Any recommendations on Barcelona hotels. We are booked at the Ritz for 3 nights before our cruise. Does anyone know anything about that hotel? I have read mixed reviews on tripsdvisor. I can always change hotels if I need to.

Thanks,
Adelle

Hi Adelle,

Welcome to LCT!

We went to Barcelona in April and stayed at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Arts right on the ocean front. Are you talking about that or the Ritz? I looked up the Ritz on the internet before our trip thinking that was where we were going to be and was amazed at how beautiful it was.

I can't tell you anything about the Ritz. But Hotel Arts was very nice if you get an ocean view room. The beds were wonderful - high count linens, with feather duvets and pillows. Probably the most comfortable bed I have ever been in. The breakfast buffet was one of the best also. Very good.

The location of the Arts is kind of far from the main shopping but they have a hotel shuttle that goes back and forth.

Let me know if you have anymore questions.

PS Where in Dallas do you live?

My wife and stayed at the Grand Marina hotel on the waterfront in Oct 2003, brand new hotel at the time, rooms very spacious and service was wonderful, walking distance to Las Ramblas and other attractions, would absolutley stay again if I returned to Barcelona.

Hope this helps

Frank

There is a Ritz Hotel in city center( we stayed there) great hotel.
There is also Ritz Carlton Hotel Arts ( stayed there many times and our favorite) which is in Barcelonetta ,about 20 minute or more walk from Las Ramblas, on the water.
Lots of greatr seafood restaurants around it.
Just a nicer place to wake up in , esp. get room w/ ocean view IMHO

Thanks everyone for the information. I have been off-line for a while. We are booked at the Ritz, not the Ritz Hotel Arts. I originally thought the location would be closer to the sightseeing areas. Now not sure of the choice.

Ginny, we built a house outside of Little Elm near the the north part of Lake Lewisville. Little Elm is just past Frisco. We used to be out in the boonies, but the area is growing up - too fast. Used to live in far north Dallas for many years.

Grande Marina is excellent. Hard to get a room, though. In May we stayed at Melia Barcelona. Also very good and inexpensive.
The on/off tourist bus, one of the first in Europe, is the best way to get acquainted with this great city. And Cortes Inglesias is the best shopping store.

I agree about the Grand Marina. The ship is right there, unless they get stuck on the other side of the harbor with the mega ships.

I took the advice found here and changed reservations from the Ritz Hotel(now called the Palace Hotel under new management, I think) and booked the Grand Mariner for 3 nights in October.
i read some pretty bad recent reviews about the Ritz and many good reviews about the Grand Mariner on tripadvisor. Thanks for your comments.
adelle

Adelle - nothing to add but wanted to say that it's good to "see" you - we were on the Diamond with you in 9/2001 (Rome to Istanbul) and sat next to you just about every night at dinner.

Peter

Adelle, ask for an upgrade when you get there, you never know. When we stayed at the Grand Marina in October 2003 (we might have even been there at the same time as Frank) we asked about an upgrade and were placed in a corner suite that overlooked both the port and had a city view looking up La Ramblas.

It is a great hotel and I would highly recommend it.

Hope you enjoy your stay and your cruise.

So, where in Dallas do you live?

Diana and Don,

We built a house at Lake Lewisville in Little Elm almost 6 years ago. We have seen this little community grow from 2,000 to 17,000. Not a quiet little country place anymore - definitely a suburb of Dallas now!

Thanks for your advice. I sent an email to the hotel to inform them of our 25th Anniversary and they said they would try to do something special for us and have a very nice room for us - no guarantee on the room though. I will keep my fingers crossed.

Adelle