I should start by saying that we are loving Spain. The people have been friendly, scenery stunning, weather largely brilliant, food excellent! However, there is one thing which we have noticed which has been at times frustrating, at other times farcical and sometimes downright annoying. This is the seeming Spanish penchant for overly burdensome bureaucracy. Why bother with one process, when you can have two, three or better four!

Here are a few examples…..

We pay for most bills (hotels / restaurants) with a credit card, meaning we get a receipt from the card machine. Yet hoteliers, in particular, insist on giving a separate, A4 sized, printed bill. Sometimes in an envelope. Think of the trees guys, is this really necessary?!

Another farcical experience was at the Parador de Cardona. Beck wanted to use the gym. This had to be pre-booked, in itself, not a problem. She booked a time with reception and returned at the allotted hour to pick up the key card. However, the first receptionist had obviously not recorded the booking. The new receptionist picked up a sheet with hourly gym slots laid out, all completely blank, with not one booking. She said, “sorry, I don’t seem to have your booking”, intimating that this would mean no access to the gym could be granted, despite no-one else using it all day long! It took further negotiation to gain access there and then!

Finally, in Mojacar, we decided to eat in the hotel restaurant as, on checking in, we had been given a leaflet offering us 15% discount. We showed this at the end of the meal (admittedly we probably should have led with this) only to be told that to get the discount we should have taken the leaflet to reception in advance of the meal, picked up a stamped voucher from reception, and taken that to the restaurant. The leaflet itself was worthless. Yet nothing of this convoluted process was explained on the leaflet, or on checking in, we were just expected to psychically know to do this!

Having written this, I wonder if it’s simply the Paradores that are guilty of this excessive bureaucracy, being a government owned and operated chain. We shall have to explore further….