Name: Astoria hotel
Address: Paris, 203, Barcelona, 08036
Telephone: +34932098311

Lala

Centrally located

I stayed at this hotel for a few days in July 2008, as I was going to Barcelona to see the Springteen concert at the Camp Nou. It is a 3-star hotel belonging to the Derby chain. It has a great location, witin walking distance of Rambla Catalonia and Paseo de Gracia, and is close to several city bus lines, Metro (blue and green lines) and taxis (at the door). It is in the most central, touristy area of Barcelona, with plenty bars, cafes, and restaurants nearby - although be aware that the prices are quite high.

The hotel was great, and we were very comfortable. We arrived early, and as there were no rooms available, we left our luggage at reception. The entrance and reception area is very wide and luxurious, all spotless, freshly-polished marble, with leather sofas and walls covered with beautiful paintings. It was decorated with antiques, as this hotel chain has links to the Egyptian Museum, and guests could get free tickets to the museum (we didn't have enough time to go). From here, we went to the little bar and restaurant. Our room, on the 4th floor, was quite spacious, equipped with the typical: Two 90cm beds together, wardrobe, a desk and an armchair. The television was on the wall and was flat screen. The decor was simple but functional, and the furniture was dark wood.

Given my intolerance to noise and the location of this hotel, we had asked to stay overlooking the quiet courtyard. The only problem was the broken thermostat, as we had no way to turn down the air conditioning, which was quite cold; sometimes, we found it better to turn it off entirely. There are radiators for winter, wifi, and a small gym with sauna. The bathroom was all marble and very spacious with a bathtub wall to wall, wc, bidet and a huge counter with recessed sink, with more than enough space to store your toiletries.

There's a rooftop terrace with some chairs and umbrellas next to a small pool. One of the advantages the hotel offers (besides the tickets to the Egyptian Museum) was renting a free Smart vehicle. I can't talk about breakfast, as we only booked the room, but the buffet cost 13 euros, and I don't think it would be worth it as there are so many cafes in the neighbourhood. Indeed, I recommend the cafe right next door, with very reasonably priced food. We paid 100 euros for a night, which isn't exactly a bargain, but it was the city centre, and July...