Amazon Es (Online Shop, Spain)

Website

I've used Amazon Spain twice, and they work very much like Amazon USA regarding everything.

Last year, I purchased some pet supplies as a gift for one of my brothers, who lives in Spain, and the experience was excellent. Some of the products advertised were not available on Amazon Es, and were supplied by external European shops; however, the time of delivery was clearly mentioned on the item page, so I knew that beforehand; yet, the item arrived well before the estimate delivery time. 

  

The second time, I ordered two items for my elderly mother during my holidays there. Items were dispatched separately the next day, and I received them at my doorstep two days later. 

They have a huge selection of products and terrific prices and I can honestly say that they provide better service and range of products than Amazon Au. 

I will certainly buy from them again!

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Ibis Budget Málaga Centro (Málaga, Spain)

Ibis Budget Málaga Centro
Calle Calvo, 4 
29007 Málaga, Spain
Phone:+34 951 21 38 54

THE GOOD
+ Scandinavian sort of hotel, with a basic stylish functional room deprived of anything that is not necessary, yet very comfortable and with anything you need for a short stay. The rooms are not as small as I thought by reading other visitors' comments, certainly they aren't large, but OK in size. If you have 3-4f XL suitcases it might be a problem. 
+  Zen style decor, minimal but very pleasing to the eye.
 + Bed, desk and chair were really comfortable. 
+ TV in the room.
+ Air-con in the room. 
+ Comfy large hard bed. 
+ Spotless clean rooms and common areas.
+ Free reliable Wi-Fi all over the hotel.
+ Snack and coffee machines in the lobby.
+ Small café area in the lobby. They serve a simple breaky at very cheap prices. You can order some snacks directly from reception, good priced and OK to fill in your belly if you are hungry and there is nothing open around when you get there. 
+ Great location in the centre of the city, very close to the Central Bus Station (walking distance if you have carry-on baggage) and a few minutes away by taxi (less than 10 Euro), just 6 Kms from the airport at a walking distance from some of the major sights

in the city.
 + Unless you arrive on a Sunday, there are plenty of bars, cafes and shops at a very short walking distance and around the hotel.
+ Great hotel for a short stay.  
+ Environmentally friendly. 
+ Great value for money. I have been in similar hotels in Scandinavia and they costed me triple the price. I have been to way worse hotels in Australia and they costed me triple the price.

THE NOT SO GOOD
- Minimal toiletries. If you need more, you need to contact reception.
- No safety box in the room.
- No phone in the room. 
- No toilet brush in the bathroom.
- No wardrobe or storage place, just a hangers rack. 
- Few power points.   
- No minibar in the room.
- The café is just a small dining area for a simple breaky, which is expensive for Spanish standards and has not many options. Make yourself a favour and go to the cafés around and nearby.
- The guys at reception are sometimes overwhelmed by the avalanche of customers, especially late in the evening when there is just one person attending to the cue, the phone an the cafe. It was stressful to witness. 
- Ugly views depending on the rooms. 

 ***

Overall, a good budget hotel that delivers what promises at ridiculously cheap prices. 
  

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Granada's Bus and Coaches Station (Granada, Spain)

Carretera de Jaén, s/n
18013 Granada
Spain
Phone  +34 958 185 480
 
Granada, despite being a very small town, is a buzzing one, with lots of travellers moving in an out every single day.  People move basically by bus, so the station is always busy.

The station is located in the outskirts of the city, but well communicated by normal city buses (number 33, especially) and taxi, and has provincial, regional, national and international services. There are more than 25 platforms in the station, which shows the volume of travel in this small town. 

The building is very functional, as well as the whole structure of the station. You will find the services you expect to find in any station, but nothing fancy, as the movement is steady and you won't need to spend hours waiting there. So you will find the information and sale windows upstairs, an escalator to access the waiting area, café-bar and toilets, plus some tiny shops and shopping stands around. There are electronic information panels in the waiting area, as well. The place is kept clean.

The Station's sales windows can have long cues at pick ours or pick departing hours, if you arrive with not much time to buy your ticket, it might be too late. Buy you ticket online through Alsa's website or in advance.

ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT
> Some of the services to Málaga Airport or to the big cities are always full. Depending on demand, there can be more than one bus doing the same route. This means that the volume of passengers in the cue in front of a bus can be humongous as the drivers need to check the tickets before passengers board and place their luggage in the luggage compartment. It would be great having another person doing just this, so the boarding is quicker, and people don't get confused or annoyed. 
> A better lighting for the platform area is needed!
> A few more coffee and snacks machines would be handy.

MIND
> If you are a foreigner holding an electronic ticket, the bus driver will request you to present your passport together with your online ticket. This is the law. If you are trying to jump about basic travelling regulations, you are just being obnoxious, are giving a terrible image of your fellow-nationals and are being a nuisance to other travellers. There was a group of fellow-Aussies doing just that, making demeaning comments on the country just because they were requested to show their passports! I felt very ashamed that we were holding the same passport.
> There can be some drug addicts and odd people begging around the main entrance at times. Do as you would do at home, ignore them with gentleness and keep an eye on your luggage. 

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Mail Boxes Etc. (Granada, Spain)

Calle Veronica de la Virgen, 1
18005 GranadaSpain
+34 958 536 811
Website

I had a terrible experience with these guys. To be fair, the guys at the office were lovely, but the service and information was not.

Due to my long trip, I had to post a big box with clothes from Perth to my parents, as I was travelling with little luggage due do the requirements of the trips before and after.

As I was not heading home directly, I thought that it would be better using a courier. I saw the UPS sign at the door of this franchised office, and a few days after my arrival I went in to ask for info.

I talked to the manager directly, and I told him about sending the parcel back to Australia, the contents being mostly clothes and personal items that I could not fit in my luggage, and I asked for a quote, timing, packing requirements, if they were working with Australia, etc. The guy told me that no problem, yes, they work with Australia, yes, they could pick up the parcel from my parents in case of need, yes I could delay the delivery until I was  back in Perth and so forth. I left with his card and a quote at the back.

That very day, I checked the company's website. There, it is clearly stated that you can send your suitcase, if you want or need, around the world. The website looks serious and professional.

To make sure that I was right re the packaging, I visited this office for a second time. I spoke to another guy, who made the same questions as the manager did, and with whom I discussed the packaging of my parcel/s.

The day before my departure, I took a taxi to carry the two parcels myself, as one of them was +10 Kgs. I arrived there, and as soon as I said Australia, the manager told me that unless the contents were new with the shop sale's target attached, I could not send the parcel to Australia due to the Australian Customs requirements and limitations. I told him that I do live in Australia, that I have sent things back and forth many times and that there is no problem unless you pack some illegal items or products in the no list. I told him about their website. He said that this for the rest of the world, not for Australia. He told me that I should have asked him in advance. I told him that yes, I DID CHECK WITH HIM SPECIFICALLY, IN ADVANCE and that he had said yes to everything, he was arrogant enough to say that he did not remember the conversation. Unfortunately, I do. I had to take another taxi to my parents' and leave the parcel with one of my brothers so he could post it to my place.

I cannot forget the trouble and money of taking my parcel back and forth to my parents, mostly because this was my third visit to the office, and I had clearly mentioned everything during my first visit, The apology the manager gave me was so lame and unapologetic that I have decided to post this review.

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Lola & Punto (Granada, Spain)

Calle Montereros, 10
 18001 Granada
 Spain
 Phone: +34 677 470 582
 Facebook

Knitting an crochet are very much back and in vogue nowadays, and Lola & Punto has done a terrific job at making of a tiny space a paradise for knitting lovers and hand made nuts.

The shop is very small, but it has very catchy windows and a lovely fully packed interior. It is a welcoming colourful place. I love their walled asymmetrical shelves packed with colourful wool and cotton hanks.

Their selection of crocheted dolls is just lovable. I bought the bunny in my photo for my niece, and a crocheted hat. They are not only pretty and catchy, but also made with very good cotton, so they can be washed safely in the washing machine. If you want the same item in another size, the owner will make it for you quite fast and give you a ring to let you know that it is ready. She did that with the hat I bought for my niece and had it ready in 3-4 days.

I loved their bead necklaces, made with Indian wooden hand-painted beads. The ones already made are fabulous but they might be too expensive for your budget, as they were about 30-40 Euro, which is about Au 50$. However, they have a good amount of individual beads for sale, so you can get and mix the ones you like, buy leather thread (so many colours to choose from!), as well as other little things to make your own unique piece of jewellery for little money.

The owner holds regular workshops, inside the shop, to teach you knitting and crocheting some of the wonderful things she has on display.

Customer service was great. You can browse around unmolested or just ask the owner for help and assistance.

Handmade items are pricey (for Spanish standards) but affordable for foreigners, and you know that your are buying handmade good quality stuff, not a mass produced item.

UPDATE 2016
Most of the jewellery making stuff they had for sale in the past is gone, and the service is not as friendly.

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Zoco del Salón (Granada, Spain)

Paseo del Salon, s/n
18009 Granada
Spain
Facebook

If you are a fan of Etsy handmade handicrafts and clothing, you will love the Zoco del Salon - a handmade & handicrafts market.

It is held the first Saturday of every month (weather permitting), at the bottom end of the Paseo del Salón, in the area by the Placeta del Humilladero. In the summer months, the market changes its opening hours to avoid the heat of the hot Granada summer.

 

The white stalls are full of wonderful handmade stuff at terrific prices and customer service is excellent. You will find children clothes, adults T-shirts, home decor items, natural cosmetics and soaps, among many other things. Most of the vendors are also the makers of the stuff they sell, so they are really happy when you choose them.

 

I was in my personal heaven there. It reminded me of the Made in the Left markets in Perth WA regarding philosophy, atmosphere and sort of products you can find, but the one in  Granada is a bit smaller.

I loved many things, but I found the stalls selling toddlers and baby clothing and accessories among my favourite, due to the cuteness of the items and their good prices. Kids clothing is ridiculously expensive everywhere, but here you can find wonderful stuff for little money. I bought a couple of things for my cute niece.

If you are a foreigner and don't like traditional souvenirs, and you happen to be here when the market is held, this might be your place!

My fav stalls were the ones by Yomiss, Las Cosas de Mama, Degue, Periponte, Artsany, and Borstylus, but you will certainly find your own favourite items and stalls.

Prices were cheap or very affordable and strolling along the white tents a pure pleasure.

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Restaurante Botánico (Granada, Spain)

Calle Malaga, 3
18001 Granada
Spain
Ph. 958 271 598
Website in English
Facebook

El Botánico, as it is usually called by locals, is an icon in the Granada food panorama. This café-bar-restaurant opened 13 years ago, and is still as contemporary and modern as it was when opened. They were like an electroshock to the Granada dining scene, as it was one of the first café-restaurant in the city to avant-garde in fusion cuisine, started the tradition of brunching, and started opening and serving food all day long, at times that are not traditional in Spain. No wonder, the place became soon a favourite among local foodies and hypsters, and foreign tourists and expatriates. Despite that, there is no hype around the place any longer, as the hype is elsewhere in the city. This is, still, a trendy café despite the pass of time.
 
I love the fact that the place is located in the heart of Granada, but a bit hidden, just in front of the tiny Botanical Garden of Granada. The interior is very modern, with clean lines and an elegant mixture of white, orange and blues, and functional pine tables, adorned by the artistic exhibition on display at the time you visit. There are two distinct areas, the café-bar at the entrance, and the dining area properly speaking, which is located at the rear back of the long corridor.  

The recipes are a mix of fusion food (Mexico, Japan, Middle Easter, Morocco, Italy and France among other influences), modern contemporary Spanish cuisine and the traditional tapas culture, which has its roots in this very city. Everything I have tried here is delicious and well prepared, from the soups, to the mains to the desserts. The red wine of Granada (terroir denomination "Vino de Granada") is one of those wines that got me hooked, after trying it here last year; it has started to get a name among foodies for its smoothness, silkiness, colourful flavours and richness of colour. 

If you live in Perth WA, el Botánico is to Granada what Bivouac is to Perth, but it opened more than a decade ago!

El Botánico has great prices. It is a bit pricier than other places in the city, but not much really, especially if you choose the set menu, which is great. The set menu is a tradition amongst Spanish cafés and medium range restaurants, and includes bread, water, one alcoholic drink of your selection, a starter, a main course, and a dessert) for the ridiculous price of 12 Euro inside and 13 on the terrace (taxes and service included!). Otherwise you can eat a la carte. They have special prices for breakfasts and brunches during weekdays. If you compare these to Perth prices, you could be clapping out of joy, or thinking, is that really possible? Good food, nice place, cheap? Yes, it is, if you have hundreds of bars, cafés and restaurants in a tiny city competing for your visit.

The service is friendly, and decently paced, but it changes from person to person.  The restaurant hosts temporary exhibitions and musical events inside.

To be fair and honest, if I was a tourist, I would rather immerse myself in the delicacies of the real Spanish gastronomy elsewhere, in a city that is renowned for his hundreds of tapas bars, traditional and contemporary Spanish restaurants at very good prices. However, El Botánico is still great place for escapades into territories that are quieter, more cosmopolitan and more flexible regarding eating hours, and culinary styles.

TIPS
- If you go at the traditional Spanish eating hours, the place can be quite hectic. But very quiet otherwise.
- They do takeaways!
- They have pre-arranged set menus for groups. 
- They have vegan and vegetarian dishes.

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