This review is from an American's perspective…read more My husband and I took a gamble on Hotwire when changed our travel plans last minute during the second leg of our honeymoon. We ended up with Vincci Bit after the infamous nail-biting confirmation page load, and as I write this review as we drink beers on the rooftop on the last night of our 4-night stay, we couldn't have been more satisfied. Things we loved: This hotel is in the forum area of Barcelona, so it's about a 15-minute metro ride on the L4 line to the tourist attractions in the center of the city. The hotel is located in a residential area, surrounded by a couple of preschools. It is right off Avinguda Diagonal, which is a walking/biking boulevard that feels very safe. There's also a big mall within 7 minutes walking distance with decent shopping with stores like Zara, H&M, Pull & Bear and a giant grocery store. And a Starbucks. This sounds silly, but a big plus if you are used to drinking iced coffees in the U.S. The location is a 10-minute walk to the beach, and because it's a bit more north it's not overrun by tourists. During our stay we spent a couple of hours laying out at Mar Bella and walked right back to the hotel to clean up. The front desk even provided us a couple of towels to use at be beach. Front desk and general service at the hotel is superb. Seriously nice and helpful. Decor is modern and stylish. The hotel is fairly new, which we typically don't care about, but we found that it came with its perks, such as outlets everywhere in the room (rare in the EU) and even a North American power outlet. We suspect they cater to English-speaking if not American clientele. The shower is memorable with rain showerhead and handheld with plenty of water pressure. Beds are comfy and large. WiFi (free) is better than most hotels we have stayed at in Europe. Rooftop pool is small but OK for a quick dip. The rooftop lounge is also small but great for relaxing. We did this when we first got in and on our last night with a couple of beers and some food and it was just so easy and peaceful. Things to consider: This hotel is not in the "middle of things." We were OK with and even preferred this as we were coming off of a week+ in Germany where we stayed smack dab in the middle of Munich's tourist area and were seeking a bit of a relaxed environment. People staying here seemed to be a mix of couples and small groups of friends (late 20s/early 30s on up) and some business travelers.

My stay there left me with bites on my forehead and body. We were on the fourth floor Room 406. I…read morenoticed small bites and a bug on my pillow case. I called for housekeeping not thinking much of it. The next morning more bites. I checked the bedding and didn't notice anything, until I pulled the bed from the wall. There were several bed bugs and by the marking they had been there for some time. I called management who quickly came to the room, acknowledged the bites on me and the bed bugs on the wall. BED BUGS!!!!!! We were offered drink tickets moved to room 609. I could not sleep due to the itching and knowing all our personal items had been exposed. Upon returning home, I did some research and requested compensation of part of our stay. Since I paid for breakfast in cash about 280 euros, that is what they wanted to pay me. I used Booking.com for the room and they said it would be discussed about a better refund of my stay. They asked me to sign an NDA and not post about this experience. They kept referring to the bed bugs as an "incident". This incident caused me bodily harm, the bagging and non use of all my personal belongings for ten days upon my return to the US. The deep washing of all items and the frustration of going through this If you stay here, pull the bed away from the wall and check for bugs and staining. Check the mattress and sockets bed bugs like to hide.

A solid Hilton experience. This is the second Hilton property I've stayed at in Barcelona. While…read moreit's close to the beach, it is not close to the city center or many of the 'Barcelona' attractions. I chose it due to its proximity to the CCIB (convention center) and it was super convenient. Staff was always super friendly, which is always appreciated. I do like that you can order room service digitally, which was especially nice the after I arrived midday after a transatlantic flight from the states tired and feeling gross. There is a little mall across the street, which is nice. I didn't wander too much, but they do have a few little restaurants there which is quite convenient. They also have Purobeach, which appears to be a chain (ish?) of beach clubs with pool access and restaurants. I dined at Purobeach twice, once on my own and once with a group (separate review coming for that). The pool area was good, I spent some time up there my last day. They have a 'tab' type system to order food and drinks-you tell them on the way out what your table number was and they they charge you (either to your room or credit card). Getting drinks was hard-I saw people getting drinks delivered to them all the time, but no one ever asked me if I wanted to order anything. They had a QR code menu, but I didn't see a way to actually order that way. Either way, it's a nice pool area and the staff was helpful when I kept wanting to move the umbrella near my chair to keep me in the shade. The breakfast is also good, though pricey. You can pre-order and it's 29 Euro, or pay about 35 Euro to 'walk in.' It's a decent buffet, with good options, and some of the best bacon I've ever had. The eggs were terrible, though-way too runny. The elevators have the system where you input your floor number and then it tells you which elevator car to get in. In theory this is great, but the elevators were super slow. On check-in day, it actually said they couldn't assign me an elevator so I ended up walking down 13 flights of stairs to get to the lobby (better down than up, I guess). If I was coming back to Barcelona for a convention, I would probably come back here. Otherwise, I would pick a Hilton a little closer to the action-this hotel was nice, but not nice 'enough' to make up for being so far away from the action.

How many times do I have to come here and the hotel is still under construction. It's right next…read moreto the CCIB which is why I stayed but it's odd for like the past 4 years, it has been under construction (and I've stayed many times). Bars are closed, things shut for private events, whole patio deck closed, rooms under renovations...you name it. It's a slow race to see who will complete construction first: the Basilica or the Hilton. I do come back for it's CCIB proximity and it's close to the subway. If you're not staying for a conference (or even if you are and don't mind being a bit out) staying elsewhere is probably your best game. But if you do stay here, it's A-OK.

I travel a lot...this was one of the worst hotels ever. But lets start with the good. The lobby is…read morenice and airy and sharp. The patio and bar on the 13th floor is very nice and has city and beach views (and the staff there is friendly). There's a breakfast that is ok too. But the bad goes on and on. Only one plug outlet in my room worked. My card quit working after the first day. The bathroom (while spacious) is just kinda uncomfortable. The AC didn't work well in the room. The window is tiny and there's not a lot of light. The doors on the floor look scratched up if not broken. The lights in the corridors didn't work all the time. My colleague's room had a window that was leaking when it rained...took a while to 'debug' and move her to another room. It was all and all just an exhausting hotel where I never felt comfortable or had a good rest. I asked the management staff if they were going to update the hotel as it just moved owners...they said no. Just don't stay here. Any other hotel around the forum would be a better choice.

Great property. I arrived after midnight and 3 people were at the desk. I was impressed, usually…read morethere is only 1 person that time of the early AM. Property is across the street from a mall, BONUS! Checkout the rooftop lounge. The breakfast was good. Great mixture of all culture's breakfast feasts. The interior lighting is on motion detectors late night so just keep walking lol. Suites were MASSIVE!

TLDR: Come for the rooftop views of Barcelona, not so much for the stay…read more While Barceló Raval's rooftop offers one of the best panoramic views of Barcelona, the hotel itself is giving knockoff of the W. They try to give off that sexy, mysterious vibe, but as soon as you step into the room, the green ceiling, cheap fixtures and damask wallpaper give it away. The hotel is reasonably "affordable" for its location (near the Gothic Quarter and La Barceloneta), but definitely in a sketchy area. I highly advise walking outside the hotel at night, as you'll find the rough crowds your parents warned you about. The nearest metro station is about a 10-minute walk, and to get there, you have to cut through some of the sketchiest alleys. I booked through Expedia and was upgraded to a room with a view, a bottle of mini wine & an extra bottle of water. My amenities weren't so great from the moment I opened the door. Since my room was pretty high up, the room was stifling & those views were blocked by a stainless steel mesh. FYI: your room requires a key card at all times if you're trying to use electricity, which includes air conditioning. The shower initially felt luxurious--spacious with a giant waterfall head and solid water pressure--followed by lush bath towels, but that impression faded once I noticed the pockets of mold and grime in the corners. Sleeping was also a challenge since walls are thin and anytime the guests next to me entered their room, it sounded like someone was entering mine, which kept me paranoid and on high alert. Rooftop: the rooftop not only offers panoramic views of Barcelona, but also has a bar and pool, though hard to even suggest the pool is an amenity since it's more so for aesthetic than functionality. On the roof, it's not an open floor plan, so you'll have to walk around the building to get a full 360 view. For those who are height deficient such as myself: prepare for obstructed views because of the high railings (great for safety, but not so much for those under 5'3).

Best 360 view of Barcelona located in el raval. Reasonably…read morepriced drinks with an amazing view! Dj available weekends to get the party started !

Clean, good sized room, super friendly staff, restaurant and bar inside, and a good bakery next…read moredoor open 24 hours and just an easy walk away. The rooftop is amazing at night. You can see the Sagrada Familia from a distance, as well as an amazing skyline. I was nervous staying out of the country for my first time but the staff here made it a wonderful experience. I hope to be back some day!

I stayed here for my final two nights in Spain after three in Pamplona and walking the Camino…read moreFrances. I stayed in another Catalonia hotel in the Gothic quarter before the walk. For tourists, Atena is not tourist friendly. There is nothing touristy near by. With that said, this was an excellent hotel in every category. The front desk spoke English and tolerated my trying to speak Spanish. The breakfast for 10 Euro was a real deal and so much to choose from. The "snack bar" could use some updating. The food was ok, the service was excellent but the ambiance wreaked of no thought to it. There was a big screen tv at the end of the room at table level so if you weren't at the closest table, you couldn't see. The front desk was super helpful with finding touristy things to do and with suggestions on how to get to them. The pool was nice up on the roof top and the views up there were great. The only thing to change would be the gym opens too late at 8:00. It needs to be open at 6 AM or earlier. I never saw what is in it because I was busy but running on a treadmill and lifting weights would have been nice early. There is another Catalonia hotel in the old Gothic area that was much better located.

I couldn't say more how great this Hotel is! I've enjoyed every moment at this Hotel, as foreigners…read morein a new country the staff took us in as their own. We had a ton of questions and the staff went above and beyond to answer every question. When we asked how to get to places they gave us a map with the best and safest directions. How to get there, how to use the metro, when to order a cab tofeel Comfortable. Also, breakfast in thee morning was great! The food was great with a great cappuccino maker. I was down there at 10:15 and the staff worked and brought new food out til I left at 11 even though it closed at 10:30. They did not stop going above and beyond to make sure that we felt comfortable in their hotel, city and country! We appreciate the hotel and the staff, we would recommend this place to anyone!

The hotel is clean. Its your standard European Hotel. Free Internet, small TV, no safe in rooms,…read moreLobby does have a safe deposit box. This hotel is in the Poblenou neighborhood of which is a not as touristy. Lots of great local restaurants within 5 to 10 minutes of walk, metro 5 minute walk, and the beach is a 10-15 minute walk. Nice place just to crash for the night. No amenities. Breakfast is your typical Spanish fare.

The staff was really nice and the facilities were pretty good. The room was hot, even though I…read moreturned it down, my ceiling started leaking when I was taking a shower & some of the floorboards were loose.

Very welcoming folks in the lobby, they are so great! The bearded receptionist who assisted me went…read moreabove and beyond making sure I knew where to go, how to navigate around that area (I had not been in that particular area of Barcelona for years), how to go walking to the beach, where to eat, on top of informing of all amenities in the hotel itself. The hotel is very modern like most of the Melia I have had the opportunity to be at. I loved the color palette of lavenders, magentas and lilacs, it gives a very upbeat touch and I honestly would have loved to have more than just one night to enjoy all the good things in there. The room was very modern, ultra comfy bed, high end everything. The views of Barcelona skyline are amazing and the best of the best was the amazing breakfast. Only for that I almost killed the memory of my phone after taking so many photos...not only beautiful but abundant, with products from the land (like those delicious fuets and jamon) but also catering to other culture's tastes. Amazing experience. I loved so much, including the restaurant inside the premises, that deserves another review by itself. Very recommended, especially if you a female traveling alone, you will feel very welcome and safe.

HOTEL ILUNION in Barcelona was a pre-selected hotel for our tour group. Overall, it was a great…read morestay! Located in the El Poblenou area, which was well within walking distance to many restaurants, supermarkets, the beach, and its breakfast buffet was terrific! To La Ramblas, for example, the taxi fare was about 10 EUR. Otherwise, our group had a chartered bus to/from hotel, excursion to Montserrat, and to the train station. We felt safe and the staff were friendly and accommodating. The only issue we experienced was that the air conditioning was down on the first night of our stay (Room 304). So, we opened our windows, which was a bit warm & humid, and to our surprise the locals were up pretty late (through 4am on Sept 20th!). We just happened to be in Barcelona on their holiday weekend. A hot water kettle, mini fridge, and toiletries were available in the room. Laundry service is available through housekeeping (24hr turnaround), but no laundromat within walking distance. Would recommend to anyone staying in Barcelona!

If you are looking for a nice hotel in Barcelona that is outside of the most crowded tourist area…read morein a super cool neighborhood with great food options nearby AND it's affordable, this is the spot for you! The room was huge for traveling in Europe! We paid the extra €25 a night to upgrade to a suite with a balcony and it was 100% worth it. The bed was incredibly comfortable and the temperature control in the room worked very well. We even had a nice sofa and coffee table area we could stretch out in. There is a chill rooftop pool area with a view of the Mediterranean that I wanted to never leave. We were impressed with the amount of equipment in the gymn, and we made good use of that too. We also upgraded our reservation to include daily breakfast and were so glad we did. The breakfast is served buffet style and there was a ton of variety including fresh fruits, pastries, eggs/bacon/sausage, yogurt, oatmeal, charcuterie meats and cheeses. If you aren't feeling the buffet all you've gotta do is ask and they will cook you up a fresh hot plate to order. Jordi in the restaurant gave us wonderful service and made us feel at home. The only thing that bummed us out during our eight night stay was that halfway through some folks checked into the room next door that smoked non-stop on their balcony. We had to keep our balcony door shut whenever they were out there or it would draft right into our room. Of course this is outside of the hotel's control, and it seems like everyone in Europe smokes. It's almost impossible to escape it.