Michelin Red Guide Espana/Portugal: Hotels-Restaurants

I am a professional chef who: loves Spain; specializes in modern Spanish cuisine; visits often; needs accurate professional information about restaurants and hotels. I buy this book every year. I also own many of Michelin's other guides. This is definitely the most accurate. Their Spanish reviewers are spot-on: if the book says it is good...it is good. Well, 90% of the time....which is all you can ask for. The accuracy of the book extends all the way from the least expensive restaurants, tapas bars, agroturismos and hotels to the most expensive. Michelin is a big organization...and moves slowly. Many of the tiny, up and coming places are missed....thank god. I don't want a bunch of tourists clogging up the good spots! Just kidding..... And....as for the other reviewer who was mad that the book was in Spanish.....Duh! The title is in Spanish, dummy! And, why are you going to Spain if you don't speak Spanish? There is an English section at the front to explain everything. The reviewer also complained that 80% of the book was about Spain. Well, Spain has by far the best, most modern, most advanced, most creative food in the world....along with the best ingredients. So....why are you going to Portugal?

This guide provides you a sensitive and up to date review on places and restaurants and hotels to stay with great pleasure when visiting Spain and Portugal

The Michelin guides are invaluable aids when traveling and this one is no exception. Written in Spanish (except for an introduction which explains the coding), it can be a little intimidating at first if you only speak English. Fortunately, once you get the hang of the symbols and color codes they use, you're off and running. The hotels printed in red ink are right on the money (very pleasant and absolutely cute as can be) and the maps are terrific. The only shortcoming is that you'll need another book guide to tell you about the history of the country, the museums and sites to see because this book doesn't cover it (or maybe I can't read it!). Used in conjunction with a Fodor's or Rick Stevens' book guide, you'll have everything you need. For the accuracy of what they provide, I'd give it 5 stars.

This compilation of hotels and restaurants is very useful and easy to use because of its use of accompanying maps, intuitive symbols for ammenities, and inclusion of prices. My main criticism is that, in this age of international travel and the internet, the book should include any available e-mail addresses and websites.

As a frequent business traveler, I have gotten to rely on the Michelin Guides for my dining choices. It has usually served me very well. However, I was a bit disappointed on my recent trip to Rome. I was thoroughly impressed with my dining experience at La Pergola Restaurant at the Cavalieri Hilton. Your guide rates this as one star. (possibly underrated). Using your same guide, I dined with several business colleagues at the Sans Souci Restaurant. My experience here was not comparable to my dining experience at La Pergola. (In fact, it was much less). Presentation, service, and quality were not on the same level. My business colleagues, who also dined with me at La Pergola, shared these views as well. In my opinion, either the rating on the Sans Souci should be decreased or the rating of La Pergola should be increased. I would suggest that you review both restaurants again and make the necessary adjustments to your next issue.