We stayed at the Hotel Tryp Alcano on the outskirts of Granada for 3 nights at the end of April 2005. This was our second visit as we had stayed there for one summer's night in August two years ago.
The hotel is set with the rooms motel style on two floors in a horseshoe shape around very pretty tranquil gardens consisting of lawns, flowers including rosebushes , shrubs including rosemary and hibiscus, and trees including palms and conifers . The swimming pool is situated in the centre with a tiled surround and benches , and it is fenced for child safety. There is also a small shallow childrens pool.
An outdoor restaurant and pool bar and the reception area secure the open end of the horseshoe, with a covered carpark and high fence around the entire perimeter. There is another restaurant and snackbar opposite to the reception.
The rooms have a tiny hallway with a second door for privacy leading into the bedroom, remote controlled televisions, fridges in good working order, a trouser press , and spotlessly clean bathrooms with wall dispensers containing shampoo,shower gel and soap. Extra toiletries and shower caps are available complimentary on request at reception. A plastic bathroom stool is provided . Pen and notepad are next to the telephone, and there is an armchair as well as an upright chair for sitting at the desk/table on which there is stationery in a folder.
The hotel is situated well outside central Granada and would thus require a car for easy transport, but it is on the road to Granada airport and very convenient for access thereto as well as to the village of Fuente Vaqueros,birthplace of the poet and playwright Federico Garcia Lorca, the Parque Natural de la Sierra de Huetor, and less than an hour's drive are the cave dwellings in the villages of Purullena and Guadix in their moonscape surroundings.
On one of the April evenings we stayed there , a wedding reception was held in the grounds of the hotel. We watched the hive of activity for its preparation , which included a 2 person team expertly carving two whole Pata Negra hams , and the setting up of a whole barrel of Andalusian sherry and later dispensing of its contents into glasses with a long handled cup and skilful quick flourish.
The arrival of the bridal couple to the strains of the Wedding March from Lohengrin hardly disturbed the guests who were too busy tucking in to the trays of canapes and chatting. The fairy tale surroundings were a little marred because several of the bulbs for the coloured lights were not working on one of the trees, and the air became distinctly chilly as it grew dark, not suprising as in daylight standing outside the door of our room we could see the still snowcapped peaks of the Sierra Nevada in the distance. One of the major illuminating lights also expired during the party, but " two men and a ladder" quickly arrived and fixed it. No 'manana ' attitude here!
The staff were all unfailingly very pleasant, helpful, friendly and cheerful without any exception, and the housekeeper made several patrols every evening to ensure that everything was in order.