Which hotel would you choose?

[jhawks]

We are arriving 2 days precruise into Barcelona & are looking at either the Hotel Continental or Hotel Granvia. We don't need frills, but want a decent safe place to stay. We are wanting to do the Hop on Hop off bus tour & are thinking about arriving to the hotel via the Aerobus. Which hotel would you choose & why?

Thanks for replies!

[slidergirl]

Your description (no frills, clean and safe) would be what I would use for the Continental. Definitely no frills, but it was clean (I'm a freak about that) and safe. Just be sure you aren't put off by screaming pink everything in a room (including the walls!).

[Eileen G]

We have stayed at the Hotel Continental four times because we really like the location. We are basicly looking for a clean comfortable place to sleep. We also enjoy their mini all day buffet which is great for a snack or light lunch. The people at the front desk are always so helpful and have great maps of Barcelona. It is very close to the airport bus and we even walk down La Rambla with our luggage to the port bus to get to the ship.

[D&N LUV 2 TRAVEL]

Was it noisy staying at the Continental ? I have heard horror stoies about huge parties on La Rambla after big soccer matches in May. Just wondering if this is isolated incident or the norm.

 

We have stayed at the Hotel Continental four times because we really like the location. We are basicly looking for a clean comfortable place to sleep. We also enjoy their mini all day buffet which is great for a snack or light lunch. The people at the front desk are always so helpful and have great maps of Barcelona. It is very close to the airport bus and we even walk down La Rambla with our luggage to the port bus to get to the ship.

[Eileen G]

We were there after Barcelona won the championship but we always take an inside room so no problem.

[jhawks]

Thanks for the replies!

Is one closer than the other for the Hop on Hop off Bus?

What about using the Aerobus? Are they both about the same distance from the Aerobus stop?

[slidergirl]

I was there at the Continental one of those nights post-soccer game in May. Only several hundred folks that time. It wasn't bad. It was actually kind of fun to sit on the balcony for awhile and watch and listen to them. When I went to bed, I kept the balcony door open (but closed the curtains) and let the serenading fans lull me to sleep.

Really, I wouldn't worry about it.

[Eileen G]

I looked up the location of the Hotel Granvia and it is a little further from the Areobus and a bit more from the HOHO bus. The HOHO is very close to the Continental. The reviews seem to be similar so I would pick Continental for it's better location.

[jhawks]

Thanks Everyone! That's the conclusion we had come to as well.

[elsplace2]

We have stayed at the Hotel Continental four times because we really like the location. We are basicly looking for a clean comfortable place to sleep. We also enjoy their mini all day buffet which is great for a snack or light lunch. The people at the front desk are always so helpful and have great maps of Barcelona. It is very close to the airport bus and we even walk down La Rambla with our luggage to the port bus to get to the ship.

 

 

Where do you pick up the port bus? And how long did it take you to walk down Las Rambla to the port bus? Do you look alittle out of place walking down with luggage or is there a lot of people doing this?

[Eileen G]

Where do you pick up the port bus? And how long did it take you to walk down Las Rambla to the port bus? Do you look alittle out of place walking down with luggage or is there a lot of people doing this?

 

You get the port bus across the street from the Columbas Monument. It takes about 15-20 minutes to walk to the end of La Rambla. There are plenty of people walking with luggage so you really don't look out of place. It could be a problem if it is really hot and very crowded. When we did it, it was May and Sept on beautiful days. If you head to the port about 11AM it shouldn't be too crowded. The port bus is blue with PORT BUS written on the side. It will stop at each ship. It costs 2 euro PP. You can pay the driver then ask him to open the back door so you can get your luggage in easily. There are empty places for luggage.

[elsplace2]

You get the port bus across the street from the Columbas Monument. It takes about 15-20 minutes to walk to the end of La Rambla. There are plenty of people walking with luggage so you really don't look out of place. It could be a problem if it is really hot and very crowded. When we did it, it was May and Sept on beautiful days. If you head to the port about 11AM it shouldn't be too crowded. The port bus is blue with PORT BUS written on the side. It will stop at each ship. It costs 2 euro PP. You can pay the driver then ask him to open the back door so you can get your luggage in easily. There are empty places for luggage.

 

 

Thanks for the quick reply....we haven't picked a hotel yet...but I know you stayed at Hotel Continental...we are planning on staying somewhere near Placa Catalunya....which I assume is the end of La Rambla....I'm not sure where Hotel Continental is in reference to this...but is it still about 15-20....because we are going in May and we do enjoy walking....but if it's much over 30 min. my DH, may say let's take a cab or something.

[Eileen G]

Hotel Continental is on La Rambla just before Placa Catalunya. We have walked with our luggage to and from the port bus three times and I have enjoyed the walk each time. Just make sure you can handle your luggage for that distance. Our first trip we took a cab from the port and it was 15 euros as long as the taxi driver is honest and the traffic isn't too bad.

[slidergirl]

I agree with Eileen G. The walk from the aerobus at Placa Catalunya to the Continental is short and flat. It's maybe 5 minutes or a little more. Walking down La Rambla from PC, it will be on your left.

[elsplace2]

Good to know! Thanks for the info! Looks like we will be walking! Weather permitting, that is!

[elsplace2]

Hotel Continental is on La Rambla just before Placa Catalunya. We have walked with our luggage to and from the port bus three times and I have enjoyed the walk each time. Just make sure you can handle your luggage for that distance. Our first trip we took a cab from the port and it was 15 euros as long as the taxi driver is honest and the traffic isn't too bad.

 

 

From what I understand alot of things are closed on Sundays. Will the port buses be running on a Sunday? Somebody mentioned the port buses were not running on the day they arrived from a cruise, but she didn't say why.

[Eileen G]

Only some stores are closed on Sunday like Ingles and the outdoor market. The port bus runs every day there is a ship in port. One time when we were on Azamara (only 650 passangers), we were embarking and the only ship in port, the port bus was not behind the Columbas Monument. We had to walk one block to the port entrance to pick it up. In May on Disney we were the only ship(2500 passangers) and embarking but we got the bus behind the monument. The bus is not only for passangers but also for the crew.

[elsplace2]

One last question....Jhawks I hope you don't mind me asking all of this on your thread. I was hoping you would get more responses on hotels, because we haven't chose one yet. Out of curiosity why did you narrow it down to those 2? I was looking at H10 Catulunya Plaza which is right there at the plaza.....but prices haven't come out yet for our time frame....so far the few reviews I've read on trip advisor, looks promising....hopefully the price is right....but I was also looking at the Hotel Continental, too, but those furnishings and all that pink.....I don't know??

 

Anyway, EileenG do you know how often the port bus comes around and I assume they pick up at the port when the ship arrives back in port....and I assume they pick you up at the same spot they dropped us off at?

 

Do you need exact change when you get on board, or will they have change, if necessary? OK, OK, I had more then one question!! lol

[H2Otstr]

Hotel Continental IS PINK !!!

 

(Thanks Jill for taking this photo )

[slidergirl]

Hotel Continental IS PINK !!!

 

(Thanks Jill for taking this photo )

 

Yep, it's pink. Pink walls, pink comforter, pink chairs, etc. I thought I was in a bordello... If you can get past the pink, it's an OK place...

[Eileen G]

One last question....Jhawks I hope you don't mind me asking all of this on your thread. I was hoping you would get more responses on hotels, because we haven't chose one yet. Out of curiosity why did you narrow it down to those 2? I was looking at H10 Catulunya Plaza which is right there at the plaza.....but prices haven't come out yet for our time frame....so far the few reviews I've read on trip advisor, looks promising....hopefully the price is right....but I was also looking at the Hotel Continental, too, but those furnishings and all that pink.....I don't know??

 

Anyway, EileenG do you know how often the port bus comes around and I assume they pick up at the port when the ship arrives back in port....and I assume they pick you up at the same spot they dropped us off at?

 

Do you need exact change when you get on board, or will they have change, if necessary? OK, OK, I had more then one question!! lol

 

 

The port bus runs frequently. Usually there is always one at the monument and when the next one arrives the one waiting leaves. The more ships in port the more buses they have running. The driver will give you change but I wouldn't give him anything large. We gave him a five for the two of us. When you get off the ship just look for the blue bus. If you don't see it just ask someone where to get it. It should be along the curb not in the parking spaces with the excursion buses.

[Adsmama]

one quick question on the hotel continental-- is the buffet any good? or is it pretty nasty? I just was hoping for some yogurt at breakfast, some drinks at cocktail hour, etc. Cappucino, etc?

[fnewman]

We recently stayed for a couple of days at the Hesperia del port and were very satisfied. It is on Parel.lel, but still a reasonable walk from the bus stop mentioned. We did not eat their breakfast (plenty of places just down the street for less $$) but I know they offerred a full or continential breakfast options.

[Eileen G]

one quick question on the hotel continental-- is the buffet any good? or is it pretty nasty? I just was hoping for some yogurt at breakfast, some drinks at cocktail hour, etc. Cappucino, etc?

 

I think the buffet is OK. They seem to keep it clean. For breakfast there are hard boiled eggs and they make some kind of a egg dish. I believe there is a large bowl of yogert and they have fresh fruit. There is nice fresh bread and some cereal. The OJ is more like Tang. There are wine despensers, a soda fountian with Pepsi and 7up and beer. There is a milk soft serve machine that's pretty good with topings. They also have a Coffee machine but I don't know if cappucino was a choice. During the day they also have meat sauce, raveoli, mixed veggies, potatoes, rice, pasta, and a few other things that are kept cold and you heat them in the microwave.

[slidergirl]

I do believe the coffee machine did cappuccino. The machine was broken 2 of our mornings, so they had put out some instant to tide us over until it was fixed. For the OJ, I found that it was better if I added a little water to it - it seemed too concentrated/sweet for me. If you don't mind generic wine or beer, they have them "on tap" for your cocktail needs. For breakfast, they did have yogurt in a communal bowl (common in Europe), the hard-boiled eggs, some fruit (usually kiwi, melon, pineapple), and the egg-kind of dish was a tortilla, I believe (the Spanish tortilla, NOT the flat bread thing we think of). And, there is toast and croissants. If you want some dessert, there is also a kind of soft-serve ice cream with some chocolate or caramel you can put on it.