A friend's equest for a reccomendation for a B+B in Barcelona sent me on a search for our accomodations in August, 2012 and I was happy to locate the Marina View by Googling "Irish host" and "City Tour Bus" along with "Christopher Colon" along with Old Port and Las Ramblas. Bingo! Along with this, one could include Picasso, because in addition to being near the Picasso Museum, the young-ish Picasso stayed in this building in 1912 when he was pursuing a Russian ballerina. In fact, a famous Picasso image portrays the Colombus Statue in the distance with the wrought iron balcony of the B+B in the foreground.
It may have been a Grand Hotel in those days, but today, it is as you read on earlier reviews which escribe the set-up well; common stairwell and elevator with office and residential use. The facade from the street is neither attractive nor entirely safe-looking, as it presents a series of aging locked and shuttered or disused entries, but in a week's stay, we never once felt other than secure. Even in the heat of August, the AC kept our wee room comfortable and we were treated to a visit on Paddy's (the gracious manager) rooftop eire. We cannot imagine staying anywhwere else in Barcelona, as the Marina View is so central, quiet at night and if you score a room with that wrought iron balcony, you can channel Picasso all night long. read more