is not a book for the ones on a shoestring budget. Frommer provides a good introduction to Spain without being overloading you with mass amounts of information or pictures, a truly well-balanced book.

When I backpacked 4 months through Europe I had a copy of the Lonely Planet for Europe (a thick and heavy book) because it covered more cities and esoteric towns, a ripped chapters of all the international youth hostals Europe of the countries I visited, and as primary guide for nominal cities and capitals I used Frommers (ripped the book and kept only chapters of countries planning to visit - so I can keep the weight down).

I found this guide extremely helpful in my 2-week trip to Andalucia. Plenty of hotel/restaurant suggestions and other relevant information. It is definetely a good buy.