Barcelona Hotel Recommendation

[Mark.]

Hoping to book a short break to Barcelona for the end of the month, lots of the hotels that come up on websites seem to be out of town, so throwing it open to the floor for your tips.
Looking for 4/5* preferably, near the centre.

[Podie]

Hotel Duquesa, at the harbour.



ETA - www.hduquesadecardona.com/

Edited by Podie on Friday 7th October 11:15

[Big Al.]

Can't help with hotels but apartments got a good link for those.

[SHutchinson]

http://www.booking.com/hotel/es/granados-83.en.htm...

[MG511]

Stayed here a couple of years ago, very central, just off Las Ramblas. Has a swimming pool on the roof and the USA basketball team stayed there during the Barcelona Olympics! http://barcelona.guide-to-hotels.com/ambassador-ho...

[Mark.]

Thanks chaps - keep 'em coming.

Al, knock over that link mate - I remember you mentioning it before

[Mosman]

When I'm in Barcelona the company always puts me up at the Gallery Hotel, good location right off Las Ramblas.

http://www.galleryhotel.com/en

[fulham911club]

Arts Hotel

[Dibs]

Stayed here before Barcelona Universal

Great location and a nice hotel.

Dibs

[Original Poster]

Hesperia Tower.

[SeeFive]

Hilton Diagonal is down past the olympic village (1-2 miles along the beach from the marina) but there is a tube just across the road to take you wherever you want to go.

ETA Linky
http://www1.hilton.com/en_US/hi/hotel/BCNDMHI-Hilt...

[The jiffle king]

I live in BCN, so am not used to staying in the hotels, but I do know the following work ok:

Arts hotel - already mentioned and very good - not sure on pricing, but sure to be high
Gran Torre Catalunya - right by Sants station, so cheap to get from the airport and easy to move around, 300m from Placa España and Mont Juic

I can´t comment on the others, but if you go back a few months, you´ll see a couple of times I´ve written what to do in BCN, some of which is a little off the beaten track

[arfur]

Hotel 1898 about 2 mins from the market is very nice ... the suites have rooftop patios and some have a private plunge pool. The hotel also has two pools, one spa pool underground and a rooftop one ... great spot as well

cheers

[Mark.]

Some more good calls there, cheers chaps.

Jiffle King, thanks for the insider info. Was thinking of getting a hire car to pick up at the airport - any reason I shouldn't? It works out cheaper if I use the right company than taxi/transfer for 3 of us.

[Big Al.]

Mark. said:

Al, knock over that link mate - I remember you mentioning it before

http://www.feelbarcelona.com/en/property/ramblas-gaudi-1.html

Plug in your dates lots of apartments on the site.

The link given is the place we stayed in.

[psychoR1]

If hiring a car check cost of hotel parking.

[BliarOut]

Consider staying in Barcelonetta, it's far nicer than Las Ramblas (IMO) and only ten minutes walk from the buzz plus you're on the beach

[davepoth]

http://www.pensionsanramon.com/

Not this one. It has a sign on the door reminding guests not to bring in the prostitutes that use the kerb in front of the hotel as their patch. Made for an excellent stag do though.

[The Leaper]

Wife and I stayed at the Hotel MonteCarlo for 5 days in March 2011. We found it ideally located, good room, reasonably priced. Have a look, it may suit you.

R.

[The jiffle king]

Mark. said:

Some more good calls there, cheers chaps.

Jiffle King, thanks for the insider info. Was thinking of getting a hire car to pick up at the airport - any reason I shouldn't? It works out cheaper if I use the right company than taxi/transfer for 3 of us.

Unless you are going outside of Barcelona a lot, then I don't see any point in a hire car. It's less than €30 in a taxi to any area where there is a hotel and getting the train is quite easy if you land at T2 (easyjet)and you can buy a 10 journey ticket for €8 which all of you can use (pass it backwards) It's also quite expensive to park in BCN (€25 a day) and the metro is so cheap and good that I would not get one.
2 places to keep your valuables safe... metro's/trains and Las Ramblas. There are countless tales of people having a wallet/purse taken, watch out for women with a jumper over their arm and a bag underneath it (on the metro and at the airport) and no wallets in back pockets.. and when in a restaurant, hook your bag onto you or the table (I sound paranoid, but they target English drunk people and it's just sensible)
City is cracking though, eat away from Las Ramblas which is pricey and lower quality.
Most of BCN is free, but the Gaudi parts are not and seem quite expensive. Sagrada - go early or face long queues, Casa Mila (la pedrera) is better than Batillo but the gems are Mont Juic and the castle, the Labarynth, Parc Guell when you get to the top and taking the time to sit in a street cafe like everyone else does in BCN
enjoy!!