TripAdvisor on trial: Vejer de la Frontera

By Mason Jones

SITTING neatly between the sierras and the sea, a labyrinth of cobbled streets and narrow winding roads make up the hilltop town of Vejer de la Frontera.

The Cadiz town also boasts a variety of highly praised hotels and restaurants – one of the most stylish and original collections in Andalucia – many of which feature on TripAdvisor.

But there are sadly many discrepancies, such as popular stalwart El Jardin del Califa not making TripAdvisor’s Top Five, despite our professionals raving about it.

It also has more reviews than any other restaurant in the town and 82% of visitors recommending it as a great place to dine.

Thankfully owner James Stuart does not take the site as gospel, but merely as a way to address any issues customers may have.

“I don’t measure my success by looking at criticism posted on TripAdvisor, I look around the restaurant which is full every night.

“Indeed, at the moment we are fully booked almost two weeks in advance. We must be doing something right!”

But the website has certainly got something right… its number one restaurant Patria, most certainly deserves to be there.

“It deserves to be number one, not only in Vejer but for the whole area,” insists fellow hotelier Gary Biston.

It has grown increasingly popular in the six years it has been open – something owner Ase partly puts down to TripAdvisor: “We’re in the middle of nowhere so TripAdvisor really helps tell people we work hard,” she said.

But, as for our second choice La Castilleria – raved about by all our critics – it inexplicably comes in number 10 on TripAdvisor.

As one specialist, who asked to be anonymous, explains: “This is a true secret. An amazing place that has got better and better each year.”

And as Biston adds: “It’s problem is that it is full of traditional old Spanish money and discerning diners. They don’t use computers, they have staff that use computers for them.

“They recommend it by word-of-mouth to the people who went to public school together.”

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According to TripAdvisor

5 Top Restaurants in Vejer:
1. Restaurante Patria
2. La Vera Cruz
3. La Terraza de Sindhura
4. La Nueva Tajea
5. Quatro Gatos

5 Top Hotels in Vejer:
1. Hotel Sindhura
2. Hotel La Casa del Califa Hotel
3. Hotel El Palomar de la Brena
4. Hotel Convento de San Francisco
5. Casa Rural Leonor

According to the Olive Press

5 Top Restaurants in Vejer:
1. Restaurante Patria
2. Castilleria
3. El Jardin del Califa
4. La Terraza de Sindhura
5. Vera Cruz/Garimba

5 Top Hotels in Vejer:
1. Hotel La Casa del Califa Hotel
2. Hotel Sindhura
3. Hotel El Palomar de la Brena
4. Casa la Siesta
5. Hotel V

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