The bare essentials for a night's sleep in Barcelona

Advantages: Good, quiet location, cheap,
Disadvantages: No frills at all, could be noisy

...As one would expect from a major European city, and one that attracts many, many visitors, Barcelona has plenty of hotels to choose from. Being a money conscious (mean) traveller, I was looking for something cheap but also not too far from the centre as I was not going to be there long and didn?t want to travel from the outskirts of town. After some research we plumped for the City Urquinaona and, wanting to save more money, booked directly using the hotel?s website rather than through the hostel booking site where we?d first found the hotel. We paid a small deposit and stated roughly what time we?d be arriving. In return we received two e-mails; one was an automatic confirmation, the other a personal message from a staff member confirming the booking and that our arrival time was OK ( we were taking an evening flight to Girona and from...

fizzytom 30.04.2009 · Read review
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Review of Hostal Barcelona City Urquinaona, Barcelona

Barcelona's Not So Hidden Secret

Advantages: A beautiful setting with some amazing animals
Disadvantages: Is perhaps overshadowed by other attractions

...Whilst in Barcelona earlier this year we were looking for somewhere to visit that hadn't been on my tourist's agenda on my previous visits. Having spent a morning at the aquarium in the port are we headed for the Zoo. Located in the middle of the City it is well signposted in every direction and features as one of the main stops on all of the sightseeing tour buses routes. There are a couple of car parks located near to all of the entrances and again this is all well signposted from the city's main access routes. Over the last couple of years we've visited a few Zoos and Aquariums and it would be fair to say that Barcelona is one of the biggest Zoos. Like many Zoos these days they are signed up to the World Zoo conservation strategy and are committed to breeding programs for endangered species. Having opened for the first time in...

Andy.mack 25.10.2009 · Read review
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Review of Zoo (Barcelona)

Europark Hotel, Barcelona

Advantages: Great Location
Disadvantages: None

...replenished and cleared away. The almond cake was to die for and I had a piece of this after breakfast nearly every day. Pool and terrace Pool and terrace are on the eighth floor and there are some great views of the city from here. The pool is shallow but still great for cooling off after a day sight seeing. There are various chairs and loungers and you can order drinks from up here. Price I booked online and for five nights including breakfast it cost me £500 for this hotel. I booked last minute just two days before we went. My Opinion Overall I would highly recommend this hotel it is in a great location in a quiet area of Barcelona but not too far to walk to Las Ramblas and other places. We loved this hotel and the breakfast buffet was delicious with something to suit even the fussiest of eaters. The staff in the hotel where...

debmercury 04.10.2009 (05.11.2009) · Read review
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Review of EuroPark Hotel, Barcelona

Hotel 1898 - Barcelona

Advantages: Location, Location, Location
Disadvantages: Bar prices and breakfast

...Hotel 1898 ? Barcelona ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Hotel 1898 is a mid priced hotel situated on the main tourist strip Las Ramblas in Barcelona?s Gothic district. Built in the former building of the Philippines Tobacco Company it has been converted to a very high standard with all the facilities you?d expect from a modern city centre hotel while maintaining the character of the pre-existing architecture. Part of the Nunez Navarro chain it is one of several hotels they have in Barcelona and like their other properties offers a high standard of accommodation geared towards the modern traveller. Location~ Hotel 1898 is sited a couple of hundred yards south of Plaza Catalunya, the dropping off point for coaches from the airport and a hub for public transport and has entrances on Las Ramblas and Pintor Fortuny. The central location means...

brereton66 27.06.2007 · Read review
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Review of Hotel 1898, Barcelona

Lewd and Lurid in Barcelona

Advantages: Fab cinematography, great performances from Cruz, Bardam and Rebecca Hall
Disadvantages: All a bit lewd and lurid

...If you remember in 2007 we saw Javier Bardam, a ferocious villain, wearing a bad haircut, roaming destructively around the county of Texas in the film 'No Country for Old Men.' He played the role of one of the most frightening men in the history of film. In Woody Allen's new comedy, 'Vicky Cristina Barcelona, Bardam has a new hairstyle and is wearing some trendy and very stylish shirts but I still find it difficult to blot out the vision of that indelible and formidable performance. Even in Allen's new film, Javier is still playing a rogue. His good Latin looks are impressive but this time he is even more scary. He plays the role of Juan Antonio, a stylish dressed, Lothario, who has women falling at his feet. Whether they are women of a promiscuous nature or have high morals and are principled, they are seduced by him and he teaches...

Praski 08.11.2009 · Read review
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Review of Vicky Cristina Barcelona (DVD)

The Sacred Heart Church, Tibidabo, Barcelona

Advantages: Beautiful church, great views of Barcelona below.
Disadvantages: None

...On a recent trip to Barcelona, I went on a city tour to take in some of the sights that we had missed on our last visit. A place I was really looking forward to visiting was Tibidabo Mountain, which is the highest peak in Barcelona at over 500m above sea level. Anyone who visits Barcelona will not fail to notice Tibidabo, and this is due to the imposing church of Sagrat Cor (Sacred Heart) which stands at the top of the mountain, and the impressive statue of Jesus Christ on the highest spire of the church. On travelling in and out of Barcelona, seeing this church and statue on top of the mountain is a fantastic sight. The church is the work of architect Enrique Sagnier, and building commenced in 1902 and took 60 years to build, so it is actually not that old! The church is unusual in that it is built as a church on top of a church...

JEFFJEN 20.07.2009 · Read review
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Review of The Sacred Heart Church, Barcelona

Right in the heart of Barcelona

Advantages: great location, swimming pool, friendly staff, clean, tidy and attractive
Disadvantages: no kettle! pool closed not in summer, expensive resturant

...I stayed for 3 nights in the 4 star Sunotel Central hotel in Barcelona in March 2008 with my partner and almost one year old. LOCATION Sunotel Central is situated in Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes which is one of Barcelona's major avenues. It is a great location which is right in the heart of Barcelona and a 5 minute walk to Las Ramblas, which is the main strip in Barcelona. It is also a 15-20 minute walk to Port Vale beach and harbour, and a 2 minute walk to the nearest metro station (that's underground station to you and me!) - 'Universitat'. There is also a bus stop outside the hotel which can take you all over the city. The staff at reception are happy to call a taxi for you and the taxi's are generally quick and reliable. It's set on a main road so is easy to find and easy to get dropped off and picked up right...

karalouk 05.03.2009 · Read review
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Review of Sunotel Central, Barcelona

He's from Barcelona

Advantages: Everything you want on a city break
Disadvantages: Too many things to do

...Barcelona ^^^^^^^^^ Barcelona is one of the most popular city break destinations in Europe, and for several very good reasons. It is only a short flight from the UK and with budget airlines can be very cheap to reach. Being a coastal city the climate is not too oppressive for our sensitive natures and there is a little bit of everything available to keep just about any kind of visitor entertained. There are bars, restaurants and night life if that?s what you?re after. There are museums, galleries and spectacular architecture if that?s your bent and there are beaches, parks and shopping to fill in the gaps. Whatever type of break you?re after; chances are you?ll find it in Barcelona. Having recently spent four days in the city what struck me most was just how much there was to do and how much I?d left undone. I?ve been on several...

brereton66 20.07.2007 · Read review
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Review of Barcelona (Spain)

Good Hotel close to Barcelona city centre

Advantages: Hust off the Avda Diagonal
Disadvantages: pricey car parking !

...I stayed at the Hilton Hotel in Barcelona last year for a long weekend and enjoyed it so much that we have booked up for another week in July this year. The hotel has around 280 rooms and is situated in the business, commercial and shopping district of the city and is only 15-20 minutes from Barcelona International Airport. It is on the Avda Diagonal it is close to all the transportation into the city centre. Take care if you have a hire car as it is £12 per day for hotel parking and you are not told about this when booking in. The restaurants are very good and the bar in the central atrium is a good meeting place with great cocktails at moderate prices. The hotel has a typical good quality Hilton ‘american’ feel, layout and facilities. The rooms are well decorated and have all the facilities you would expect...

runmedownmissy 02.02.2001 · Read review
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Review of Hilton Barcelona, Barcelona

I was tickled pink on the outskirts of Barcelona

Advantages: Fantastic rooms - they thought of almost everything
Disadvantages: A long way from the centre of the city

...' but if you are a realist it's more accurate to say it's 'a bit too far from the centre' of Barcelona. It's a lovely hotel but if you are looking for a place that's handy for the city, I'd have to say this isn't the right place for you. Getting into the city on my second evening took nearly half an hour in the heavy traffic and cost Euro15. Getting back again we were ripped off by a taxi driver who decided to take the long way back which took almost as long as the traffic jam on the way in but cost twice as much. We told him what we thought of that, as you can imagine! So if you are tempted by this hotel, check out the underground maps and see if there's a lower cost way of getting around - it may still be worth it because these hotels on the outskirts are often a lot cheaper than central hotels. At just ten minutes from the airport, this is...

koshkha 01.07.2008 · Read review
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Review of Hesperia Sant Just, Barcelona