BCN hotel with young kids - Novotel vs Universal?

[MandyGirl]

Hello! First trip to Barcelona, arriving about 7AM from New York City. I'm still keeping an eye out for hotels and have one booked, but keep second-guessing myself. We will be here two nights prior to our transatlantic cruise.

 

Current rates for our dates (two nights) - two adults, one child turning 5 years old, one child under age two - including breakfast:

- Novotel Barcelona City - #74 of 564 on TripAdvisor - 285 USD (cannot cxl)

- Barcelona Universal Hotel - #21 of 564 on TripAdvisor - equates to 375 USD (can cancel)

 

Knowing we are traveling with children and plan to sightsee, is there one you would choose over the other?

 

Thank you in advance! :)

[hubofhockey]

have you considered a more central hotel like hotel regina? it allows for three or four in a room.

[riffatsea]

On Trip Advisor the info in the reviews is more important than the "popularity" number. Since you are traveling with children your needs are different from singles or couples or businessmen so the number is really meaningless for you.

I am confused though by your question since one of your reservations canNOT be cancelled I don't see why you are asking about other hotels????

The Novotel will be fine although not in the area mentioned above near Placa Catalunya.

I don't particularly like the Universal's location.

My suggestion to all first time visitors is that they stay close to Placa Catalunya but you are close to Glories which has metro, a mall etc. It is more of a locals neighborhood which you may like.

[riffatsea]

Just realized I may have misunderstood your post.

IF you mean that you have NOT booked the Novotel BUT it has a NON cancelleable rate then I would say book the other hotel or find a new one closer to Placa Catalunya.

I would NEVER pay for the hotel before I arrive.

Too many things can happen!! There is nothing really wrong with the location of the Barcelona Universal it is just not where I would like to be.

[Kerry's Girls]

Because you have the kids, you may like where we stayed as a family, the Hispanos Siete Suiza. It's an apartment hotel, so you get the kitchen, which was great for us to keep milk and snacks for the kids, but what was really nice was the location right near a park (across from Sagrada Familia) for letting off some steam and also close to the metro, Hop On/Hop Off, lots of take-aways and casual restaurants.

 

Best,

Mia

[MandyGirl]

I am confused though by your question since one of your reservations canNOT be cancelled I don't see why you are asking about other hotels????

 

Those were rate quotes in those situations... a reservation has NOT been made at a non-cancellable hotel. That was merely to show pricing as of today.

 

We are skeptical to make a non-cancellable reservation due to a family member with stage 3-4 brain cancer, so trip insurance (that we purchased at time of booking cruise) may come into play this trip.

[MandyGirl]

Just realized I may have misunderstood your post.

IF you mean that you have NOT booked the Novotel BUT it has a NON cancelleable rate then I would say book the other hotel or find a new one closer to Placa Catalunya.

I would NEVER pay for the hotel before I arrive.

Too many things can happen!! There is nothing really wrong with the location of the Barcelona Universal it is just not where I would like to be.

 

Now I just saw this post! Yes - this post is correct. As I just stated, we very very rarely make non-cancellable hotel reservations as nobody has even guaranteed me that I'll still be around an hour from now! Those were merely price quotes.

 

We are trying to stay in the $150-175 per night range with just one room for this portion of the trip. Other places we have looked at only allow three (not four) persons, even when one is under age two (mainly in Italy, but some in Barcelona). I know there are many hotels available, but these two in particular have popped up on various cruise boards as being great for families.

 

There is also the possibility I will be traveling alone with my children and my husband joining on a later flight as he is flying standby - so safety is a definite concern. If it were just him and I traveling in Europe with our backpacks, that is one thing, but I will be with my children possibly by myself (and we have traveled that way domestically with no problems).

 

I have the reservation at Universal, but someone mentioned Novotel yet again, and I started wondering if it is really worth the overall $100 USD difference. And of course rates change.

 

Several key things that jumped out to me about Universal reviews on TripAdvisor was their willingness to accommodate early arrivals. That appeared in several reviews.

[MandyGirl]

Because you have the kids' date=' you may like where we stayed as a family, the Hispanos Siete Suiza. It's an apartment hotel, so you get the kitchen, which was great for us to keep milk and snacks for the kids, but what was really nice was the location right near a park (across from Sagrada Familia) for letting off some steam and also close to the metro, Hop On/Hop Off, lots of take-aways and casual restaurants.

 

Best,

Mia[/quote']

 

Hi! Yes, I had looked at those previously, but they were above our price range. This trip will have us away from home a little over 3 weeks (including pre- and post- cruise) so we are having to look at each component on a budget. I have definitely read great things about that property!

[MandyGirl]

have you considered a more central hotel like hotel regina? it allows for three or four in a room.

 

Thanks for the suggestion! I had not looked at that previously. For our two nights, it looks like $490 plus VAT, so above our target price range (aiming for $150-175 per night).

[hubofhockey]

Thanks for the suggestion! I had not looked at that previously. For our two nights, it looks like $490 plus VAT, so above our target price range (aiming for $150-175 per night).

 

There are two basic problems for those of us with kids looking for hotels in Barcelona. The first is that it's hard to find rooms in Barcelona for more than two people. The second is that most charge extra for each additional person.

 

We actually got a very good rate for this hotel because we prepaid and are staying three nights. I think we are at 118 euros per night (we got discounts for booking three nights and prepaying. we don't mind prepaying since insurance will cover us if we cancel our trip) and the rate you are looking at is 180. Add in another 8% VAT and I can see your price of $245. It may be money well spent though. It's a good location that will limit walking and use of public transportation and taxis.

 

Good luck with your hotel booking.

[riffatsea]

Mandygirl, What are your dates?

IF you will be alone with your children then the area around Placa Catalunya is really the ideal one for ease of getting around. I'd make the res at Barcelona Universal(since you can cancel it) and then look around some more. I noticed that you asked this question on Trip Advisor and my good friend there told you she booked it herself last year for travel alone with her son.

[hubofhockey]

If you pre-pay the Regina, there is a 10% discount if you book two nights. So that gets your price down to 162 euros per night or 175 with VAT. That's $240 per night with all taxes. That's pretty good for a decent hotel in Barcelona, especially Place Catalunya. Barcelona Universal appears to be a 15-20 walk to Place Catalunya. But, if that is in your budget, as Riffatseas suggests, it might be a good choice too. You should check with the hotel directly or attempt to book with two adults and two kids. Most hotels will not allow four in a room. Just a reminder as we may have looked at the the Universal and discovered that problem. I remember liking it because of the rooftop pool. For some reason, it didn't make sense with four people.

 

 

For two days, many of the things to do and places you want to see are an easy walk. With your little ones, I would suggest going to Casa Batllo. It is a Gaudi house that fascinates both young and old. It is nearby. Ramblas and Boqueria would be also be close. Parc Guell would be a 7 euro taxi ride, as would the Magic Fountain. Those are the things that I would put on a list for families with kids. Our kids will see those things this summer.

[MandyGirl]

Mandygirl, What are your dates?

IF you will be alone with your children then the area around Placa Catalunya is really the ideal one for ease of getting around. I'd make the res at Barcelona Universal(since you can cancel it) and then look around some more. I noticed that you asked this question on Trip Advisor and my good friend there told you she booked it herself last year for travel alone with her son.

 

Yep! Posted them about the same time on both boards with copy/paste - and liked that reply I read on TA. I had made the cancellable Universal rsvp 2-3 months ago, then thought I would double-check rates last night to see if any had dropped for this portion of the trip. While there are other hotels that look lovely and can accommodate four in one room, we just have a budget to stick to and had narrowed it down to the two hotels in my OP. We also looked at apartments, but most require a minimum of three nights, and we will only be in Barcelona for two nights.

 

A major appeal about Universal is that transportation is literally right outside the door. We have no qualms about using public transportation, and have used it in other parts of Europe previously prior to children. We'll actually be spending the previous few days in NYC.

 

Another couple on my cruise is on our same flight and same hotel, so we talked about coordinating transportation. DH has a great chance of being on the same flight, and if not, another nonstop leaves 30 minutes later on a different carrier, more nonstops a few hours later, or just connect in London or Paris to arrive a few hours after us. Lots of choices on various airlines he can fly on with his employee status. I don't foresee me spending days in Barcelona without him - maybe possibly just having to go from airport to hotel by ourselves (or with the other couple my age on our flight). I know she is also keeping an eye on hotel rates.

 

Thanks for everyone's input! I really appreciate it. :)

[MandyGirl]

If you pre-pay the Regina, there is a 10% discount if you book two nights. So that gets your price down to 162 euros per night or 175 with VAT. That's $240 per night with all taxes. That's pretty good for a decent hotel in Barcelona, especially Place Catalunya. Barcelona Universal appears to be a 15-20 walk to Place Catalunya. But, if that is in your budget, as Riffatseas suggests, it might be a good choice too. You should check with the hotel directly or attempt to book with two adults and two kids. Most hotels will not allow four in a room. Just a reminder as we may have looked at the the Universal and discovered that problem. I remember liking it because of the rooftop pool. For some reason, it didn't make sense with four people.

 

 

For two days, many of the things to do and places you want to see are an easy walk. With your little ones, I would suggest going to Casa Batllo. It is a Gaudi house that fascinates both young and old. It is nearby. Ramblas and Boqueria would be also be close. Parc Guell would be a 7 euro taxi ride, as would the Magic Fountain. Those are the things that I would put on a list for families with kids. Our kids will see those things this summer.

 

Thanks! Having the child under age 2 is what allows us to book the triple room with crib. If over age 2, then that property would not have worked. Some hotels have also had a minimum age to even stay in rooms. We laugh because I am sure our hotel room in NYC is smaller, and four is no problem there. Different standards across the pond. I even checked a Renaissance property, and we were told on the phone the infant is counted as a full adult, so we could not book that property for just one room. How many times do we all four end up in one king size bed at our own home... LOL.

 

I appreciate your tidbits of things to see with the kiddos! I know I'll have my spreadsheet detailed by the time we leave. :D

[MandyGirl]

There are two basic problems for those of us with kids looking for hotels in Barcelona. The first is that it's hard to find rooms in Barcelona for more than two people. The second is that most charge extra for each additional person.

 

We actually got a very good rate for this hotel because we prepaid and are staying three nights. I think we are at 118 euros per night (we got discounts for booking three nights and prepaying. we don't mind prepaying since insurance will cover us if we cancel our trip) and the rate you are looking at is 180. Add in another 8% VAT and I can see your price of $245. It may be money well spent though. It's a good location that will limit walking and use of public transportation and taxis.

 

Good luck with your hotel booking.

 

Thanks! And yes - for our two nights there - it converted to $490 USD plus 8% which would be about $530 total... or $265 per night. We could do prepayment because we have trip insurance, but it only covers 75% of noncancellable costs. I think the most we have ever paid for a hotel room is $180, and even less for lakefront view at Bellagio the times we have stayed there. I do think I read somewhere that September is one of the peak months in Barcelona. Hopefully that means great weather! :D

[wcook]

For what it's worth... after reading every review I could find for "family friendly" hotels in Barcelona, I booked the Novotel for our trip in June. The rate was great and the hotel will meet all our needs. I like that it's new. I like the rooftop pool and deck. I like that it's near transportation and a mall. No, it's not in the heart of everything... but it's central enough for our needs. And I've found over the years that good access to transportation is more important to me than being right in the center of things.

We went with the non-refundable rate since it was so cheap. I'm not worried about that aspect. I don't expect to find a better deal, so won't be switching hotels. And if the trip gets called off, we have trip insurance.

We didn't get the breakfast. Reviews are good, but it's a bit pricey and I'd rather get out and going than eat a big meal in our hotel.

Good luck with whatever your choice.

[hubofhockey]

Thanks! And yes - for our two nights there - it converted to $490 USD plus 8% which would be about $530 total... or $265 per night. We could do prepayment because we have trip insurance, but it only covers 75% of noncancellable costs. I think the most we have ever paid for a hotel room is $180, and even less for lakefront view at Bellagio the times we have stayed there. I do think I read somewhere that September is one of the peak months in Barcelona. Hopefully that means great weather! :D

 

Mandy, it sounds like you have your bases covered. If you can get into the Universal at a favorable rate, that's what I would do. Our kids are older (13 & 11) and all of this stuff with kids, room limits, and higher rates caught us off guard. It really cut down our choices, especially considering we wanted a central location. I think you are pretty close to that area (may be 10 minutes at most) with the Universal and you get the pool to cool off. I know others have mentioned the hotel near Sagrada Familia. But I'd much rather be near Place Catalunya where the Universal is. Have fun and enjoy Barcelona.