Hola amigos!

Besides Hostal Ramos (which looks good) ...

I will be in Barcelona for a couple of days at the end of April, traveling with my parents. Has anyone been there recently who can recommend lodging for three and provide a review?

Thanks so much!

Churrito

Hi churrocaliente! GREAT to see you again! As you may have read, I've just returned from 11 days in Barcelona and stayed at 4 different establishments.

Questions: What kind of place are you seeking? What's your budget? Are you looking for something quiet or "in the middle of it all"? (i.e. Las Ramblas/Barrio Gótico) Do you require an elevator?

I can provide my own reviews, which I'll be doing in time, but I'll only review for you those which meet your requirements.

Saludos, MadridMan

Hi MM! No, I didn't know you were just there. How awesome!

Basically, I am traveling with my parents, so we would require an elevator. Our budget is in the moderate-price range. Something comfortable, more "American" style would be best.

Is Barcelona as loud as Madrid? We're only there for a day and half, so something 'centrico' would be better, but I'm not so sure we'd want to be in super party central, although my folks do like to stay up late.

My parents have been to Barcelona before and seen everything. This is basically a quick introduction for me, as we leave on day three to Monserat, and then travel east to Asturias to see the village where my grandfather was born. I really just only want to see Las Ramblas, the Sagrada Familia and maybe one other sight. So the more central to these locations, taxi distance or walking, the better.

Thanks in advance for any tips!

Saludos!

Churrito

javascript:void(0)

Hello,
I'd be interested in finding out what accommodations you stayed at MadridMan as I will be there with my boyfriend in mid-May. I am curious to see where you stayed and if you liked it!
Thanks!

France, here you go!:

Just got back from 11 days in Barcelona and spent a couple nights in Residencia Australia (web: http://www.residenciaustralia.com/ ) which is located "left" of the Placa de Catalunya, nearer to the Placa de la Universitat. I had a double room with shared restroom/shower. The bed and room was quite comfortable and they have an UP elevator too - they're on the top (or nearly) floor. The family running it is very nice and multilingual too, speaking English, Spanish, Catalán, & more.

A little farther "left-and-down" from the aforementioned Residencia Australia is the Pensión Casa Goya (web: http://www.milisa.com/P.Goya/indexingles.htm ) where I spent 3 nights. It's located on the quiet-ish Placa Goya, just "above" the El Raval neighborhood of "Old Barcelona". The entire pension is decorated in black and white but the walls of the rooms have different pastel colors. The place has only been only about 5 months and still brand-new-looking. The rooms are more like hotel rooms than those of a pensión with a mini-bar, clock radio, coffee-making supplies + hot water maker, new (HD?) televisions, comfortable bed, warm radiators, and a free lockbox in the closet. The bathrooms have free bathroom "supplies" like shower gel, shampoo, tooth brush kit and comb. There was also a hair dryer and a liquid hand soap dispenser affixed to the wall next to the sink. You don't see THAT everyday in a hotel - much less in a Pensión!

In "the middle of it all" I spent 3 nights RIGHT ON La Rambla in Hostal Marenostrum (web: http://www.hostalmarenostrum.com ). Technically it's located in the El Raval neighborhood, barely "left" of La Rambla where its entrance is located. My room had a balcony overlooking La Rambla and the floor painting by Joan Miró. It's just across the street from the famed Cafe de l\'Opera (where I had breakfast many mornings) and lower LICEU metro station and immediately next to the grand Teatre del Liceu opera house and only one block from the famed market Mercat de la Boquería (web: http://www.boqueria.info/ ). Great hostel this was, very private bedrooms and busy reception area with people coming and going, vending machines, a free internet access terminal, elevator, and they have dining area for breakfast on the next level. My room, as stated above, had a balcony with a GREAT view of La Rambla below. And luckily, the new double-pane windows blocked out almost ALL the noise. The room had an in-room bathroom/shower, TV, and a very very comfortable bed and a telephone. The receptionist is multilingual too.

I spent 2 nights in the elegant Hostal Martina (web: http://www.hostalmartina.com ) located in the L'Eixample district which is a bit of a walk from Las Ramblas and the Gothic Quarter but is definitely someplace special. I asked if the building was a one-time palace and the owner said, "No. All the buildings around this neighborhood look like this." WOW! Truly impressive. Beautiful original colored floor tiles (the small ones) and elegant swilry ceiling moldings. Very comfortable beds too. Skeleton keys to the rooms' doors - some of which had stained glass. There were TALL, CATHEDRAL ceilings, BIG rooms, and the most beautiful building entry you've likely ever seen. IMPRESSIVE! An elevator too. Definitely someplace special for a special stay in a quieter, elegant neighborhood near Antonio Gaudi\'s Sagrada Familia and 1 (or 2) of the Antonio Gaudí buildings.

So there you have it! Saludos, MadridMan

MM, thanks for all the tips and recommendations. I will surely report back on places I stay too.

Abrazos,

Churrito

Hola Churrito,

Missed you!

Have a great trip, and be sure to tell us all about it. I am toying with passing a few days in Barcelona on my next trip, or going back to Santiago.

Booklady

I just got back from our trip to Barcelona with a group of 31 students. We stayed 4 nights at the Hotel Montblanc , which was a block from the Plaza Cataluña and a very short walk to the Barrio Gótico. It was excellently situated, very clean, modern and quiet. The buffet breakfast was impressive. All in all a very good choice too!

Help! I think we are screwed ... we should've started reserving hostal space a month ago ... oh well, too late to be an early bird!

So far, Hostal Martina, Marenostrum, Pensión Goya all booked, with a possibilty of a double-room converted into a triple at Australia. Hostal Ramos maybe available, but we'd have to switch rooms.

I also looked at Hostal D'Uxelles and Hoteles NH .

The problem is that a triple room seems to be almost 50% more just for that extra bed ... so the Montblanc is expensive for us.

Has anyone heard of Chic and Basic Barcelona ? Also, Pensión Selecta ?

Any more insider tips?

MM, I wanted to ask you if the hotels on your list are paid advertisers or if they have all been reviewed at one time or another here.

I also tried looking at Club Hotel, and strangely enough, while there were no rooms available when you called directly, there seemed to be availability through that website. Do you know f they book groups of room to sell to members?

Muchas gracias, amigos.

Saludos desde Miami,

Churrito

PS -- hola booklady! espero que estes bien! :-)

churrocaliente wrote: To which list are you referring? Do you mean the hostels/pension I review above or the ones I have on my directories for hotels and hostels? As far as I know no one has ever reviewed here any of the establishments I review above - with the possible exception of Hostal Residencia Australia. This one's been around a long time so a review should be found somewhere else and surely reviewed on other websites. Hostal Marenostrum is a paid advertiser on my Barcelona Hostels page but they did not pay for my review (I'm not "for hire" for this kind of work) and my words are true.

I also toured Pensión Selecta located in the El Raval neighborhood. It's owned by the same family who owns Hostal Marenostrum . This place is much more basic lodgings and not as well-located as their sister-hostel ( Hostal Marenostrum ) and for this reason is a bit cheaper. Very few of the rooms have private, in-room bathrooms, there's no elevator, and the pensión is on/near the top floor. They've recently bought the entire building and will close for a period of one year starting in September (I think) for a total renovation to enlargen the rooms, add in-room bathrooms to all the rooms, an elevator, a dining area, a street-level reception entrance, and do a total-renovation/cleaning of the aging facade.

churrocaliente, does this Hostal D'Uxelles have a website?

Take a look at the 1-Star hotel Hotel Toledano located towards the top of the Rambla. They have triples for 81 Euros per night. The same building/owners own Hostal Residencia Capital but none of the triples have a combination toilet+shower+sink IN the room. Rooms have one or the others but not all three.

Saludos, MadridMan