Hotel Jazz (HJ) or Catalonia Plaza Catalunya (CPC)

We stayed at the Hotel Jazz for 3 nights in November based on recommendations from the forum. The location was fine, however we had also stayed at the Catalunya Porta de l’Àngel as part of our RS tour with extra days. It’s just off the opposite side of the Plaza but I found the neighborhoods and surrounding streets more interesting for walking. The room at the Jazz was fine. The breakfast room was very crowded and busy bordering on the chaotic. The staff did a great job keeping up, but it was not a place to relax.

Hi Lomosh,

Thank you for sharing your experience. Sounds like you liked Catalonia hotel better?

If robbery in the lobby is a regular feature of a hotel, that would be a “no way” for me. I can put up with a lot, but robbery, not so much.

I am not sure if it's a regular recurrence but I saw two reviews complaining about it. One says the hotel lobby is a prime target of robbery.

I don't understand why the overall reviews are so positive for Hotel Jazz. It's a 3-star hotel priced equally or even more expensive than a 4-star, at similar location. I must have missed something.

Pay attention to when reviews were written. The last year or two of reviews should give a better idea of the current conditions than older ones. On TripAdvisor, the robbery in the lobby event occurred in 2009. One just needs to remember that anything can get stolen from anywhere at any time. Taking some common sense steps can help prevent becoming a victim.

I haven’t stayed at either, so choose whichever you think might be best. If I went by traveler ratings only (and I don’t) then HJ would be the choice. The breakfast price wasn’t much different between the two and both breakfast prices were in line with what you’d pay at most hotels. You’re paying for the convenience of not having to go find a place to eat. It’s really personal preference.

One good thing is there are plenty of hotels in the city to choose from.

Thank you for your advice. You made several very good points.
Yes there are many good hotels to choose from. I originally booked HJ but need to change the date which will make the price per night higher. I was just wondering if HJ is worth the premium.

Yes. I did prefer the Catalunya Porta de l’Angel and the neighborhoods surrounding it. HJ felt more like a business hotel to me. I never felt unsafe there though, the desk was always staffed and your key card is required for the elevator. I wouldn’t pay a premium for it however.

We just changed our reservation from Hotel Jazz to CPC. We don’t go until early May 2023. Please report back on your stay. Thanks

I stayed in two Catalonia hotels during my recent Spain trip: In Madrid and Barcelona. There were "incidents" in both hotels but overall I was happy with the stays: The locations were perfect, the rooms were clean, and the staff overall was friendly.

The "incident" at Madrid was that they gave the room that we requested to somebody else and the room given to us was very noisy. I didn't get much sleep the first night. They changed our room from the second night but that inconvenienced us because we had to pack and unpack. The staff especially one young gentleman was super nice though.

The "incident" at Barcelona was the room had a smell perhaps just recently painted. When I brought this to the attention of the front desk staff, he seemed annoyed. He first said he will change our room but quickly added there was no similar room. I also told him that there was no trash can in our room. He said that did not fall under his duty but will call on our behalf. He eventually delivered a trash can to our room. Also, for one night, our floor was very noisy due to some inconsiderate guests coming back late and leaving early in the morning, but I guess I shouldn't fault the hotel for that.

We stayed at the Hotel Jazz in October 2019 for 5 nights. We found the location to be ideal, the room clean, and especially enjoyed the roof-top terrace for drinks and just relaxing outside. While we were there, the pro-separatist demonstrations began, the airport closed down, and we were unable to leave Barcelona for 2 days. Hotel Jazz was very accommodating in lengthening our stay and keeping us posted on the situation. We would definitely stay there again.

We stayed at Hotel Jazz in September 2016. We stayed 4 nights. Our choice was based on a recommendation by a friend in the travel industry and positive reviews on Booking.com. We thought it was a great location. We walked most everywhere. The hotel amenities fit our needs. We especially enjoyed the roof top bar & city view after a day of sightseeing. The staff were welcoming, knowledgeable & very accommodating. We paid extra for the breakfast and it was the best we had in Spain. We had a positive experience at Hotel Jazz. Edited to add: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwjPprOn-vT7AhVyP30KHcElBRwQFnoECBkQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.booking.com%2Fhotel%2Fes%2Fjazz.html&usg=AOvVaw0L-vG0iprid9fKsA9vQyUn