A stay at Hotel La Almazara is certainly a mixed bag.

The pros:
- plenty of parking (free)
- stunning manor house (exterior) and grounds
- just 2km, leisurely 20 minute walk into the old city
- friendly staff
- rooms with a balcony have a good view of Toledo

The cons:
- paper thin walls between rooms (so don't anticipate getting any sleep on a Saturday night - we didn't)
- rooms are very basic, dark and old
- price booked was then increased by 7% tax which was not disclosed at time of booking or check in
- no internet access

Overall, it appeared as a cheap option for Toledo which is why we booked but I think that the hotel is overpriced for what you get especially being outside the city itself.

Our travels in Europe invariably include covering a lot of ground, and staying in many types and grades of accommodation. "La Almazara" attracted our attention because of the advertised views of Toledo, the good reviews -- and all at a nice price. Too, we understood it to be the former summer residence of an archbishop, so we anticipated a possibly "monastic" or rustic quality.

After a 2-hour wild-goosechase through the suburbs, courtesy of Google maps, and many inquiries, we finally arrived in the dark at Almazara, on a hill above town. Off a busy road, and down a narrow lane, the exterior has a farmhouse rusticity; the interiors are small, barren, and painted-plywood flimsy. No TV or hairdryer (though, a bidet). No elevator. Reception was cordial and Spanish-only. We received probably the best view in the house--which was very nice, indeed: And you could walk out onto a spacious 2nd-floor patio, with garden table and 2 chairs to savor the overlook. (A porous metal screen provides a separator, but no privacy, from your neighbor.)

Options for dinner are either (a) the hotel's dining room, or (b) a kilometer drive down the hill to facilities there, or across a bridge into town. Since we wanted wine with dinner, we opted for no driving, and the dining room ( . . . and were the only ones): A cold plate of thinly sliced sausage, a plate of (canned, 2 cups) green beans flavored with ham bits, and a diaphanous deep-fried "hamburger" (with a cup of fries, lettuce, tomato, no bun). Water, less than a bottle of wine . . . 30 euro. (On our bill the next morning, the 5-euro sausage appetizer had morphed into 10 euro. Whatever.)

A great long sigh seemed (to us, anyway) to hang over this place. Maybe it was just the troupe of threadbare cats haunting the courtyard. Checking out, we picked up a hotel brochure to take with us -- and then placed it back on the stack.

If you have a car and are comfortable being outside of Toledo, Hotel La Almazara offers an historic building with a courtyard, a quiet location well away from the road, and beautiful views of the historic center of Toledo. The service is friendly and helpful -- and the rates are a good value. If you want one of the 9 rooms with a panoramtic view of Toledo, specify when reserving (the rate is just a bit more),

Other pluses, as well: the hotel has *air conditioning* (I would recommend A/C, given high temperatures reached in Toledo); and the light fare offered in the dining room in the evenings works well for most of the guests who are tired out by sightseeing (and the heat), prefer not to drive to another location to eat, and are content with a light dinner offerings (such as soup, toasted sandwixhes, salads, wine). In addition, the guests are a pleasant (and quiet) crowd - and some share travel experiences, which is interesting and fun,

The rooms are "basic" - but the housekeeping is good, with clean linens and towels daily, and perfectly adequate bathrooms.

No television - or mini-bar -- and these are nothing to miss, given the view of Toledo by night, and the first floor bar for beverage service.

Nice hotel - nice atmosphere - and very scenic location.

Just a couple of km outside the city but having good views of it. A former Bishop's country house. Fairly basic rooms, but comfortable enough. Terrific value.