Does anyone know which hotels the Rick Steves'tours frequent here? Any personal recommendations?
Posted by
Laguna Beach, CA, USA
272 posts
I don't know the hotels RS tours frequent. But I can make a 2* recommendation. We were there a couple of years ago. Stayed at Hotel Monegal which is at the top of Las Ramblas, view of Placa Catalunya from our room. It was a basic hotel, nothing fancy. But found it clean and well-located. One odd thing...you walk through a narrow area to get to check-in and they are selling watches there. Kind of unusual but if you don't need a formal lobby area, this may be a good choice for a budget traveler. i would stay there again
Posted by
Ft Worth, TX, USA
39 posts
We stayed at Hotel Continental with a Ramblas balcony. We really enjoyed the fantastic location. Room was exactly as Rick described, clean, comfortable, with wildy clashing colors. Our room was decked out in all pink: carpet, bedspread, sheets, wallpaper.
Open "buffet" through day with bottled water, beer, wine and snacks in lobby. We would grab wine and beer sit on balcony and watch Ramblas stroll by.
The all imortant question, "would we return?" Definitely.
Posted by
Atlanta, Ga, USA
2023 posts
We stayed at Hotel Gran Via which is/was in RS guidebook. It had some mixed reviews when we selected it but the location is good. Here is where we went wrong: requested a room on the back and they emailed back okaying this request--we failed to print it out and put into our travel folder--got there and they put us on the front. The noise was horrific--maybe the noisiest room we ever had anywhere. The staff border on the rude side--not a friendly atmosphere and upon departure they made it clear they did not want to call a taxi for us--very odd. Husband demanded they make the call and they did so begrudingly.
Posted by
Palm Beach, Florida, United States
536 posts
Hi Ed - Many excellent ones;however, my favorite is - http://www.royalramblashotel.com/en/home/
Located directly on Las Ramblas and very close to La Boqueria and Placa Catalunya, it is a very nice hotel.
Enjoy your trip, Greg
Posted by
Fishers, IN, USA
25 posts
Stayed at Hotel Catalonia Albinoni last May. Clean, friendly staff. Wouldn't pay for breakfast as there were little cafes, donut shops, and the Ramblas market not too far. Only bad thing is it is located on a pedestrian only street. So if you have lots of luggage you'd have to walk it down a block from the Placa de la Catalunya from the taxi/bus/metro stops. But it was quiet, and a great location: near Ramblas, a 15 minute walk to Gaudi apartment building, 5 minute walk to Cathedral & Medieval part of town with some good restaurants.