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Article: The complete guide to chateaux, paradores & pousadas Bored with run-of-the-mill hotels? Suffering from delusions of grandeur and want to discover the aristocrat within? Fancy swanning around a magnificent castle for a few days, exploring a medieval walled town, waking up in a room that overlooks vineyards and orchards, or relaxing in the cloisters of a 16th-century monastery? Then turn to the historic homes of Spain, Portugal and France. By Lucy Gillmore
- Article from:
- The Independent (London, England)
- Article date:
- July 31, 1999
- Author:
CopyrightCopyright 1999 The Independent - London. Provided by ProQuest LLC. (Hide copyright information)
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WHAT EXACTLY ARE CHATEAUX, PARADORS AND POUSADAS?
Basically, they're posh hotels, the equivalent of staying in a
stately home overseas. Aside from the obvious locational differences
- chateaux in France, paradores in Spain and pousadas in Portugal -
the paradores and pousadas are state-owned, the chateaux private.
Chateaux offer different types of accommodation, from exclusive
hotels to high-class B&Bs. For example, Relais & Chateaux (0800
960239) offers the most luxurious establishments, but Chateaux &
Hotels Independent (request a brochure from the French Tourist
Office, see below) has a greater variety of properties and lower
prices. Then there's Bienvenue au Chateau (brochure available ...