Keytel International- Welcome to our blog!

♥ Looking for a special Valentine's treat? ♥

2012-02-08T03:46:00.000-08:00

Why not treat a loved one to a night or two in a beautiful Parador, Pousada or Chateau? Guaranteed to make it an unforgettable Valentine's day; romantic settings, stunning properties and delicious cuisine. Please contact us for availability and any special Valentine's promotions that may apply.

Warming Winter Treats

2011-12-09T02:46:00.001-08:00

Not a fan of the cold weather? The Canary Islands are still lucky enough to be having some really pleasant weather right now and we are all incredibly jealous!
If you fancy a little December getaway to warm you up a bit, why not take a look at one of the Paradors such as Canadas del Teide in Tenerife or maybe Cruz de Tejeda in Gran Canaria?
We are certainly dreaming about it here in the office!

Looking for something special for New Years Eve?

2011-11-30T05:43:00.000-08:00

Why not see in the new year at a beautiful Parador and enjoy all the festive fun in a stunning cultural setting? Guaranteed to be one to remember! Check out our website for more details- http://www.keytel.co.uk/index.php?module=custom_offer-view&id=134

Luxury Travel Fair and WTM

2011-11-11T05:07:00.000-08:00

We've had a very busy couple of weeks here at Keytel! We were at the Luxury Travel Fair last week and World Travel Market this week and we met some lovely people. It's always great to meet new people interested in the Paradors and also to have a chat with some of our existing clients. We love to hear about people's trips to any of the properties and get feedback- so please feel free to drop us a call or email anytime you wish to let us know how your trip went.

Crema Catalana

2011-10-18T08:18:00.000-07:00

Crema Catalana

2011-10-18T08:15:00.000-07:00

Catalan Custard or ‘Crema Catalana’ is a similar dessert dish to Crème Brûlée. An alternative name for it is 'Crema de Sant Josep' as it was traditionally prepared on Saint Joseph’s Day on March 19^th.
We have found this great recipe from Spain.info, why not give it a try?

Ingredients

Ingredients for 4 people: 1l of milk 8 egg yolks 200g of sugar 45g of starch 10g of sugar for burning the grated rind of half a lemon

Preparation

Separate the yolks from the whites. Put the yolks in an earthenware dish. Grate the peel of half a lemon, put everything in the mixer, add a pinch of salt and the litre of milk. Put it on a low heat, stirring continuously with a wooden spatula.

Presentation

Once it has solidified, pour the mixture into small, individual earthenware dishes, dust with icing sugar and burn the surface with a red hot iron until it caramelises.

3-9 October Alentejo Mediterranean Gastronomy Festival

2011-09-30T03:42:00.000-07:00

We wanted to blog about this fantastic festival that will be taking place next week in Beja, showcasing the delicious flavours of the Alentejo region of Portugal. Mediterranean cuisine is known for its health benefits and this festival is the perfect place to sample some fantastic traditional recipes; it gives you the opportunity to be part of true Portuguese culture and tradition. Yum!

Pousada de Alcácer do Sal

2011-09-27T04:39:00.000-07:00

This beautiful Pousada is situated 90km south east of Lisbon and is situated in the thousand year old historical castle of Alcácer. This hotel is full of luxury as it continues to display many of its original features, mixed together with more modern elements. The Pousada overlooks the river Sado and is in a stunning location, full of history and culture.

Exclusive gourmet deals in France and Italy

2011-09-21T04:26:00.000-07:00

The Châteaux & Hôtels Collection are currently celebrating local gastronomy in France and Italy, by offering some fantastic deals on their Boutique hotels and restaurants. The gourmet stays package includes a 1 night stay, breakfast and gourmet dinner for 2. For more information please visit our website to check availability at a range of Châteaux & Hotels; http://www.keytel.co.uk/chateaux_hotels_france.html

You can now book Paradors online!

2011-09-16T02:59:00.000-07:00

We are pleased to inform you that we have now launched our brand new booking engine on our website. So you can now book Paradors quickly and easily via our website; http://www.keytel.co.uk/
Feel free to call us here at the office if you need any assistance or have any queries; our aim is to make the booking process as simple and straightforward as possible.

La Tomatina!

2011-08-31T08:07:00.001-07:00

La Tomatina!

2011-08-31T08:06:00.000-07:00

Dating back to 1945, La Tomatina is held on the last Wednesday of August every year in Buñol, Valencia. This infamous tradition consists of huge crowds gathering together, hurling tomatoes at each other! The battle takes place in the Town Square as truckloads of tomatoes are brought in. Interestingly, this festival was banned under the rule of Franco however immediately returned in the 1970’s after his demise. It is undoubtedly one of the messiest and greatest food fights that continues to be popular year after year!

Did you know that the Reims Cathedral is celebrating its 800th anniversary?

2011-08-25T03:06:00.000-07:00

This year marks the 800th anniversary of the Notre-Dame de Reims Cathedral in France and to celebrate, the city is holding several months of festivities from April to October. In 1991 the building was declared an UNESCO world heritage site; it is such a symbolic historical monument due to its stunning and incredibly impressive architecture. The Cathedral was constructed in the 13th Century, and is continually considered to be a Gothic style masterpiece, famous for the crowning of the previous Kings and a great tourist attraction.

Parador de Málaga Gibralfaro

2011-08-19T06:48:00.000-07:00

Feria de Málaga

2011-08-19T03:22:00.000-07:00

The Málaga fair is currently taking place in the Plaza de Toros "La Malagueta" in the heart of the city. This popular event marks the anniversary of the city’s capture by the Catholic monarchs in August 1947; this date is particularly important as from this point on, Málaga remained under Spanish rule. The festivities are taking place between the 12^th and the 21^st of August and is a great celebration with a variety of entertainment. They have different performances and concerts taking place throughout the week, along with the infamous Spanish tradition- bullfighting.

Paradors vs Pousadas

2011-08-17T09:09:00.000-07:00

People often ask us: which do we prefer, Paradors or Pousadas? As we continue to be undecided, we thought we would share our views with you through our new blog.
So, similar in concept; beautifully converted historical buildings (although some modern!), set in fantastic locations. Although this doesn’t apply to them all of course, the Pousadas are generally a little smaller and more intimate than the Paradors, so really it depends what you are looking for. Some of us would be more inclined to book one over the other because we prefer either Spain or Portugal however here at Keytel we find it difficult to choose between them. The main reason for this has to be that there is such variety within both the Parador and the Pousada hotel groups, there really is something for everyone. Whether you are looking for a modern property by the sea, or a beautiful converted castle in a peaceful location more inland, there will be something to suit your needs. Although the styles, settings and towns are all different from one another, this is what makes each Parador and Pousada unique.
It would seem at the end of the day it comes down to the culture of the country and our subjective opinions of it. The food, the people, the atmosphere; we each view them in a different way. Do you prefer the outgoing, buzzing atmosphere of Spain or the more understated laid-back lifestyle of the Portuguese?

Tweet tweet!

2011-08-16T09:06:00.000-07:00

Why not follow us on Twitter; Keeping you up to date with all the latest news from Keytel as it happens. Please click here if you are interested http://twitter.com/#!/Keytel_Int

Festival do Marisco

2011-08-10T06:50:00.000-07:00

Held between the 10th and the 15th August at the Jardim do Pescador Olhanense, this festival is one of the most important gastronomic events which takes place in the Algarve. Over the 5 day period people can sample fresh fish dishes whilst also enjoying the local entertainment such as folk dancing. It is the perfect opportunity for tourists to experience some fantastic flavours and typical cuisine of the area. A seafood lovers heaven!

Fancy receiving up to date info from Keytel?

2011-08-04T08:47:00.000-07:00

Why not subscribe to our newsletter for all the latest news, updates and special offers? It's simple, all you have to do is enter your email address on this page: http://www.keytel.co.uk/subscribe-newsletter.html

Fantastic offers on Keytel hotels!

2011-08-03T04:27:00.000-07:00

You may not know, but Keytel International is also the central reservations agent for Keytel SA with offices in Barcelona and Madrid and we can book over 1600 hotels in the major cities throughout Europe. They currently have some fantastic deals on hotels in Spain throughout August, so why not take advantage of these offers with prices starting from €60... Interested? Please follow this link to our website for more information: http://www.keytel.co.uk/hotels_special_offers.html

Château de l'Aubrière

2011-07-29T06:56:00.000-07:00

Beautiful Château located in the Tourine area, only 6km from Tours.

Paris Plages beach festival 2011

2011-07-28T07:51:00.000-07:00

Whilst feeling in a summery mood, we thought we’d have a look to see what summertime events are currently taking place elsewhere. We think the Paris Plages beach festival is definitely one to mention; taking place from 21^st July to 21^st August, the banks of the river Seine and the lakeside at la Villette are transformed into a beach resort complete with sand, deckchairs, watersports and various types of entertainment. We think it is a fantastic idea as it gets everyone in the holiday mood! The perfect place to relax and have fun…

Patatas Bravas recipe from 'Rick Stein's Spain'

2011-07-27T03:48:00.000-07:00

Following yesterday's blog, we would like to share Rick Stein's recipe for Patatas Bravas as we think it looks delicious!
Patatas bravas as they should be: crisp, olive oil-fried potatoes topped with a tomato sauce, well-flavoured with hot pimentón and sharpened with a little vinegar.

For the salsa brava:

3 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp pimentón picante (smoked hot Spanish paprika), plus extra for serving
½ tsp crushed dried chilli flakes
½ tsp Tabasco sauce
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
125ml/4fl oz tomato sauce (see Top recipe tip below)

For the potatoes:

1.5kg/3lb 5oz floury potatoes, such as Maris Piper or King Edwards, peeled
180ml/6fl oz olive oil, for shallow frying
salt

Preparation method

For the salsa brava, heat the olive oil over a low heat, add the pimentón, chilli flakes, Tabasco and vinegar and mix together well. Stir in the tomato sauce and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper (thin the mixture with a little water if necessary).
Cut the potatoes into small, even-sized pieces. Drop into a large pan of well-salted water and cook for 6-7 minutes, or until just tender. Drain well.
Heat the olive oil in two large, non-stick frying pans, divide the potatoes between them and shallow-fry in a single layer for 10–12 minutes, turning them regularly, until crisp, golden-brown all over and sandy in texture.
Spoon the potatoes into one large or small individual serving plates, drizzle over the sauce, sprinkle with a pinch of pimentón and serve with some toothpicks and napkins.

Rick Stein's Spain!

2011-07-26T04:23:00.000-07:00

We would really like to share our enthusiasm about Rick Stein's current programme 'Rick Stein's Spain'. The series follows him on a culinary journey around Spain, whilst meeting locals and sampling cuisine of the area. It is great to see him exploring true Spain and sharing his experiences of fantastic traditional recipes. Each programme focuses on different regions, demonstrating the wide variety of produce available and the passion that goes into their cooking. In episode 2, he even travelled to Tudela, Navarra, where I spent my year abroad during university!

Rain rain go away!

2011-05-26T09:04:00.000-07:00

What is going on with the weather today?! We are not happy about this! We are currently daydreaming of the lovely sunshine and beaches in southern Spain........ Wouldn't it be great to be able to click your fingers and be instantly transported there.

Guess what's back?.....

2011-05-25T08:38:00.000-07:00

We're so happy that we can once again offer our clients the fantastic Early Booking Offer! We think they have some incredibly good deals, however it is non-amendable and non-refundable so please bear that in mind if you're interested. Why not take advantage of this offer whilst its here.... we doubt it'll be available for long!!! http://www.keytel.co.uk/index.php?module=custom_offer-view&id=99

Parador de Cáceres

2011-05-20T06:25:00.000-07:00

We are so pleased to announce that the Parador de Cáceres is now open after two years of extensive refurbishment! We are really impressed at how Cáceres has turned out, from the pictures we have seen it looks like some incredible work has been done to improve the standards of this already beautiful Parador. We can't wait to go and visit!

2011-05-20T05:41:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Keytel International's first blog! We are really excited to keep everyone up to date with all the latest news from the Paradors, Pousadas and Chateaux as well as our own personal views and insights. We hope you enjoy reading, please do not hesitate to contact us info@keytel.co.uk if you have any queries.....

Keytel International- Welcome to our blog!

♥ Looking for a special Valentine's treat? ♥

Warming Winter Treats

Looking for something special for New Years Eve?

Luxury Travel Fair and WTM

Crema Catalana

Crema Catalana

3-9 October *Alentejo Mediterranean Gastronomy Festival*

Pousada de Alcácer do Sal

Exclusive gourmet deals in France and Italy

You can now book Paradors online!

La Tomatina!

La Tomatina!

Did you know that the Reims Cathedral is celebrating its 800th anniversary?

Parador de Málaga Gibralfaro

Feria de Málaga

Paradors vs Pousadas

Tweet tweet!

Festival do Marisco

Fancy receiving up to date info from Keytel?

Fantastic offers on Keytel hotels!

Château de l'Aubrière

Paris Plages beach festival 2011

Patatas Bravas recipe from 'Rick Stein's Spain'

Preparation method

Rick Stein's Spain!

Rain rain go away!

Guess what's back?.....

Parador de Cáceres

3-9 October Alentejo Mediterranean Gastronomy Festival