Planning a couple of days in Rioja Spain

When planning our Spanish road trip, I knew we wanted to stop for a couple of days along the way.  I also knew I wanted to stop in Rioja region.  Of course my driving factor was to explore wineries and drink a lot of good wine.  However, I experienced more than just wine.  I was introduced to a charming village and their way of life that I did not know existed. 
The Rioja region is encompasses a pretty sizable area.  The challenge is where in Rioja we wanted to stay for a couple of days. Everyone has various ways or tools for planning their trips. A thing to know about me, is I love to do the research, exploring various regions or towns, and reviewing hotel websites.  Here is how I narrowed down my choices, the tools I used to make this decision on where in Rioja we would stay.  

The Rioja region is encompasses a pretty sizeable area.  The challenge is where in Rioja we wanted to stay for a couple of days. Everyone has various ways or tools for planning their trips. A thing to know about me, is I love to do the research, exploring various regions or towns, and reviewing hotel websites.  Here is how I narrowed down my choices, the tools I used to make this decision on where in Rioja we would stay.  

Google Maps – I knew the motorways that we could take to get from Barcelona to Rioja.  So I used Google Maps to familiarize myself with the towns in Rioja and where they were in respect to the motorways we would be traveling

TripAdvisor – As mention in my Barcelona post, I always use TripAdvisor to search for hotels.  TripAdvisor usually has a Top 10 Hotels or a city or region.  When you drill down into these hotels you begin to see names of towns.  Then this allows you to go search specifically in these towns for hotels

        Exploring the Options - One I find some areas and hotels, I go and Google them to find their website (if there is not a link on TripAdvisor) and see where they are located on the map.  Most sites have a button you can click for English or Google will translate for you.

        Making a Final Decision – I will have to admit most of my decision making is done based of gut feeling, my overall impression of the information provided on the site, and of course price.  I do read the reviews on TripAdvisor, but as I have said before I take these with a grain of salt.  Some people just like to complain or just would not be happy with anything or anywhere they stayed.

        Booking the Hotel - Once I decide on what hotel or BB I will stay at, I always book with that hotel directly.  Sometimes this does require multiple emails, because a lot of these smaller hotels don’t do online booking.  I feel more comfortable if there is an issue with the reservation, etc, I can deal directly with the hotel vs a middle man (ie: Expedia, Orbitz, etc).  I was even informed by hotel representative at a hotel I once stayed at, it always to book with the hotel.  Doing this they have more control in assisting you with your booking.

I narrowed my options to 3, and eventually decided that we would stop in Laguardia Rioja Spain.  Stay Tuned for my blog entries on our days in walled town of Laguardia.