Hotel reservations - Immigration at EU

I once took a flight from St. Petersburg Russia to Amsterdam, and when the flight landed Dutch Immigration officers boarded the plane and wouldn't let anyone off unless they could show proof of hotel reservations. So I suppose it could happen. If I were in your shoes I would make sure you write down the name, address, and phone numbers of the friends you will be staying with. If the officials have any concerns they call em up and verify everything.

I have read on a schengen site that they will accept letters from friends you plan to stay with as long as there is a letter from the friend plus proof of the friend's ability to support you (income tax returns, payroll stubs). why dont you contact theSpanish consulate and get the real answer

No, I have never had a problem when I have had hotel reservations, but I have never been asked to provide this information either. An airline website I just used recently had fields on the page where one supplies a passport number that could be used to supply the contact information for the first night's stay, but the fields weren't required. I determined it didn't apply to my situation, and I skipped it. You don't mention where you're going, only that you'll be in the EU and not in Spain. There are something like 27 EU countries, some non-EU countries in Europe, some Schengen countries, and a smaller number of Schengen countries who have adopted the common border policies. If you're from Uruguay, your situation in the Schengen area should be just like ours from the USA. Still, my recommendation would be to check with a consulate(s) for the countries you're visiting to ensure you get correct information.

In theory, if you are staying at a friend's house during your stay you need to bring with you an official certificate delivered by your friend's town's local authorities stating that he agrees to host you during your stay and certifying that he has enough means to do it. i.e he earns enough money to sustain you if you loose all your money and has a big enough house/appartment with minimal comfort. One point to consider is that this certificate is not delivered for free. For example in France it costs 30 euros per person.
Having said that, many people are not even aware that this rule exists and don't have any problem getting into the Shengen area. Of course if the Immigration officer start asking questions, it may become a problem not to have that certificate and I indeed heard that the spanish Immigration authorities are a tougher that average with South Americans.

Well that is the reason why im not going to spain :)
Still all you guys that have been to europe before, you went there with hotel reservations? did any of you had problems in immigrations because of this? Thanks!

None of this should be construed as legal advice. If you look like a middle class/middle aged person with enough money to see you through the next few weeks, you'll probably get through immigration without a second glance. If you look young, scruffy, hungry, and poor, you will get more attention. More attention if you have a one way ticket. Even more if you stammer about where you're staying.

Personally, it seems like I've had extra scrutiny/additional hassle only when returning to the U.S. from abroad and not the other way around: "Is this your photo in your passport" (no it's fake because I'm up to no good & I knew you wouldn't notice), "What's your country of residence" (umm...the U.S. just like it says in the passport you're examining), "Remove your sunglasses", "What's your address", "You were in Europe for three weeks and don't have any luggage" (well, the backpack seemed to work okay, and I am a hash smuggler after all). I know these people are just doing their jobs, but can't they ask a few questions that actually make sense? Maybe it's the younger, unshaven appearance like Karen suggested...who knows (although I never look poor...quite the contrary)? It doesn't matter if I'm flying back in or driving back across the border, I always feel like I've been doing something wrong and am about to get caught as I approach the immigration officials. I wonder if anyone else feels this way. I did have an irregularity going into Canada north of Seattle once and spent much more time than I had wanted to talking to their customs people about taxes (business), and I didn't get stamped in at ZRH once, which caused a few questions when I left...no big deal compared to the interrogation I often receive in my own country. :)

I travel overseas a lot and have a lot of funky visas stamped in my passport, and I don't get much of any hassle reentering the US at Newark airport. Even places like China, Russia, and Israel have just given my passport a quick glance/stamp. The one and only country that always gives me a hassle is always Canada! For the last eight years I've been attending the Toronto Film Festival, I take a commuter flight via Albany to Pearson International. Without exception the Immigration officer grills me about my job, how much money I make, proof of hotel reservations...even the exact titles of the movies I will be seeing! It completely drives me nuts, and I find it humiliating. By the way they act you'd think I as a refugee of a third-world nation half-way around the world. I mean New York and Ontario border each other! This will surprise some, but the friendliest Immigration officers I've encountered are Chinese, at Beijing Airport. After they hand you back your passport, you press a yes/no button on the booth asking if he/she was courteous:) The best setup is at the new terminal at the Mexico City Airport. Instead of formalities being done at the typical imposing booth. They have a large bank of office style desks setup whereby passengers have a seat while you have a short pleasant conversation with the immigration folks...very civilized.

Maybe it is Canada. I had a friend who was doing his master's here in Israel - years ago. Every time he went back to Canada for a visit, he stopped shaving for several days to look really scruffy to shock his parents. He said he knew it would mean hassles at customs/passport control but it was worth it for the look on his mother's face.

OK, it is hard for any of us, not being South American, to say for sure what would happen in your case. I have never been asked for housing information when arriving in Europe (even in Spain), but I am from the US. Only in China did I have to list the hotel where I would be staying, and the tour company under whose auspices I would be traveling. That doesn't mean they won't ask you.