Barceló Raval

The room was clean and nicely decorated, and the staff were friendly and helpful. The rooftop bar was brilliant, with fantastic views, and the hotel is a short walk from the main square, shops, and restaurants. We booked a triple room for two adults and our 15-year-old, but it wasn’t big enough for three. The third bed was a tiny pull-out single sofa, really only suitable for a child up to about 10, not someone who’s 6ft 3. The toilet door was a very heavy sliding door and was hard to open and close. Breakfast was good, though they should get a better toaster, or maybe two, to speed things up.

The little touches made this stay special. It was my birthday while we were there, and when we came back from a site visit, the hotel had left a cake with a candle and a card in our room. We’d booked a junior suite and got a spacious, well laid-out room on the 10th floor. The bed was so comfortable, and everything was spotless and modern, with a slightly quirky style that matched the rest of the hotel. The rooftop bar had great city views, friendly and polite bartenders, and reasonably priced drinks. Breakfast each morning had a great mix of hot and cold food, even bucksfizz if you wanted it, and the staff were friendly. We picked the hotel because it seemed central to the places we wanted to visit, and we also wanted somewhere nice for a trip without the kids. Before the trip I was a bit concerned by reviews of the area, but some people can be dramatic. There are quite a few homeless people around, but we kept to ourselves and had no trouble, even when my wife’s Google Maps took us down some odd little lanes. The hotel really stands out with its more modern design among the older buildings nearby. We arrived before check-in after an early flight. The staff were welcoming, stored our bags, and we went for a wander. Later, check-in came with a complimentary drink. We had a brilliant first visit to Barcelona, and the hotel’s location was handy for lots of places.

The quirky design made the hotel fun, and the rooms were clean and well maintained. Marco was consistently great at the 360 Panoramic rooftop. It was our first trip to Barcelona, and the service, atmosphere, and amenities were all great. This will be our hotel of choice when we return. Loved it!

We enjoyed our five days and four nights here after a cruise, and the staff were always polite and helpful. Breakfast for guests was great every day, and the small gym was adequate. We had a top-floor junior suite with spectacular city views. The room was clean, though a bit dated. It had a circular 360 rooftop bar and lounge with beautiful views, plus a pool, but the pool is tiny and really doesn’t compare with some of the infinity pools at other nearby hotels. The area felt a bit rundown, and shortly after we arrived and checked in early, my wife’s phone was stolen during a stroll. Please watch for pickpockets and keep your valuables secure. Aside from that incident, we enjoyed our stay in the area. The neighborhood is multi-ethnic, and with your guard up while walking around, you should be okay. There were a few room issues. The TVs were almost useless apart from a few news channels, and only occasionally showed soccer. Ceiling tiles were starting to come loose in several places, and some hardware was missing from the bathroom’s glass doors, so they wouldn’t close properly. Even with those things to address, I’d love to return to that room. If you’re staying in Barcelona, you could do a lot worse. (Rm#1010)