Hello: My room in Barcelona - August 2 - 5, does not have air conditioning. Will I die with only a fan in my room? The temperature seems like it gets pretty evil (hot) in August. Should I book another room with air conditioning? Any suggestions? thanks

Hi Kathleen!
Having a room in BCN in August without A/C isn't the end of the world. As long as it has a streetside window/balcony you'll probably be better off. Those "internal" rooms with windows to the central air shaft are often more quiet but they also allow less air-flow. Also, I don't expect you'll be in your room during the daytime hours - the hottest hours of the day - and after dark it can be 10 degrees cooler. The establishment at which you're staying may even provide a fan if you ask them. But, well, if you have an external/outwardly-facing room and are forced to keep it open at night to stay cool-ish you might have more street noise than you can stand. You may want to take ear-plugs.

Anyone else have input on this? Best of luck!

Saludos, MadridMan

I would disagree with Madridman...I've been in Madrid in August in a Hostal without A/C and thought I would die from the heat. The hostal was nice, though...they gave me a fan...so, I was able to sleep in my own sweat with a breeze floating over me while sweating under the sheets. I would fall asleep around 5 A.M. when, finally, a cool bit of air slipped intothe room.

Given a choice, find a place with A/C...it's not worth the aggravation to be without it.

The Hostal Opera is a good price and has it. I paid 55 Euros/night for a double with A/C and a private bath.

Sheryl

Is the Hostal Opera in Madrid or Barcelona? Thanks - I think I agree. When I was in Tikal, Guatemala last year I thought that I had gone to hell. It was so hot that I could barely move. Then sleeping was interesting. There was a fan, but the electricity was shut off at 10:00 pm so it was like sleeping under humid hot heat. Never again. Beautiful place, and I would go back in a heart beat, but not during the heat season - December?

[Originally posted by Kathleen on 07-05-2004 01:17 AM]

I've decided to try to find an air conditioned room in Barcelona. Does anyone have suggestions. It would be during the first of August. Price - anywhere from 40 to 50 euros. thanks

Hostal Opera is in Barcelona and right off the Ramblas. It's not mentioned if you're one or more people. Go to their web site at www.hostalopera.com. You'll get a great deal of info...including prices.

I wrote a review of the place in another post...I'm sure you'll find it.

Sheryl

Hi: I found the site, but their web interactive mechanism isn't working. So, I called them and got a reservation for 48 euros a night. I could not find your message about the Hostal Opera on a search, so maybe you could enlighten me. Yes, I did the search and it came up with 17 or so hits, but none of them had Hostal Opera in it. Am I doing the search wrong? Many thanks for any information.

Here's a copy of the review I wrote. It summaries everything. I believe you'll enjoy the place. As I say, the location is wonderful, the people are friendly, there is A/C an elevator and the price is right.

I think you'll like it very much.

Sheryl

P.S. When you exit the Hostal...go to the right and walk about 500 yards or so. There is a small restaurant, with barbecue chickens being cooked in the window. It's called...something like "el pollo ..." The food is good, the service is excellent and the price is reasonable. One evening my husband left some postcards there. Never knew it. A few nights later we returned and the waiter came running to give them to us. Talk about a pleasant surprise.

Sheryl

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The penultimate week of May, this year, I was in Barcelona for a conference. I made my reservation at the Hostal Opera, via phone...at the time, they didn't have a website. Fortunately, for everyone, there is now a website up and running: Hostal Opera

The hostal is in a wonderful location...at most, 50 yards from Las Ramblas. The rooms are large, bright, clean, and have A/C...and you have control of the A/C (by the way...in Madrid, at the Bianco II, you also have A/C that you can control). The bathroom is quite large, although the shower is the traditional square box.

By the way...for those of you who do not know...shower mats are not used in Europe...you might want to bring along a pair of rubber thongs (flip-flops)to save yourself some aggravation and, possibly, nasty falls.

The hostal's rates were, by Barcelona standards, quite reasonable...I had a double con cama matrimonial and it cost 55 Euros (tax included) a night. The Hostal staff was friendly and very helpful.

The Hostal is quite large. I believe that they have over 50 rooms. They have just renovated the building and acquired the building next to them which is why they are so large...yet, there is a warm feel to the place.

The rooms do not have TV. They have a huge salon on the first floor where there is a large TV set. Oh, by the way, there is an elevator in the building.

I would definitely recommend this Hostal to anyone going to Barcelona.

Sheryl

Thank you - I am sure appreciative of all your help and the restaurant suggestions.

Hostal Opera

I was there...after reading the EUROCHEAPO recommendation.

I felt like I at at a hospital. Very plain, thin walls, long sleepless nights. I could hear babies crying, toilets, conversations.

Spoke to front desk about our concerns and they did not seem to care about customer feedback.

True, the location is great. Metro is right there when you reach Ramblas, as well as many other sites of interest.

Will I go back there? No.

Regards

Elvira

What Hostal would you recommend? I need air conditioning and I definitely need sleep!