Feedback on the Barcelona HILTON?

[Lurontravel]

We have reservations at the Barcelona Hilton for two nights pre-crusie in May 05. Can anyone give me any feedback on the facility/location? Any must do's with young children in Barcelona? I read about a chocolate factory and an acquarium of some sort. What about the must do's for the grown-ups? TIA!

[BenBar1]

The Barcelona Hilton was a very nice hotel when we stayed there in 2001. We were treated very well (nice room and great concierge assistance) It is located in a nice neighborhood, and we were able to walk to the hop on hop off tourist bus which took us all over Barcelona to all the tourist attractions. Don't miss Park Guell, (kids would like it there) the Sagrada Familia, the Picasso Museum, Las Ramblas, and the other stops on the tourist bus. Barcelona is a wonderful city. We also enjoyed an evening at Cafe Andeluz for a great dinner and Flamenco show. If you have enough time, you would probably enjoy going to Montserrat and seeing the famous Black Madonna. It was a beautiful drive out to Montserrat and the monastery is fabulous. If you time it well, you may get to hear the famous boys' choir, too. There is a great museum on the premises as well. Enjoy your trip to Barcelona.

[Lurontravel]

Thanks for the quick feedback. Read your response yesterday as I started to cook dinner, and didn't have a chance to reply until now. According to the map, it looks like it's a bit of an out-of-the-way hotel, I guess that we'll be taking the metro a bit (guess that's a small price to pay for getting a room free on points). Parc Guell sounds like a perfect place for the little ones to get their wiggles out (and pretty cool to check out too). Do you know of any public transportation (ie train) to Montserrat? I don't have the link to look up the train schedule for Spain (only found Italy so far), and would love to have it. Glad that you reminded me of Montserrat, my parents went there a few years ago and they really enjoyed it, and at the time told us that when we go to Barcelona someday not to miss it.

[Bruin Steve]

We stayed at the Barcelona Hilton a few years back, but, frankly, I do NOT recommend it...

It is a very nice hotel with nice guest rooms...The public areas were really not that impressive...We stayed there on that particular trip because 1) They have an underground parking garage and we had a rental car with us, and 2) We were there over Christmas Eve/Christmas and were afraid of being near things which may be shut down over the holidays...and the Hilton's buffet (overpriced, but open) was open...

 

The main reason I don't like the Hilton is LOCATION...It's just too far from the main tourist sites (like I said, we had a CAR)...

 

My personal preference in Barcelona is to stay as near as possible to the Placa Catalunya...either in the Eixample along Corts de Catalan or Passieg de Gracia or at the Placa/northern end of Las Ramblas...This approximate location will put you within walking distance of all of the main sites worth visiting...and a short, simple bus ride from others (like Park Guell...a straight shot on a public bus right up Passieg de Gracia)...It also puts you very close to El Corte Ingles, the great Barcelona Department Store (right on the Placa) with its outstanding basement supermarket--THE place to buy drinks, snacks and bottled water without getting ripped off...

 

Last time we visited, we stayed at the Gran Havana on Corts de Catalan--which was excellent...Le Meridian is a good shot as well and perfectly located...

 

The Placa Catalunya is the hub of all public transportation in Barcelona and is also the center of night life...the place gets jumping in the evenings...

 

There are a large number of restaurant choices as well...including McDonalds and Burger King for the kids...

 

What to see?

1) Sagrada Familia--absolutely the most spectacular work of architecture in the world...

2) Park Guell...but don't think of it as a "park" for the kids...it is a work of ART...Gaudi at his most bizarre...

3) Casa Mila...including the Gaudi Museum and the fantistic otherworldly roof...don't miss going up to the roof...

4) Casa Batllo...Gaudi's idea of a house...not like the one YOU live in, I'll bet...

5) Las Ramblas...the walking promenade...Miss it and you've missed Barcelona...

 

If you have time:

6) The Gothic Quarter...and the old Cathedral...it's old Barcelona...there's also a museum in this area...and the Palau de Musico is pretty neat...

7) Montjuic...views of the city plus the Olympics facilities...

 

Mostly, just enjoy the city itself

 

Have fun...

 

EDIT: PS. Just reread carefully and see you're getting the Hilton for free on points...Well, I guess free is free...You can't beat that...Worth putting up with a little inconvenience for that...