Barcelona hotel

[vanessa5076]

We booked Catalonia Rigoletto. A bit further out but has everything we need and in budget.

[ken_nyc]

I hope everyone has a great experience with the hotels that you booked! Enjoy your cruises!!

[JerseyBoy]

My wife and I stayed at this hotel pre-cruise a couple years ago and did not have any issues, it was perfect for a pre-cruise hotel. We did not have any issues with the location. You can read a review that I wrote on Tripadvisor about the hotel.

 

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g187497-d232778-Reviews-Hotel_Arc_La_Rambla-Barcelona_Catalonia.html

 

Good luck.

[GonnaGetaway]

Tagging onto this thread hoping to find some comments regarding the short list of hotels we've narrowed down to. If you've stayed at any of these hotels would love to hear your experience. Of course any other recommendations are more than welcome;

 

Grand Hotel Central

Hotel Bagues

1898 Hotel

Majestic

Jazz

Miramar

 

Thanks so much

[toseaornottosea]

Have stayed at the Majestic and will do so again soon. You can not go wrong. Service, quality of rooms, location. Exceptional!

[Cellagirl]

Tagging onto this thread hoping to find some comments regarding the short list of hotels we've narrowed down to. If you've stayed at any of these hotels would love to hear your experience. Of course any other recommendations are more than welcome;

 

Grand Hotel Central

Hotel Bagues

1898 Hotel

Majestic

Jazz

Miramar

 

Thanks so much

 

I have not stayed at these hotels but did review them and all looked very good.

Some were out of our budget for a family of six. We chose ARC LA RAMBLA. It meets all our needs and also gets good reviews.

Edited April 4, 2016 by Cellagirl
Wrong post info!!!

[Nightengale31]

We fly out today for Barcelona sailing on the NCL Epic on 4/7. After reading many Trip Advisor reviews we went with Hotel DO Placa Reial. It is a small boutique hotel off Las Ramblas.

[Clarea]

Tagging onto this thread hoping to find some comments regarding the short list of hotels we've narrowed down to. If you've stayed at any of these hotels would love to hear your experience. Of course any other recommendations are more than welcome;

 

Grand Hotel Central

Hotel Bagues

1898 Hotel

Majestic

Jazz

Miramar

 

Thanks so much

Have stayed at the Jazz twice and found it an excellent hotel, clean, with very helpful staff. Convenient location to metro, Playa Catalunya, Las Ramblas, and Aerobus stops. I would dearly love to stay there again this fall, but the prices are double what I paid last year.

[Riknpat]

Prices in Barcelona seem quite high this year for some reason. I have stayed, over the years at Arc la Rambla, Soho, Oriente Antiram (formerly HUSA), NH Centro and Hesperia Ramblas. |

 

All were fine and the neighbourhood only slightly "sketchy" very late on a weekend night.

 

That said, this year they are all about twice what I paid last year and the two before. I wonder what's up,

[abo]

We've stayed pre-cruise in the Jazz. Last time was last July and we'll be there again this summer prior to our Harmony cruise. Good hotel, comfortable and good service and a nice roof top bar to chill out at after a day out seeing the city. Others have seen a price rise this year, but we're paying almost exactly the same as last year at a similar time of year.

[Clarea]

We've stayed pre-cruise in the Jazz. Last time was last July and we'll be there again this summer prior to our Harmony cruise. Good hotel, comfortable and good service and a nice roof top bar to chill out at after a day out seeing the city. Others have seen a price rise this year, but we're paying almost exactly the same as last year at a similar time of year.

The timing may be my problem. We are about two weeks earlier in October than last year, and apparently that is significant.

[pris993]

taxis are easy and reasonable in Barcelona. We have been there about 5 times... have stayed at the airport - at the two Hiltons and the ARTs Hotel... we actually look for a good hotel with a good rate and go with it.

 

Going again in 2017, will check out hotels we have stayed in past and or look for another option for a good rate.

 

Easy to get to the port or ariport via taxi.

[abo]

The timing may be my problem. We are about two weeks earlier in October than last year, and apparently that is significant.

 

Yes, that's the time of year the rates usually flip from season to off-season, so a going couple of weeks earlier can make a large difference.

[Clarea]

Yes, that's the time of year the rates usually flip from season to off-season, so a going couple of weeks earlier can make a large difference.

Thanks, just my luck.:rolleyes:

[GonnaGetaway]

Thanks everyone for the input thus far. I started the hotel search about 3 weeks ago and am also noticing the prices have jumped in that little time, yikes!

 

Our cruise is at the end of July so I really need to nail this down. I soooo wish Celebrity or Choice Air were better at this because it has been extremely difficult trying to find posts and piece together decent hotel options. Looking for and finding the quality of hotel that we might be used to in the US can be challenging.

 

That said!, thank you Nightengal for mentioning the DO because it was on the list and I forgot to list it :o) Would love to hear what you think so far. Also thank you Abo and Clarea for confirming the Jazz is a great choice and toseaornottosea for giving a big thumbs up for the Majestic.

 

Riknpat I wonder what you mean by "a little sketchy" LOL If the hotel is nice and has good service, maybe we just take a taxi in and out? Oh and Pris, thanks for bringing up staying close to the airport. An option we hadn't considered because we had "heard" Los Ramblas (sp) was the place we wanted to be, but now I'm thinking/wondering perhaps we want to move further out from there for not only pricing but less congestion?

 

Can you tell we're first timers to Barcelona! :o) I am so hoping we can find that perfect hotel with the incredible view and canal access to everything at a reasonable price. Is that so much to ask!

 

Thanks again everyone and please keep 'em comin' if you got 'em.

[vanessa5076]

Hi GonnaGetaway.

 

For our pre-cruise stay we are in the airport hotel as this offered a package with breakfast and a transport to the cruise terminal.

 

We have then changed to the H10 Itaca as a friend has stayes there and loved it!

[Riknpat]

Late at night (1 am and later) around the Ramblas you will find prostitutes, pimps and the other assorted riff raff you find in big cities. In a group - no real problem. Lady alone? Take a cab if you are out very late.

A few points. The subway (underground, tube, metro) is good reliable and cheap. Use it. Cabs all look alike (yellow and a sort of brown livery) and are plentiful, clean and reliable. No problem there.

Placa Calalunya is the center of town, with fountains and the main department store El Corte Inglese. Down to the Port runs the Ramblas. To the left facing the port is the Bari Gotic, the oldest district with winding narrow streets many of which are pedestrian only. Lots of interesting hotels here but no views (except the Colon with its fabulous view of the medieval Cathedral) and, for some (not me), a slightly claustrophobic feeling. Also be aware that the ancient sewer system can be a bit stinky from time to time. To the right is an old part of town with many good hotels and straighter streets. Some call this neighbourhood sketchy but I have never had a problem. There are many hotels on the Ramblas itself which are very convenient but can be noisy late into the night if you are a light sleeper. Right at Placa Catalunya is the Hotel Soho which I liked. Above Placa Catalunya runs the Pasieg de Gracia which is the 5th Avenue of Barcelona. The area is known as the Eixample (x is pronounced sh in Catalan). Many good hotels are located here and there is a grid of city blocks in perfect squares with trees, good architecture and relative quiet. Many streets get very quiet at night and can be a little dark and spooky but not dangerous. No views unless your hotel has a roof garden or pool. Lots of upscale shopping if that's your thing.

If a view is paramount you might consider the Gran Hotel de Torre Catalunya a high-rise right beside the main train station Sants with cabs galore and several subway lines. Great views from many rooms and superb ones from the (expensive) rooftop breakfast room.

Reserve your visit to Sagrada Familia in advance on the internet or book a tour. The line ups are idiotic.

 

(If I have my own druthers I stay at the Hesperia Ramblas and have breakfast at the main market (fabulous) next door. But is was all booked this May so I am elsewhere.

 

Have fun!!!

[laurie1534]

We are staying in Barcelona post cruise in October. We are booked on an 8 hour tour and then being returned to an AIR BNB near the airport. We have a flight out the next day. Is there much by the airport? I agree you can go crazy trying to figure out where to stay in Barcelona. Is that a safe area to walk at night?

[pris993]

We are staying in Barcelona post cruise in October. We are booked on an 8 hour tour and then being returned to an AIR BNB near the airport. We have a flight out the next day. Is there much by the airport? I agree you can go crazy trying to figure out where to stay in Barcelona. Is that a safe area to walk at night?

 

Not much at the airport... a few hotels, have stayed their a couple of times. There is a airport bus that makes it easy to get to the city center, but location of the bus stop at the airport is not very convenient... long walk.

 

Given this, I am considering staying at a hotel near the conference center, which is at the far eastern side of the city. I have stay in this area in the past at the Hilton, which is expensive. Looking this am there are a lot of business hotels in the area for a lot less than the Hilton. Nice clean, new area of Barcelona... street car line runs across town for sure, may be other transportation options too. Not sure besides taxis. citysniderscon

[Frncie]

I wish I had discovered this thread sooner! We will be one night post-cruise in Barcelona in early June. These are the hotels on our short list:

 

Colón Hotel

Mercer Hotel

Hotel Neri

Cotton House Hotel

(and a few others)

 

Some are pricier than others and we'd only consider if there were a sudden sale. :)

 

We are interested in history, tapas, a quiet neighborhood, and we are not interested in shopping.

 

Any thoughts?

[Riknpat]

Only know the Colon. Maybe a little formal, maybe a little dated but everything is very nice, the rooms are bigger than average, the staff are friendly and professional and it has the best location in my opinion in all of Barcelona right on Cathedral Square facing the cathedral. Only stayed there once cause its usually outside my budget, But it does go on sale from time to time and if you get a good price I think you would be happy. Downside? If hip, cool and up to the minute is your thing, this ain't it.

[Bobal]

We stayed in Colon last October and wouldn't stay there again. I would describe the hotel as style over substance. We had a very warm day with sun shining directly into our room making it very hot, but the aircon wasn't working. When we asked at reception they said that the aircon was turned off at the start of October and couldn't be turned back on - and told us to open a window. (A shrug and a couldn't care less attitude). Since there was a food festival directly outside (noise and food smells) and a number of smokers taking advantage of their balcony-style windows just below us this wasn't an option so we had to tolerate it.

 

This is probably the 5th or 6th hotel I've stayed in in Barcelona and there are plenty of other options at a similar price so this one is off my list.

[Frncie]

Thanks for your responses. I certainly sympathize with hot weather in Spain. We took a land trip of southern Spain last May, and there was not a day below 80 degrees. It was 106 the day we were in Seville. :eek: I hope we won't face that in June.

 

I am still leaning towards the Colon, mainly because the location seems extraordinary. Even though . . .

 

Downside? If hip, cool and up to the minute is your thing, this ain't it.

 

That's OK. We haven't been hip, cool or up to the minute since 1969.

[samavarcruiser]

"Hotel The Serras"

You won't go wrong and have fun cruising :)

[Cruising Mama50]

Can someone give me a honest opinion of this hotel. 2 nights pre-cruise. Have been to Barcelona before staying at the Hotel Barcelona Center (I think) in the Exiample District. Loved it but wanted to get a little closer to the port and the Las Ramblas area.