Placa Catalunya Hotel Recommendations - Barcelona

Hi everyone!

I'll be spending 2 nights solo in Barcelona pre-cruise in October. It'll be my first time in Spain and I'm very excited.

I'm looking for hotel recommendations near the aerobus stop in Placa Catalunya. I'm not the lightest packer so the closer, the better! Being a solo, cost matters as well! I'd like to keep it as low as possible!

I've done some research on hotels, and some of the ones I found are as follows (the caveat - some of the single rooms are so small that they look like jail cells - doesn't even appear to be room to open my luggage on the floor, which I plan to live out of for the 2 days).

- Izaila Plaza Catalunya - small 7-room boutique hotel on the second floor of an apartment building. Sounds lovely except people said it shakes when the metro goes by at all hours, and the front desk hours are limited. On the plus side, it includes breakfast at a cafe down the street, and the rooms are quite large (265 square feet!) and modern!

- Hotel Denit - the single rooms are very small!

- Hotel Ginebra - the cheapest at $141CAD/night but again - super small rooms!

- Hotel Lleo - tiny rooms but I could spend a bit more for a 160sq ft room with a queen size bed.

- H10 Universitat Hotel - rooms are very small and some of the reviews aren't great.

Has anyone stayed at these hotels? Any other recommendations (preferably under $150-$200CAD, or $100-150USD).

Also, what's the cheapest/best way to get to the port from the Placa Catalunya area?

Thanks in advance!!! :)

Just an update - the 2 front runners seem to be Hotel Lleo and Izaila Catalunya... Still stuck on which would be better, and both have very limited room availability!

I stayed at Hotel Pulitzer as a single person a number of years ago. The room was small but plenty of room for my suitcases and even a nice side chair, desk and bed.

Big bath.

We are staying there in a week before our next cruise.

We booked directily with the hotel. breakfast include in the price this time.

It is a half a block from Placa Catalunya. Easy to catch the bus to the airport.

We took taxi to the port adn will do it again on July 1.

I stayed at Hotel Pulitzer as a single person a number of years ago. The room was small but plenty of room for my suitcases and even a nice side chair, desk and bed.

 

Big bath.

 

We are staying there in a week before our next cruise.

 

We booked directily with the hotel. breakfast include in the price this time.

 

It is a half a block from Placa Catalunya. Easy to catch the bus to the airport.

 

We took taxi to the port adn will do it again on July 1.

Thanks for your recommendation! Unfortunately it's almost $100 more per night than these two hotels!

Have a wonderful trip!

Did you check out Hotel Jazz? My friends and I are staying there prior to our Celebrity Equinox cruise on October 3, 2016.

Did you check out Hotel Jazz? My friends and I are staying there prior to our Celebrity Equinox cruise on October 3, 2016.

What kind of rate are you getting? All I can find at the Jazz are rates around $300 a night.

I am staying next week at the Acta Atrium Palace. I got 2 nights for 121.15/night. I booked it a while back when there was great availability - not sure what it's looking like now or how far out you need to book, but it looks like a great place. I can update 6/29 or 6/30. :)

We have also stayed in the Hotel Pulitzer and enjoyed it. It is only about 50m from Plaza Catalunya and near to bars, restaurants and shops. It is very close to the Aerobus stop, so very easy to get the bus from the airport.

We paid 100euros for a double room on BB and booked direct with hotel online.

Pulitzer is showing 194 euros per night on their website for those dates! [emoji33] Too bad as it looks perfect!

Jazz is also very pricey on the dates I need! :(

Has anyone stayed at these hotels? Any other recommendations (preferably under $150-$200CAD, or $100-150USD).

 

Also, what's the cheapest/best way to get to the port from the Placa Catalunya area?

I've been to Barcelona many times...and have stayed in a variety of hotels. In fact, I am flying out again on Sunday for a 4-night pre-cruise stay before boarding the Celebrity Constellation. I agree that you want to be very near the Placa Catalunya.

For a great bargain hotel with a location as very near the Placa as you can get, take a look at the Hotel Continental...It is on Las Ramblas, only steps from the Placa...A funky old hotel with free WiFi and a free 24 hour buffet with free beer and wine (Okay, the wine isn't the greatest...but it's free!)...It's long been a favorite with Cruise Critic members...

http://www.hotelcontinental.com/en/

This time when we fo, we are staying at the Hotel 1898--also on Las Ramblas near the Placa--but may be a little out of your stated price range...One of the highest ranked hotels in Barcelona...

For the best way from the port to the Placa, I would recommend just getting a taxi...The distance is not very long at all, so the cost of a taxi is not much. Theoretically, for a cheap ride, you could take the Metro--from the Dressanes station, just outside the port, two stops up to the Las Ramblas station...But you'd have to walk 2.7 kilometers just to get to Dressanes from the terminal...

Now, to get from the airport to the Placa Catalunya or vice versa, the cheapest way is the Aerobus:

http://www.aerobusbcn.com/

Less than 5 Euros pp...and it drops off/picks up right outside the El Corte Ingles department store on the Placa...

Good luck...

Thanks once again for all of the replies! Continental is sold out those nights, and most of the others are very expensive those days! They must be popular as its a weekend, and despite being the off-season, there are several cruises leaving the same day.

So I need a bit of advice between my two front runners if you don't mind! :) Here is my dilemma...

1. Izaila Placa Catalunya - 3.5 star, 7-room boutique hotel on the second or third floor of an apartment building, completely newly renovated and minimalist style but gorgeous and clean. Rooms are huge at 265 square feet. Rated very highly on all hotel review sites. Includes breakfast vouchers for a cafe down the street, for a sandwich, a sweet, any coffee or tea, and a juice. Included self-serve coffee/tea-making facilities and bottled water. Very very close to Placa Catalunya and the aerobus stop. Apparently very nice owners. The cons: front desk has limited hours (staffed all morning and in the "late evening" according to the owners I contacted). No phones in the room but they said they are reachable by phone 24 hours if I have any problems (so is there a phone somewhere?! Lol!). They also offer luggage storage if I arrive prior to check-in time even if no staff are there (they'll help with leaving keys and such). Uses a somewhat creepy old-style elevator to get up to the floor of the hotel. Some reviewers said it vibrates when the metro goes by. Can hear street noise is facing the street, but quiet if you have a room facing the back of the building.

2. Hotel Lleo - 92 room hotel, quite highly rated as well but not quite as high as the Izaila. Apparently their refurbished rooms are all fabulous, but the non-refurbished rooms are scary awful (out of the 70's). Of course I could request a newer room, but would I get one? Who knows... Probably a crapshoot. Hotel has 24 hour front desk (might be nice when traveling solo). Slightly further from Placa Catalunya bus stop as its ok a street on the opposite side of the aerobus stop, but still looks perfectly walkable with luggage based on Google street view (as long as nobody runs off with my luggage!). Rooftop pool with loungers. Cons: distance when compared to Izaila, NO free breakfast (it's 13 euros pp and apparently isn't very good). Fear of getting a non-refurbished room with a window into an "elevator shaft" as per some reviewers. Some reports of theft in the hotel - a backpack stolen while its owner was checking in, and money stolen from a bag left in the room while the people were out for the day (stupid to leave it in the room to begin with, I know).

So - what's the general verdict? Which would you chose as a first-time traveler to Spain who is a solo female? The cleaner, newer, closer hotel without the 24 hour front desk (which may rattle from the subway), or the larger 24-hour desk hotel with what could be a truly awful room if luck is not on my side, that's a slightly further trek with luggage from the aerobus?

Thanks in advance!

Just bumping this hoping for some opinions on which of these 2 hotels to go with... The one without the 24 hour desk that might rumble from the subway but does include breakfast and has beautiful rooms, or the one with the 24 hour desk with no breakfast which the rooms are somewhat smaller and could be old and nasty if I don't get a renovated room, and with some reports of theft in reviews?

A bit concerned staying somewhere without someone on duty 24 hours in case of issues. They said they're reachable 24 hours by phone but no phone in the rooM and I won't be using my cell overseas.

Also concerned about the apparently rude staff and the hit and miss rooms at the other hotel (although it is... They're both quite highly rated online).

Sorry, cannot help with those but I stayed at Hotel Lloret. It is across the Ramblas from Hotel Continental Barcelona.

Sorry, cannot help with those but I stayed at Hotel Lloret. It is across the Ramblas from Hotel Continental Barcelona.

Thanks for your reply. Unfortunately the rooms at Llorat priced under $200CAD are for solo travelers and are horrifically small.

Thoughts on whether you'd rather have a hotel with nice owners and limited front desk hours but newly renovated and breakfast included (and possible rumbling from the subway passing by) versus 24 hour front desk with rude staff and rooms which may be "questionable" if not yet refurbished? Lol! Really having a tough time deciding! :(

Personally, I would go with the nice hotel with limited reception hours. As long as you get into the hotel and get your key, why do you need a reception.

I have seen what old 70s style Spanish hotel rooms are like and I wouldn't want to stay in one.

Hi everyone!

 

I'll be spending 2 nights solo in Barcelona pre-cruise in October. It'll be my first time in Spain and I'm very excited.

 

 

 

- Izaila Plaza Catalunya - small 7-room boutique hotel on the second floor of an apartment building. Sounds lovely except people said it shakes when the metro goes by at all hours, and the front desk hours are limited. On the plus side, it includes breakfast at a cafe down the street, and the rooms are quite large (265 square feet!) and modern!

 

- Hotel Denit - the single rooms are very small!

 

- Hotel Ginebra - the cheapest at $141CAD/night but again - super small rooms!

 

Also, what's the cheapest/best way to get to the port from the Placa Catalunya area?

 

Thanks in advance!!! :)

So what hotel did you decide on?

We are staying at the Hotel Ginebra in October before our cruise. We are taking the Aerobus from the airport to Placa Catalunya and walking the short distance to the hotel.

We will be taking a taxi from the Placa Catalunya to the port on Sunday

Should be around 15-20 Euros.

Thanks for the input so far! Any other opinions between the two options (even if you haven't stayed at either - just knowing the pros and cons of each! :) )

Clearly I'm still on the fence! Haha! I'm looking online at the Hilton and the other American chains but unfortunately the areas are not central. So I'm still debating between these two, and rooms seem to be disappearing quickly so I'll have to make a decision ASAP!

So what hotel did you decide on?

 

We are staying at the Hotel Ginebra in October before our cruise. We are taking the Aerobus from the airport to Placa Catalunya and walking the short distance to the hotel.

 

 

 

We will be taking a taxi from the Placa Catalunya to the port on Sunday

 

Should be around 15-20 Euros.

The Ginebra looks to be in a good area! :) I'm sure you'll enjoy it! Unfortunately their single rooms are like closets so that was quickly taken off my list of options! Lol!

Acta Atrium Palace uses the same rooms for double or single occupancy - they are 24 square meters or 258 square feet. Hardly a closet for normal people. And I got it for around 121US/night. It is in that same area and the area and hotel came highly recommended to me.

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I've been to Barcelona many times...and have stayed in a variety of hotels. In fact, I am flying out again on Sunday for a 4-night pre-cruise stay before boarding the Celebrity Constellation. I agree that you want to be very near the Placa Catalunya.

 

For a great bargain hotel with a location as very near the Placa as you can get, take a look at the Hotel Continental...It is on Las Ramblas, only steps from the Placa...A funky old hotel with free WiFi and a free 24 hour buffet with free beer and wine (Okay, the wine isn't the greatest...but it's free!)...It's long been a favorite with Cruise Critic members...

 

http://www.hotelcontinental.com/en/

 

This time when we fo, we are staying at the Hotel 1898--also on Las Ramblas near the Placa--but may be a little out of your stated price range...One of the highest ranked hotels in Barcelona...

 

For the best way from the port to the Placa, I would recommend just getting a taxi...The distance is not very long at all, so the cost of a taxi is not much. Theoretically, for a cheap ride, you could take the Metro--from the Dressanes station, just outside the port, two stops up to the Las Ramblas station...But you'd have to walk 2.7 kilometers just to get to Dressanes from the terminal...

 

Now, to get from the airport to the Placa Catalunya or vice versa, the cheapest way is the Aerobus:

 

http://www.aerobusbcn.com/

 

Less than 5 Euros pp...and it drops off/picks up right outside the El Corte Ingles department store on the Placa...

 

Good luck...

We have enjoyed the Hotel 1898...great location...just an FYI if you tend to use a "facecloth aka washcloth" bring your own...as they don't offer these and had no idea what I was talking about ;)

Acta Atrium Palace uses the same rooms for double or single occupancy - they are 24 square meters or 258 square feet. Hardly a closet for normal people. And I got it for around 121US/night. It is in that same area and the area and hotel came highly recommended to me.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

Thanks for the suggestion. Looks good (although some reviewers complained of noise) and the rooms are a good size. Unfortunately it's a little farther away and $40 more per night ($215CAD/night) - money which I would prefer to put towards a tour or something!

We have enjoyed the Hotel 1898...great location...just an FYI if you tend to use a "facecloth aka washcloth" bring your own...as they don't offer these and had no idea what I was talking about ;)

Looks lovely - but I'm not paying $400/night! :) Thank you for the note on the washcloths! I don't use them but I do remember they were lacking in Italy as well!

Looks lovely - but I'm not paying $400/night! :) Thank you for the note on the washcloths! I don't use them but I do remember they were lacking in Italy as well!

Ohhh so sorry....I was just quoting and responding to Bruin Steve who's leaving for this hotel soon....I know it's pricey and feel you have some great other suggestions to choose from.

Enjoy the Las Ramblas and take the time to walk through the La Boqueria market.

Ohhh so sorry....I was just quoting and responding to Bruin Steve who's leaving for this hotel soon....I know it's pricey and feel you have some great other suggestions to choose from.

 

Enjoy the Las Ramblas and take the time to walk through the La Boqueria market.

Thanks, Ashland...

Yeah, we are flying out Sunday and really looking forward to it...Spending four nights at the 1898 pre-cruise...then post-cruise were heading to Madrid and spending six nights at the Iberostar Las Letras on the Gran Via...

I think this will be about the 5th or 6th different hotel I've stayed at in Barcelona. I tend to value location first, but my wife values luxury and wants high-end mattresses...so, our choices tent to combine both, if possible..OTOH, I do appreciate getting a "deal" on the price, but there are some things I won't compromise just to save a few dollars. I guess we'll find a way to cope with the lack of washcloths.

Over the years, I have noticed a few other quirks with European hotels..One of my favorites in Spain is finding that many hotels are set up with electrical systems that won't operate unless you put your room key in a special slot..so, when you leave the hotel, with your room key in your pocket, the air conditioner in the room cannot operate. I guess it saves on electrical bills, but you often return to a hot room...

To the OP, I would not wait long to make at least one reservation..room rates can always go up or hotels sell out. If you book with a rate with a refundable deposit/cancellation provision, you can always just cancel if and when you find a better deal. And, often, the best hotel rates are found when you book way in advance.

Good luck..

Bruin Steve

It is normal in almost all modern European hotels for the room key to operate the electricity, not just in Spain. If you knew how high utility bills are in some European countries you would understand why they don't want lights and A/C on all day when the room is empty.

My friends in Spain pay almost double for electricity to what we pay in the Uk.

Some European hotels do supply washcloths, but not all. We use them in the UK, but they are not common in the rest of Europe.

Like you, these days prefer my home comforts and enjoy staying in decent hotels. If you book at the right time you can sometimes find a bargain.