Motel One Barcelona-Ciutadella

We stayed three nights on our first visit to Barcelona, and I was surprised this is rated as a 3-star hotel. To me, it deserves at least 4, maybe 5. The rooms were clean, modern, and very nice, and the staff were incredibly friendly. It rained unexpectedly one day, and they lent us umbrellas for free. The bar stays open 24/7, while the rooftop patio is open until 9pm. Most things are a 15-20 minute walk away, and Arc De Triumf transit station is about 5-7 minutes on foot. My one personal drawback was the €15.50 breakfast, which I didn’t think was worth the price. There are plenty of nearby places with a better selection. We’d absolutely come back and recommend it to friends and family.

We had a lovely street view and were close to public transport, making this a handy base for seeing the attractions. The rooms are on the small side, but the layout works well for a short city break. Everything was spotless, and housekeeping kept up excellent standards. They also stored our luggage when we arrived and again on our departure day, for as long as we needed. That was a much appreciated help while we explored. We’d happily stay again.

The staff in reception, housekeeping, and dining were all brilliant and a real credit to the hotel. Breakfast was continental with a very good range to choose from. Our basic room suited a city break perfectly, and it was impeccably clean. The bed was comfy, so we slept well each night. With Barcelona’s excellent public transport nearby, it’s a great value option in a brilliant spot. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it.

The view from my room was very good, looking toward Citudella Park with the sea visible in the distance. The queen bed and pillows were comfortable, and the bathroom felt luxurious, though it was small. The room itself was very small too, with too little storage for two people, and moving around at the same time could be uncomfortable. You’re paying a good amount per night mainly for the location and cleanliness. The TV wasn’t useful to me, unless you like CNN or the aquarium video when it’s idle. It’s not a big deal, but you can’t connect YouTube or a mobile phone. If you’re lucky, they may provide an HDMI cable for a laptop. The hotel has a bar-restaurant, and nearby there’s also a cafe and an Italian restaurant. Those close options made it easy to get delicious meals during my Barcelona stay. We didn’t have any complaints, really. Still, the nightly rate feels quite expensive for the room size and comfort.