Don’t shoot the pianist

The Maria Canals International Music Competition of Barcelona was founded in 1954 by the pianist Maria Canals and her husband, the writer Rossend Llates. This Competition has achieved international prestige since it was accepted by the World Federation of International Music Competitions in 1958.

It is held at the Palau de la Música Catalana in Barcelona, being endorsed by the World Federation of Music Competitions for the organization of the branches of piano, violin, singing, cello, chamber music, guitar, percussion and flute. Since 1954, the Competition has held over 110 branches, with over 7.000 participants from 100 countries and 180 jury members from all over the world.

The 56th Barcelona Maria Canals International Music Competition will bring together 91 pianists from 26 countries between 13 and 26 March. At the same time, the Off-Competition will be taking piano music to the public.

Maria Canals Competition wants to take advantage of the presence of so many prestigious pianists in the city to take piano music out to the public. More than fifty pianos will be spread around the city so everyone who wants to can play the piano in some very unusual places.

Green spaces, squares and streets will provide the setting for concerts aimed at everyone, children and adults, professionals and amateurs, with grand pianos installed so the participants in the competition can take their art to every corner of the city. Rambla del Raval, Plaça de Sarrià, Can Brians prison and the Line 2 metro station lobby in Plaça de la Universitat are some of the improvised “concert halls” for these young artists.

Superb Hotel!

We stayed prior to an NCL cruise. When we arrived early, our room was ready for us! From the minute we stepped into the Barcelona Hotel 1898, we were treated professionally and friendly. The room was very clean, quiet, bedding comfortable, amenities excellent, and location, location, location. We are very happy to have stayed at the Hotel 1898 prior to this cruise. Our last cruise leaving out of Barcelona, we stayed at the Hotel Montecarlo just across the street. That hotel in our opinion did not come even close to the Hotel 1898. All future stays in Barcelona will be at the Hotel 1898! A good value for a tremendous hotel.

Experience written by catcrazy, March 2010.

www.hotel1898.com

Great location and nice staff!

We stayed at Hotel Barcelona Universal for 3 nights. It is a very nice hotel and very well located. Metro just in front of the main entrance. Staff very helpful and some of them speak German!

Experience added by alexm, march 2010.

B-Days: Discover Barcelona at incredible rates

Planning a visit to Barcelona? Check out our calendar and take advantatge of B-Days: the new incredible promotion at B-Hotel. For only 65€ per night, stay in one of our B-Rooms.

 Seamlessly blending avant-garde style with ultimate functionality, B-Rooms are equipped with the latest technologies and electronic devices; they also feature high design furnishings, minimalist decor, total luxury and excellent services, such as free Wi-Fi, natural lighting, and king size beds or two singles. Cots are also available.

B-Hotel in Plaza Espanya is a perfect place to stay when visiting Barcelona; it’s just ten minutes from La Rambla and Plaza Catalunya, as well as all the museums on Montjuïc. Its ideal location, in one of Barcelona’s most exciting areas, and just steps away from Fira de Barcelona fairgrounds, has made B-Hotel a key landmark during business meetings and trade conventions.

Click here and check out our B-Days calendar

European University visits NNHotels

European University has started a series of visits to 2 of our hotels: B-Hotel and Hotel Soho Barcelona, as part of the programm Industrial Visits for the Bachelor in Business Administration students. The first visit was a valuable experience for the students, and many of them have actually shown interest in conducting their interships in one of Núñez i Navarro Hotels.

European University is an accredited international business school in Barcelona, that offers innovative business programs at undergraduate / Bachelor and graduate / MBA levels. With small, dynamic classes offered in English, students at European University Barcelona can take advantage of the international environment while getting the best of both North American and European academic curricula.

Both B-Hotel in Plaza Espanya and Hotel Soho next to Plaza Universitat are design hotels where architecture and decoration have an important role on their character and essence. From their terraces, guests can combine incredible panorama views of Barcelona with relaxing swimming pools and lounge areas.

Students at B-Hotel

Students at Hotel Soho Barcelona

The Firefighters Race, Lace Up Save Lives

The registration period has opened for the Cursa de Bombers, or the Firefighters Race, the big springtime’s athletics event, and it will close on 12 April or when the limit set at 18.000 runners has been reached.

The entry fee is 13 euros for those who already have their own yellow chip or 16 euros for those who don’t. For those registering on or after 15 March, it will cost 19 euros. Entries can be made online via the race website or in person at registration points.

This year the race will be collecting funds for the fight against AIDS in Africa, with all the profits from the sale of Nike (RED) trainer laces going wholly to the RED initiative, the foundation set up by U2’s Bono.

The run’s organisers are repeating the initiative of previous years, namely a pre-race training programme called the Lunaruns, night-time orienteering runs that will be held on 24 and 31 March, and 7 and 14 April.

Tour:
The Firefighters Race will set off from Avinguda del Marquès de l’Argentera, next to Ciutadella Park, on Sunday 18 April, and will cover 10 km through the city’s main streets. The terraces of the Hotel Barcelona Universal & Hotel Soho Barcelona will be perfect points for athletics fans to watch the race.

Discover one of the most historic hotels in Barcelona

Hotel Granvia first opened its doors in 1935, offering luxurious accommodation in a refurbished 19th century palace. Its original owner, Doña Dorotea de Chopitea y Villota (1816-1891), was one of Barcelona’s most active and influential residents, and collaborated significantly to the construction of the Tibidabo Temple, the Sant Joan de Déu and Sacred Heart Hospitals, and many other religious, educational, and public health institutions in her time. Her philanthropy earned her the honorary title “Mother of the Poor,” and in 1983, she was declared Venerable by Pope John Paul II.

One of the highlights of the palace, originally built in 1870, is the grand staircase, which culminates in a columned gallery and stained-glass vault, the Don Bosco hall and its 500m garden-terrace. Each room in Hotel Granvia is completely unique, and fitted with 19th century furnishings and décor. Throughout its long history, the hotel has served as the setting for various films, television shows, and reports, among them Rafael Alcázar’s “The Greek Labyrinth,” an adaptation of Manuel Vázquez Montalbán’s novel of the same name, and Antoni Ribas’ “The Burned City,” set in Barcelona at the turn of the century, and starring Joan Manuel Serrat.

To celebrate its profound involvement in Barcelona’s history, Hotel Granvia invites you to dine at H1898 Restaurant, located in the historical building on the Ramblas that was once the site of the Philippines Tobacco Company, and now hosts the luxurious Hotel 1898.

The 75th Anniversary package includes:

• 2 nights at Hotel Granvia (one double room, with breakfast included)
• Complimentary bottle of wine to welcome you
• Dinner for two at H1898 Restaurant (tasting menu)

Book now and come Celebrate Hotel Granvia’s 75th Anniversary with us!

Excellent stay in Barcelona

We stayed in Hotel Barcelona Universal for three nights on our wonderful visit to Barcelona in the beginning of March 2010.

Every day we very much enjoyed the delicious breakfast buffet, the quick access to the city via the metro just outside the door or the short stroll to the Rambla, and when we came home in the evening from a long day of sightseeing we enjoyed returning to our nice and clean room.

The service was great. The breakfast left nothing else to wish for, the rooftop terrace was a great place for enjoying the last sunshine of the day or the amazing view of Barcelona.

I have already started recommending this hotel to other people going to Barcelona.

Experience written by Jette, March 2010.

www.hotelbarcelonauniversal.com

Win a shirt of F.C. Barcelona with the U232 Hotel

Every quarter we will raffle a FC Barcelona Official T-shirt among all who have stayed at the U232 Hotel with Futbol Pack. The first raffle will be on April, 1st 2010.

Win a shirt of F.C. Barcelona and take the opportunity to enjoy a weekend in the comfortable Hotel U232 near the city centre as well as Camp Nou! The offer suggests a visit to the FC Barcelona museum. Futbol Club Barcelona is a repository of more than 100 years of history, or rather, stories which are an intrinsic part of an epic sport.

The Museu del Barça, which is housed on the Camp Nou stadium, was a pioneer in the world of football when it opened in 1984 and traces the 110 years of Barça’s history. Here, you’ll find photographs, audiovisual exhibits, collections of anecdotes, curiosities, the trophies won by all the club’s sections, objects belonging to its star players and temporary exhitions. It’s designed for young children and adults with 1.2 million visitors a year, is one of the city’s most popular museums.

The U232 FOOTBALL PACK includes:

• 2 nights in a U232 room.
• Package is also available on Basic room or Family room.
• Breakfast in the exclusive/amazing U232 buffet restaurant.
• Welcome drink in the U232 bar for 2 persons.
• 2 tickets to the Camp Nou Tour and FC Barcelona Museum.
• We will raffle a FCBarcelona T-Shirt every 3 months.

Don’t think it twice, book now your Football Pack !!

Ergahrungen - Hotel Barcelona Universal

Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren,

Innerhalb von drei Monaten war ich bereits das zweite Mal bei Ihnen zu Gast und es wird sicherlich nicht das letzte Mal sein. Der Aufenthalt war wie auch beim ersten Besuch sehr angenehm und meine Reisebegleitung und ich haben uns in Ihrem Hause sehr wohl gefühlt.

Ich freue mich bereits auf den nächsten Besuch in Barcelona und werde wieder gerne in Ihrem Hause als Gast sein. Zwischenzeitlich werden sicherlich ein paar meiner Freunde/Freundinnen Ihre Gäste sein, da ich Ihr Hotel als hervorragend weiterempfohlen habe.

Nochmals vielen Dank für die nette Unterkunft in Ihrem Hause.

Mit freundlichen Grüßen

Elisabeth, März 2010.

www.hotelbarcelonauniversal.com

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