Barcelona Hotels - feedback needed

[jrj972]

We're planning on spending time in Barcelona pre-cruise, June 2012 and are researching the following hotels:

 

1. The Salles Hotel Ciutat del Prat
   
2. The Hotel FrontAir Congress
   
3. Hotel Amister Barcelona
   
4. The Urban Suites
   
5. Hotel Apsis Porta Marina
   

Has anyone stayed at these hotels? If so, please let me know if you would recommend the hotel(s) and what you liked/did not like about the hotel(s)... thanks so much!

 

Have a great day!

 

JJ

[6rugrats]

Suggest you go to tripadvisor.com and read the reviews for these hotels.

[riffatsea]

I agree that reading reviews on Trip Advisor and comparing them with Venere.com would be a good idea.

I have visited Barcelona several times so I can speak about locations although I cannot tell you about the specific hotels on your list.

The first 2 hotels are NOT in Barcelona so I'd cross them off the list. They are in the suburbs and not a really great place to stay unless you are at a convention that is meeting there.

The Amister is closest to the area in Barcelona where I usually stay. It has easy access to sites/restaurants etc.

The Urban Suites is closest to the Sants train station which people use to do day trips to Montserrat. It is also close to the area where the Magic Fountain show goes on at night. It is farther from the Gaudi sites and the old part of the city but if you use the metro and buses it is easy to get around.

The last hotel is closest to the port. I do not know that area as well as the others as it is farthest from my normal haunts.

IF you put each hotel into Google you can see the location on a map and you can use the SEARCH NEARBY function to see restaurants etc.

I hope you have a great visit! I love Barcelona!!!

[GlendaleCruiser]

I think I would look for a hotel more centrally located to Las Ramblas area. Doesn't have to be right on it. We stayed at Hotel 1898 but if you don't want to pay that much, there are nice hotels near Barri Gotic, like the Continental and several others. I would say check the maps on tripadvisor and stay within walking distance of the central area or at the very least, near a HOHO bus stop.

[bdoster]

We stayed 5 nights pre cruise in November 2008 at Hotel Regina right off Placa Catalyuna

 

The hotel was very nice, had a great b'fast included. The staff were great and it was very close to metro stations. A block off Las Ramblas

[letsgo39]

We stayed at the Hotel Continental Barcelona last June for 4 days before our cruise. There was about 40 other CC members on our roll call that also stayed there and it was fun to meet so many friends before the cruise.We had a balcony that over looked Las Ramblas for 120 euro per night.You can get an inside room for under 100 euro a night.This price included breakfast and a 24 hr buffet with free soda pop,beer and wine and ice cream.This hotel is located on th top of Las Ramblas right next to Playca Catalunya a perfect location.I loved this hotel even if it is a little eccentric.It just could not be in a better location. We booked this hotel directly thru their web site very early because it fills up fast with Cruise Critic people.

 

Eliminate Frontair Congress Hotel from your list. Although near the airport it is just to far out of Barcelona. We stayed there for 1 night post cruise because it was near the airport. There is absolutely nothing near it,not even restaurants. It does have a nice pool though. I would not stay there again because of the location.

[Traveling Library]

We liked the Hotel Regencia Colon. The 3 star sister to the Hotel Colon. Very near the cathedral and Gothic Quarter. Great location. We highly recommend.

[GlendaleCruiser]

Eliminate Frontair Congress Hotel from your list. Although near the airport it is just to far out of Barcelona. We stayed there for 1 night post cruise because it was near the airport. There is absolutely nothing near it,not even restaurants. It does have a nice pool though. I would not stay there again because of the location.

 

I cannot agree more. We were told that this hotel was close to the airport. Yes, but only as the crow flies and you cannot walk or drive across the runways to get there. Industrial area, we stayed there post cruise on a Sunday and nothing was open but McDonalds!:eek: There weren't even any other restaurants around to wish were open..............Cost us 40Euro to get there from the port after disembarking. We wanted to go back into Barcelona but didn't want to pay another 80 Euro for a round trip. We ended up finding a bus stop on a street behind the hotel and waited an hour for a bus to town. Ride took 30 minutes. Got off at a metro station and took it the rest of the way. If we hadn't met up with other cruisers who had ridden Metro pre-cruise we would have been lost or stuck at the hotel. Backtracked the way we came and waited 90 minutes for a return bus to the hotel.

 

Restaurant in the hotel just so-so. Beds were hard. Bathroom doors are clear glass. Only nice things I can say is that the staff was very nice and they gave us a free shuttle to the airport the next morning.

[Ashland]

After a lot of research on Trip Advisor and reading these boards we opted for Hotel 1898 for our upcoming post cruise Sept 3-5...

[Pushka]

We stayed at the Hotel Continental Barcelona last June for 4 days before our cruise. .

 

I see what you mean by quirky, their website is certainly that!

[hubofhockey]

We stayed 5 nights pre cruise in November 2008 at Hotel Regina right off Placa Catalyuna

 

The hotel was very nice, had a great b'fast included. The staff were great and it was very close to metro stations. A block off Las Ramblas

 

We stayed there earlier this month and the Regina was fine. It does not have a pool. It is good for families as they have rooms for four people and that's why we stayed there. Just a fifteen minute walk away, is the Silken Gran Havana, where we stayed last year and they had the advantage of the roof top pool. Many on these boards also love the Hotel Jazz. But they have jacked their prices up a bit from last summer. Good luck OP. Barcelona is a lot of fun and I would recommend staying in an are convenient to where you plan on spending your time.

[letsgo39]

I see what you mean by quirky, their website is certainly that!

 

 

Do you like the pink????:DThe hotel was spotlessly clean, 24 hr buffet really handy with a teenage boy always hungry and the people were very,very nice. It was really fun to sit on our balcony late at night and watch all the action on Las Ramblas! We had no trouble sleeping though as the balcony doors were soundproof when closed.

 

I've traveled to Europe a lot and this was a hotel I would definitely stay at again.I loved it.

[Hlitner]

We are wondering why the OP chose those particular hotels to research. One reason we like the Venere.com website is that you can pull-up hotels on a map and look at location. We think that in Barcelona (and in many other places) location is very important...and especially true if you do not have a car. Our personal favorite Barcelona hotel is the Hotel Colon, because of its near perfect location in the Gothic Quarter right across the street from the Cathedral (we recommend spending a few extra euros for a Cathedral view room). From that location you can easily walk to the Ramblas, explore the Gothic Quarter, and even walk all the way to Sagrada Familia (many would suggest using public transit or a taxi for this trek). Within a few minute walk from the Colon are literally hundreds of places for eating. There are quite a few other hotels, like the Colon, that are decent facilities in a great location without a ridiculous price.

 

Hank

[Barbie075]

If you are looking for a reasonably priced hotel near to the center of things, I would recommend the Hotel Barcelona Universal. It is neat, clean, good sized rooms and provided a good breakfast included in the price. You litterally walk out the door and are at the tube station (underground) which will take you to anywhere you want to go in just minutes. There have been some bad reviews in the past regarding the neighborhood, but I am not sure what they were talking about as we did not experience anything bad at all. In fact, most late afternoons we went just around the corner to a sidewalk cafe and sat for a drink. I am just thinking that those people must have walked some small side street over to Las Ramblas. We took the tram and were there in less than five minutes.

[jrj972]

Thanks so much everyone for the replies... had never heard of Venere dot com... LOVE their website... will check out the hotels mentioned {i.e. Barcelona Universal, 1898, Colon, Regina, etc.} we truly appreciate your feedback... have a great day!

 

JJ

[GlendaleCruiser]

After a lot of research on Trip Advisor and reading these boards we opted for Hotel 1898 for our upcoming post cruise Sept 3-5...

 

 

I hope you love it as much as we did. Elegant European modern. Right on Las Ramblas and we walked to everything. Great breakfast (but not cheap) on the roof. Beds were great and we slept very well. Free internet in the Business Center on level 2. Within steps to the market (fresh juice in the morning--turn right as you come out the front door).

 

I would definitely stay there if I return and I am thinking about it........:D

[SuiteTraveler]

I hope you love it as much as we did. Elegant European modern. Right on Las Ramblas and we walked to everything. Great breakfast (but not cheap) on the roof. Beds were great and we slept very well. Free internet in the Business Center on level 2. Within steps to the market (fresh juice in the morning--turn right as you come out the front door).

 

I would definitely stay there if I return and I am thinking about it........:D

 

Don't forget the FABULOUS grotto pool, dry sauna and steamroom in the basement (plus spa)! Starbucks less than 1/2 block away and even a great Chinese restaurant on the front of the building! I LOVE Hotel 1898! It's the BEST place to stay in Barcelona!

[compelled]

We have chosen Marina View B&B on Passeig Colom.

Has anyone stayed there? They got great reviews on TripAdvisor.

 

Thanks

[riffatsea]

Hotel 1898 is usually quite expensive! Glad some of you can afford to enjoy it!!:p

[GlendaleCruiser]

Don't forget the FABULOUS grotto pool, dry sauna and steamroom in the basement (plus spa)! Starbucks less than 1/2 block away and even a great Chinese restaurant on the front of the building! I LOVE Hotel 1898! It's the BEST place to stay in Barcelona!

 

 

How could I forget? What is not to love about 1898?

[GlendaleCruiser]

Hotel 1898 is usually quite expensive! Glad some of you can afford to enjoy it!!:p

 

 

Well, I don't go that often and it's only for 3 days. So I suppose I spent about $300 more than if I had stayed in a place that I wouldn't like.

 

On the flip side, I had an interior room (always) and saved about $1000 on the cabin during the 12-day.

[riffatsea]

Well, I don't go that often and it's only for 3 days. So I suppose I spent about $300 more than if I had stayed in a place that I wouldn't like.

 

On the flip side, I had an interior room (always) and saved about $1000 on the cabin during the 12-day.

 

Glad you had a great stay in Barcelona!:D

Everyone travels differently! For us it would be about $600 more than we'd spend on a hotel BUT DH won't stay in an interior room so only balconies for him! It all comes out to how you want to spend the money but in the end we are all quite LUCKY to have the option to choose!:p

[GlendaleCruiser]

Glad you had a great stay in Barcelona!:D

Everyone travels differently! For us it would be about $600 more than we'd spend on a hotel BUT DH won't stay in an interior room so only balconies for him! It all comes out to how you want to spend the money but in the end we are all quite LUCKY to have the option to choose!:p

 

 

Absolutely! I've had balconies, ocean views, and interiors and really like the interiors the best. I haven't had a grand suite, but..........feel very Blessed to be able to cruise as often as I have.