pleasant, quiet Barcelona and London hotels?

[JPR]

One Aldwych in London (bar is a scene but rooms and subterranean swimming pool are quiet). Hôtel 1898 in Barcelona.

[orvil]

He's retired.

 

The Marriott Grosvenor is very nice and in an excellent location.  I also like the Athenaeum Hotel on Piccadilly across from Green Park.  Much smaller and a lovely staff.  They have an excellent tea, btw.  

[dougburns]

We have always stayed at The Goring in London and at Lapa Palace in Lisbon. Both are quiet and first class in every way.

[poss]

Hi, OP here.    

We've decided to spend our post-cruise time in Cotswolds and Oxford rather than London.    We've really become country mice.    I'd actually love to visit London for 3-4 days or so, obviously there are many wonderful things to see and do, but the noise and busyness of the city would overwhelm us at this point, I think.    I get tired just thinking of having to haul around, even by taxi.    Glad we had those kinds of vacations back in the day, and will be doing a bit of same in Barcelona pre-cruise.    (I'm trying not to worry too much about the pick-pocket thing.    Some decades ago, we were targeted — the shaving cream scam — and it was not one bit pleasant.    Now, with my husband nearing 90 and much less stable and able, any kind of push could easily knock him down.   I know about how to take precautions, but still, not a pleasant prospect.)

Thanks for all the input, and may everyone continue to enjoy their journeys.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Sounds wonderful Poss, I love Oxford.

[pcflezflg]

Just saw this thread. OP has already made her choice, so this is for anyone else interested in choosing a quiet hotel in Barcelona in a good location. Like El Capitan Z, we also used SPG points to stay at the Sheraton Four Points and liked it, due to its quiet area, proximity to the beach, relatively low point cost, and as a good base for exploring Barcelona on foot. We stayed there for 3 nights prior to a cruise.

[poss]

Hi Wendy, You're absolutely killing me with the World Cruise thing.   If we manage to live that long (a huge "if"), that cruise will be a few weeks after our 50th wedding anniversary.   How I would love to celebrate in that way!   Also, like you, we very much like the Mariner.

 

Jack and I visited Oxford for a few days after our last Southampton disembark (did Bath first, which we love), and we love Oxford too.   How could we not, since Jack (like David, if I'm remembering correctly) was a professor and I a teacher (both adored our careers).   We took a 6 hour group tour from Bath to some of the Cotswolds, but haven't explored other than that.    Sure wish we had done so back in the day, when we could do the rambling.

 

Here's to 2021!   (Actually I'm hoping to make it through our crazy-making mid-terms on Tuesday.   I wonder if you're in Florida yet...)

 

 

[SkystheLimit]

On 9/12/2018 at 4:23 PM, ROLLTIDE2 said:

Our favorite Hilton property in London is the Conrad St. James. Great location, wonderful staff, comfortable rooms.

Agree.  We were there last June when it was very hot in London.  A/C worked great.  Location is also very convenient.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

On 11/4/2018 at 2:24 PM, poss said:

Hi Wendy, You're absolutely killing me with the World Cruise thing.   If we manage to live that long (a huge "if"), that cruise will be a few weeks after our 50th wedding anniversary.   How I would love to celebrate in that way!   Also, like you, we very much like the Mariner.

 

Jack and I visited Oxford for a few days after our last Southampton disembark (did Bath first, which we love), and we love Oxford too.   How could we not, since Jack (like David, if I'm remembering correctly) was a professor and I a teacher (both adored our careers).   We took a 6 hour group tour from Bath to some of the Cotswolds, but haven't explored other than that.    Sure wish we had done so back in the day, when we could do the rambling.

 

Here's to 2021!   (Actually I'm hoping to make it through our crazy-making mid-terms on Tuesday.   I wonder if you're in Florida yet...)

 

 

 

Poss, thanks for the encouragement and wishes!  We are looking very much at this world cruise 2021 thing as, "if we can hold it together that long!"   We'd do it in 2020, which would be our 40th anniversary, but the itinerary doesn't seem as appealing, and this gives us more chance to save up.  Of course ports can be missed, but would love to see Easter Island, for instance.  We just have to stay healthy for the next several years, and be frugal.  It would be a dream come true if we made it--working on getting insurance right now, that part has been a real struggle. We've booked a couple of past cruises two years in advance, so the waiting won't be too tough.

 

I was in Oxford first in 1970, then again for work in the early 90's, but had a few days to myself--I was transfixed.  David and I did the Cotswolds (we had a car) and some of the west country, including Bath, in the 80's, but he's never been to Oxford.  The one issue we'd have now is the walking, but there's always the HoHo bus.  Then again if we do this WC, we'll not be doing any other traveling for a while!

 

We leave for Florida on Thursday.  Can't wait. Weather here has been dreadful.  We did a Seabourn leaf-peeper in late September and the weather then was bad as well, but lately here in Toronto it's just been rain, rain, rain, cold, cold, cold.

[ernieb]

We were just in Barcelona last week and stayed at the Hotel Serras. It was a nice quiet small (28 rooms) boutique hotel in a good location. The staff are also very friendly and helpful.

We will be embarking on the Chateaux & Vineyards cruise next September. It currently appears that Regent provides the included pre-cruise night at one of about 4 hotels including the Grosvenor mentioned above which is listed as “sold out”. We appear to have a reservation at the Intercontinental Park Lane, but I have also heard all of this may change.

 I would appreciate anyone’s thoughts who has experience and advice with the included pre-cruise night in London.

[Xerxes10]

3 hours ago, ernieb said:

We were just in Barcelona last week and stayed at the Hotel Serras. It was a nice quiet small (28 rooms) boutique hotel in a good location. The staff are also very friendly and helpful.

We will be embarking on the Chateaux & Vineyards cruise next September. It currently appears that Regent provides the included pre-cruise night at one of about 4 hotels including the Grosvenor mentioned above which is listed as “sold out”. We appear to have a reservation at the Intercontinental Park Lane, but I have also heard all of this may change.

 I would appreciate anyone’s thoughts who has experience and advice with the included pre-cruise night in London.

We stayed at Hotel Serras in February. A wonderful hotel, super service. The location couldn't be better.