Hotel Barcelona Universal - Barcelona

We booked this hotel because of the positive reviews we had read before booking. It lived up to expectations. The only negatives were a cracked mirror and a slightly damaged washbasin but it was still fully serviceable. The room was a good size and the maid service was excellent. Every time we went to the desk for information the staff were extremely helpful and nothing was too much for them. The location is perfect. Yes there are run down streets not far from the hotel but that would apply to most hotels in Barcelona; it's that sort of city.We did not eat in the hotel beacause youy are spoilt for choice at half the price at venues within five minutes walk of the hotel. The facilities on the roof; pool , gym and solarium are nothing special but OK to unwind before the evening expedition to explore the city by night. We would not look anywhere else if we went back to Barcelona.

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Easy 8-15 min walk to Las Ramblas, Barrio Gotico, Plaza Cataluna; Metro station right in front and on main taxi and bus lines. Clean comfortable rooms. Our few interactions with staff were very helpful/courteous; did not eat at their restaurant. Free WiFi and newspaper. Definitely would go back. 9/9/09

Only english speaking tv station was CNBC which is all business / stock market. Very boring after about a minute. We could only listen to the instrumental music station. They didn't even have BBCA which could be an alternative.

This hotel is in an excellent location but the staff were quite abrupt and not very welcoming (though we did stay there towards the end of the tourist season - perhaps they were just fed up!). We thought it was good value for money; but not QUITE a four-star experience.

If you want Water,soda,wine or beer you can buy it for much less at the small supermarkets three to four blocks away from the hotel ie. four 1.5 liter bottles of water for two euros,as opposed to 1.5 euros for 12oz bottle. There is no english speaking TV in the hotel. Bring a DVD player with movies Especially if you have children!!!! Be carefull at the restaurants. They charge for everything including bread. They also Tend too be dishonest reveiw your bill before paying. Also, I did not know this, but you dont tip in europe like in the states. I was told you do not leave a tip especially not 20%. I did not find out until the end of my stay. Hope this helps with your vacation.

Every thing which has been written about his hotel is true. The beds are hard, but I slept great. Stay on the top floors and you will not have a noise problem. The front desk staff is a little rude, but the rest of the staff was very pleasant. you will not get in your room before 3:00 pm so bring a swim suit in your carry on. you can use the pool or go to the beach. The beach is ten minutes away and is very nice and safe. Take a taxi its about seven euros and is worth it. The front desk staff worried us needlessly, by telling us the beach was full of pick-pockets. We found a beach full of tourists.

Large clean hotel with very professional and friendly service. Subway entrance just outside, 2 stops to get to Las Ramblas, the main harbor, and elsewhere, so no need to walk through dark streets at night. Good cheap restaurants with booze and many other hotels next door on surprisingly lively Parallel Ave. The 4th restaurant down has great veal milanese. Avoid eating on Las Ramblas as all the restaurants are mediocre and expensive. The wifi did not work in the room, but they have free wifi for laptops in the lobby, and 2 free computers available with internet. In-room safe and minibar. Comfy beds and tv with many channels, including several business and in English. Clean bathroom with toiletries. We stayed here last year, and this year a quick browse through the hotel sites made my choice easy. We like this hotel alot, especially for the price. As for the area being sketchy, Las Ramblas has hookers after 11:00pm, this area does NOT. Don't believe the bad reviews.

Great room and excellent service

We stayed at Hotel Barcelona for our honeymoon and enjoyed the quick access to the metro (right outside the hotels front door) and the short walk (under 5 minutes) to La Ramblas. There are some nice dinning options right around the hotel. The pool is nice, though it was often crowded, hard to find chairs on a few afternoons. I would stay here again.

The hotel is on top of a metro station...that's very convenient, but also VERY ugly. You have to either walk up a dirty outdoor stairway or try to find a poorly lit dirty elevator....the hotel looks like it was designed in the 50os and never updated and the furniture is chipped and not so clean...it's also not sound proofed and you hear EVERYTHING from the hallway....didn't seem like there were alot of people there so it didn't get too noisy.

The hotel is superbly located just outside paral.lel metro station. The staff were friendly and very helpful when we had a problem with some property lost at the airport. The pool, although small, was a welcome amenity and the solarium on the roof had a great view of the city. The only problem we had was that our room (615) was inward facing so the window faced a 'courtyard'. This meant that there was very little day light in the room which made it difficult to tell if it was night or day. They had compensated for this with lots of lights which were effective but not the same as sunshine!!!

The hotel was fab- very clean, the service was great. Ideal location for the Rambas and other areas. we will definately stay in this hotel agian.

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We were on a pre-cruise overnight stay. Convenient access to city’s underground metro for exploring. The hotel is walking distance to tourist destination such as La Ramba and short taxi ride to the cruise terminals. Although our room faced the busy street, but the noise level was tolerable. Front desk staff was excellent and were very helpful.

Hotel is next to a very sketchy neighborhood. Quick walk to La Rambla but through sketchy, narrow streets. Not the best neighborhood at night, especially for youth and families. Hotel does have a rooftop pool but it is poorly maintained. The front desk is knowledgeable but not accommodating. No wifi access in the hotel even though it's advertised. Not close to major bus or metro stops. The official Barcelona tour buses are almost a mile walk from the hotel. Awful restaurants near the hotel.

Staff could have been a lot more helpful and friendly

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My husband and I stayed in this hotel for a short break without the children it was ideal for a couple, although not sure I'd take young children! The hotel is ideally located to the rambles, new town and old port all of which are in walking distance it's also very easy to get to from the airport as the metro station is right outside the hotel door as is the funicular railway which takes you up to Mount Juic for fantastic views of Barcelona. The pool is small but we only had time to go in it once and it was very clean with plenty of free towels, it's also a perfect sun trap for if you want a few hours sunbathing. The staff were very pleasant and helpful, the room was huge!!! and spotless while the bed had to be the biggest I'd ever slept in!! I wouldn't have the breakfast as its expensive and there are plenty of little cafe's selling delicious pasteries nearby especially 'Dino' which is about a 5min walk towards the old port.

I picked this hotel mostly because of its good average rating on this site, however when we tried to check in at about 14.30 on our day of arrival they still did not have our room ready and were not even slightly apologetic about it. The lady at the desk was quite rude and less than helpful, as were the bell boys who just watched us carry our own bags to the luggage storage! When we did eventually get our room later, it was clean and there were no problems. The location of the hotel is just ok. It is close to Las Ramblas, but in a seedy end of town with sex shops and strip clubs close by.

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Value for money hotel on the periphery of a slightly edgy area at the endof Nou Ramblas. Felt safe enough at night in a group but would not want to walk alone but that probably goes for most parts of Barcelona. Reception staff friendly, good sized room, small bar in lobby but no service, small pool and some deckchairs available on 10th floor roof terrace - very pleasant. Our request for extra pillows was met quickly. Would I stay again - yes.

Nice hotel with a good location close to major attractions. The staff was very helpful and most spoke English. Overall, it was a pleasant place to stay and a good value. The rooftop pool was a plus.

The hotel staff is professional. The room we received was extra roomy for European standard. The only thing I wish they would include with the prices is breakfast, as this is a standard, customary expectation with most European hotels. For breakfast the price is too steep for what you receive. Also, for those who do not have cell phones, be careful of making calls to mobile numbers in Europe or to the States. The rates aren't published by the hotel. We were in for a shock when it came time for check out. The charges were astronomical!

This hotel was rated as as a four star hotel. I would say 3 1/2. It looks nice, but everything is very cheap inside and the beds where not comfortable. I also had trouble sleeping because of something irritating my skin. Not sure if it was the soap for the sheets, but I had to move onto the couch due to excessive itching! The sheets smelled awful also. Kinda like bleach. The staff was great and the location was great. It just needed some good beds and fresh sheets and it would be a 4 star.

Could not sleep all night was too noisy windows were not insulated enough.

We were upgraded to a suite so maybe this tainted my view but an amazing hotel in a great location for a budget price highly recommended

Helpful and friendly English-speaking staff, happy to point out directions and points of interest on the map. Excellent price, clean, attention to detail. The neighborhood is alright, nothing fancy, but it's a quick 10 min walk to La Rambla or down to the seafront. But I wouldn't walk by myself at night too far down south - it gets kinda scummy.

This is a great little property in Barcelona that is located only 1 1/2 blocks off of Las Ramblas - a must see. This street has a little of everything from arts & crafts to food and shopping. It is easy to get to the Barcelona Universal and easy to get around while you are there. An extremely good value for the price - one of the best values we have found! Our stay was highlighted by being in Barcelona the night of the victory of Barcelona's "football" (soccer) team over Manchester United - what a night of celebration all over Barcelona!! A great city with great people.

Stayed here from May28-June11 2009, hotel staff was friendly and very efficient. Room was a great size and came with everything needed. Awesome little pool/sundeck with 360 views of the city. Only complaint would be the comfort of the bed, rough top throw and hard lumpy mattress. Now that I know more about the city, I would probably stay at a hotel or rent an apartment for cheaper in a more hip neighborhood where I would feel comfortable wandering at night. El Born has some great spots. Hotel Barcelona Universal is RIGHT in front of the Paral-lel metro, so it was extremely convenient and easy to get around. Oh yeah, free wi-fi!

We wanted a clean safe, hotel in a good location for a good price, and that is exactly what we got. The hotel was a brief walk to Las Ramblas and was right on top of the Metro. The rooftop pool and sundeck with incredible views of the city was a cherry on top, although the pool was really just a soaking pool. The room was pretty small, but the bathroom was big by European standards. If you don't plan on spending all day in your room, this is a great place to stay.

The room we was given was very clean and met our standards. The only down side was that there was construction work going on across the road which was very noisy. The hotel has a pool on the tenth floor which was really good. Although we were told the hotel was near the Las Rambles, this was not the case. However Las Rambles was only three stop away on the train.

Hotel was very clean and the service was excellent. The reception staff were very helpful and informative. Excellent facilities.

The location of the hotel is in a very busy area, even if your away from the front you can still hear the traffic and the noise. The service from the staff is very good, I do wish they advised us on key things, like the air con is by the door above where you put your card in for power. Would of been nice to get a reminder about watching personal belongings in the city (may of thought about what I was doing and not gotten pickpocketed...who knows). The noise that you can hear from other guests is unbelievable, doors banging, u can even hear their showers. It's not well insulated. I'd give the hotel an overall rating of 3 stars, while it's nice and modern, the noise due to lack of insalation is not the best at all. I chose this hotel for the location but you have to remember, Barcelona is one of the loudest cities i've been to and you really need to get a location away from the centre...please heed this warning. Personally I wouldn't visit Barcelona again, I was vastly let down, it is rather run down, very loud and you may get robbed. Everything is expensive with the Pound being so weak and between my girlfriend and myself i'd recommend you choose somewhere like Rome, Krakow or Stockholm before here.

Ideal for Metro, Shops, Port & place to eat, drink

The hotel is conveniently located in nice street and 5 steps to Metro. Very elegant and clean hotel.

This proved a well situated and good base. The basic rooms were all more than adequate, well sized and recently fitted out . Beds good quality and bathroom's fine but we did not bother with 15 euro breakfast using some of the many cafes around the hotel instead at much lower cost. Could walk most places and a underground station just out of the front door. Rooms on a the front a bit noisy so ask for a back one if this a problem. Lovely roof area to sun bathe on though the pool really only a plunge pool, and also a balcony running along the 9th floor. Free internet access a nice extra. Good value for a city hotel.

After considerable internet searches we chose this hotel for the location, affordability and high reviews. After completing a mediterranen cruise we stayed in Barcelona at the Universal for 2 nights and were extremly pleased. The room and bath were spacious, clean and quiet. The staff was very accomodating the breakfast buffet was very good and the location couldn't be beat. We were tired upon checking in and immediately crashed taking a 2 hour snooze to recharge. My wife, a chronic insomniac, slept quite well for the two nights we stayed there. Our only regret was that we didn't plan a longer stay, 2 days more whould have given us more time to view all the sights. Highly reccommend the tourist on and off bus line that can be bought at the front desk. It made touring the city comfortable and very affordable. If you visit Barcelona with the intention of eating only American food, then you'd be missing one of the greatest gastronomical pleasures of life. We ate at a couple of tappas bars near the hotel and dined twice in Barconeletta (adjacent to the port olimpic) on Mall de Mestral excellent seafood and paellela.

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Before booking this hotel I read all of the reviews on it and found there to be no negative comments. For good reason! It is a very modern property conveniently located to city transportation and within walking distance to the sensory overload La Ramblas. Also ATM for getting euros and grocery store right around the corner. Do request a room on upper level facing back of hotel in order to avoid the noisy street. An upper floor will afford you a fantastic view of the city. The terrace pool has hammock chairs to lounge in and incredible views as well! The beds are indeed on the hard side, but we slept extremely well under the nice crisp linens! The free internet in the room was very fast and handy to have. In room safe was large enough to accomodate a small computer! Room had the quietest air conditioning we've ever had! Nice wood floor and marble bathroom. Front desk is helpful with directions...they have a great city map, and you can buy 1 or 2 (better deal) day hop on hop off tourist bus ticket from them. A must do! Eating is cheap right outside hotel to the left.......4 sidewalk cafes offering american breakfast, pizzas, pasta, burgers, etc. Going to the right of hotel is Pizza Hut and Kentucky Fried Chicken. We stayed 3 nights after a cruise, and then extended for 1 more night....too much to see in Barcelona. You will NOT be disappointed with this very popular hotel!!

Great hotel, one block from Las Ramblas, "the happening street", subway station and bus stop right in front of the hotel. Location, Location, Location.

Excellent location in El Rava. Paral-el metro is right outside the front door allowing fast travel all over the city. The Funicular railway takes you from Paral-el to the cable cars that whisk you to the top of Munjuic. Around the corner is the street Carrer Nou de La Rambla-walk along this road for easy and quick access to Las Ramblas. The hotel was clean and comfortable. On arrival our room was upgraded to a suite. Lovely. There was a safe in the room allowing for safe storage of our passports etc. We also enjoyed the roof top pool though the water was f-f-f-freezing. A brisk wake up after a night on the cava! Lots of eating places along Avinguda del paral-el for a quick breakfast. Would definately recommend this hotel. The reception staff were very friendly.

Great room for the money,very clean

Nice room, great location, good value. Parking in the area is very difficult and expensive. The hotel provides a convenient parking but it's at an additional 25 Euro per day. You do not really need a car however in this location. Internet acces in the room is by cable or wireless. connection is good even if at times it becomes slow. Room is nicely finished and has a generous size

This hotel met my expectations. It was clean, comfortable and I felt safe. The decoration is modern. Great location, too. It is close to La Rambla, many restaurants and a few steps from the metro. There are so many things to see in Barcelona that I really didnt spend much time at the hotel apart from sleeping and showering. For an urban European destination, this hotel is perfect. I would absolutely use this hotel again.

clean and comfortable and very central. " Paralel " metro right outside door. No need to breakfast in hotel, pleanty of small convenient restaurants just down the street (breakfast for 4.50 eur - sit out and enjoy sunshine)

Excellent location, service. Staff all polite and very helpful. Best leisure break hotel ever and tops most business hotels I've stayed at!

A great location, great helpful staff, clean rooms, nice decor, extra amenities such as Laptops along the high speed internet connection, bar, the access to roof and swimming pool, etc. make it an outstanding hotel. The close proximity to the Metro Station and the La Rambla area makes it the favorite one.

My boyfriend and I went to Barcelona over Easter and stayed at the hotel for 6 nights. Because we staid that long they upgraded us to a bigger room which was really nice, with roof terrace and very spacious (we saw the standard rooms and they were tiny though!). The hotel is located not in the most exciting part of Barcelona, but there is a Metro station directly in front of the hotel and it's just a 10 mins walk to La Rambla. Overall we were satisfied with the hotel, the rooms were clean and modern. The only disappointment was the personnel which was not very friendly. We had breakfast included (offered till 11 am) and the waiters were really unfriendly and not efficient at all. The breakfast variety also wasn't amazing, the small amount of fresh fruit they had was stone hard, other than that fruits out of the tin :( The gym was also slightly disappointing, a few machines and not even a water dispenser. I'd say if you don't book breakfast, you will have a nice time and get value for money. If was to go back to Barcelona I would try to live in a nicer area (gothic quarter or so) to not have to walk to La Rambla each time you want to go for a drink or dinner in the evening.

The hotel bed was uncomfortable. We felt like we were sleeping on pizza boxes. The hotel food was horrible- I mean really bad..... cold eggs for breakfast, plastic food for dinner. They actuall in restaurant buffet looked ok, but room service was absolutely horrifying. The hotel was loud. The maids would start cleaning other rooms and you could here them banging around for hours on end. My boyfriend and I called it "maid hockey" every morning. You could also hear everyone screaming and yelling all night. I would stay there again.