Sometimes a hotel is just a place to store your belongings and freshen up while on vacation, and sometimes it can be the reason you fall madly, completely in love with a new city. Casa Bonay was the latter for me, and now I'm absolutely smitten with Barcelona.
Casa Bonay is situated away from the crazy, overcrowded Las Ramblas, but perfectly central to everything in Barcelona worth visiting. More impressive than that, though, is that its location is ideal for those that just want to walk outside and see where the Barcelona breeze takes them. Once you step foot outside CB's tropical foyer that doubles as a cute as a button bookstore and gateway to the property's onsite dining, bar, and coffee shops, you can just start walking in any direction, and you'll find something worth happening upon. It's also close to a Metro stop as well.
The best part about Casa Bonay is that it is a destination on its own. From Satan's Coffee Corner for a cup of one of the city's most heralded coffees and a decadent pastry or fresh-pressed juice to Libertine for their breakfast spread or nightcap cocktail (or to get some work done or grab a sophisticated bite in between meals) to Elephant, Crocodile, Monkey for a more upscale Southeast Asian meal. The pièce de résistance, and my first introduction to Barcelona after dropping off the stuff in my room and rinsing off, is the beautiful rooftop. I visited a handful of rooftops during my trip, and let's just say...you never forget your first! Guests can casually hang out up there and call down for beverages/food from Libertine to be delivered up or you can officially dine/drink up there as a non-guest at Chiringuito, which feels/looks like any bustling rooftop you might find in summer in Manhattan.
The Passage Medium was quite roomy for one person but wasn't at all cramped with two people. The water pressure on the shower was amazing, but even more impressive was the stylist-level hair dryer! The shower/sink area didn't have a door, but the toilet did. The room comes with a yoga mat and two blocks, as well. The bed was very comfortable and the courtyard view was quaint.
Fantastic service from every single staff member I encountered and the ease of which to check-in and check-out was something out of a professional hotelier's playbook.
I could have spent a significant amount less staying at an apt via any apt hosting site or at a more budget hotel, but I really do think the amenities, location, and vibe of Casa Bonay was worth the extra (extra) Euros.
If you're looking for an American comparison, it's as if the hip/cool decor and ambiance of an Ace Hotel had a wild night of passionate love with equally as hip/cool but also comfy as hell NoMad Hotel (part of the Sydell Group). read more