Hotel Barcelona Universal: cruiser review

Stayed here for 2 nights after we had completed cruise we were booked in for a standard room.
English speaking front desk staff for the most part friendly staff. Hotel Barcelona Universal which is under the same chain of “Barcelona Nunez i Navarro Hotels” for being rated a 4 star don’t quite see how. We have stayed at Hotel Jazz at the beginning of our vacation – same chain with lesser star rating and had a better experience. I will say the rooms were clean, comfortable beds (Though we had two twin beds placed together to make a larger bed and the beds would move apart by the end of the night), however for the price you pay, I would have expected a more luxurious place. Hotel modern but looked worn.

Mainly we are sure when onces read review and want somewhere quiet, comfortable and close to the cruise terminal and thus, choose this hotel. However, it was chaotic at noon check-out, Saturday with people all checking out at the same time. With the way the front desk is situated with a large cement pole and couches it was over whelming.

We were able to get a room by 1PM and were given a room on the 8th floor – It is on a busy road and although you could still hear quite a lot of traffic noise at night. The rooms are not sound proof at all, so you will also hear corridor noises very distinctly.

It is a short walk away from Port Vell and La Rambla. We didn’t use the metro but there is a stop near by.

The free wi-fi is fast and if you don’t have your laptop with you they have computers you can use at the business center on the 9th floor and two computers in the lobby. If you need to print something you have to ask the front desk staff to use one of their computers.

Never ate at the restaurant so cannot comment there.With so many hotels in Barcelona not sure if I would stay here again.

Tonya, November 2011.

Things we loved at U232 Hotel

We stayed at Hotel U232 for 3 nights during the first week of September. We chose this hotel because the rates were reasonable and we had arrived by train from Madrid and this hotel is located one easy and short metro ride from the Barcelona Sants Railway Station. As most reviewers have mentioned, the hotel is a little bit outside the heart of the city and it’s a bit of a pain to switch trains plus a hike through some really long corridors at the Diagonal Metro Station to get to La Rambla. But we found the benefits of staying at this hotel far outweighed the cons.

For us, we thought the biggest benefit (besides the proximity to the Sants train station) was the dining options in the area. Our best meals in Barcelona were all at restaurants within walking distance from this hotel, and prices around here were very reasonable compared to the tourist-driven restaurants in the city centre. We particularly loved Maitea Taberna and their wide variety of delicious tapas. Maitea Taberna is located about 2.5 blocks away from the hotel on Carrer de Casanova. The staff at the restaurant was very friendly and patient as we were trying to figure out the whole process. We loved the food there so much that we went back a second time. Another terrific restaurant was Gusto, located 1.5 blocks away and right across the street from the metro station.

I would come back to this hotel just to eat at those establishments again! Other things we loved about the hotel:

• Very quiet, spacious and comfortable rooms for reasonable rates. We stayed on the second floor and had a balcony. Albeit the balcony was right smack dab in the middle of a coutyard in the middle of a network of apartments. But it was nice to step outside on a warm night with a drink and look inside the well-lit apartments all around us!
• Free wi-fi plus there are two desktops and one printer for public use. Very handy as we didn’t bring our laptop with us.
• Room was equipped with a safe and fridge, which I think should be essentials in every hotel room.
• Besides the restaurants I mentioned above, there were also plenty of places where you can grab breakfast, or a quick bite.
• There are a couple of Suma supermarkets and they are both within 2 or 3 blocks from the hotel. Great place to buy snacks and drinks to stock the fridge.
• Even though you need to switch metro trains to get to La Rambla, there are some places that are easily accessible from this hotel, such as Sagrada Familia and the Sants Railway Station.
• Well staffed. Everytime we dealt with the front desk (checking in, checking out, storing luugage, questions), somebody was alway available to help us.

Room Tip: The rooms at the back at the hotel were very quiet. Didn’t hear any traffic during our entire stay.

Experience posted by Yan, October 2011.

Hotel Jazz: Great rooms, great pool, great price

This is our second time spending a week in Barcelona at the Hotel Jazz. For the price it’s unbeatable. Comfortable rooms with contemporary Spanish design. Great rooftop pool – not huge, but not a puddle like at some other design hotels like Cram. The rooftop pool has enough comfortable loungers, enough nice fluffy towels, and a nice little bar.

Very helpful and friendly desk staff. Great central location right in between the main square (Plaza de Catalunya, direct bus to airport, Corte Ingles department store) and the Eixample/Gracia shopping, restaurant and nightlife area.

Experience posted by brianscottgross, August 2011.

Hotel Barcelona Universal: Sehr empfehlenswert

Das Hotel Barcelona Universal hat unsere Erwartungen voll erfüllt. Zimmer, Frühstück, Service ob an der Rezeption oder an der Dachterassenbar, alles in unserem Sinne gut. Das Zimmer 218 hatte sogar noch eine große Terasse, so dass vor dem Zubettgehen dort noch ein Bier genommen werden konnte. Wir würden bei einem Aufenthalt in Barcelona erneut dieses Hotel buchen. Sehr empfehlenswert.

Experience posted by Schöenenberg, July 2011.

Pre-cruise stay at Hotel Jazz in Barcelona

We stayed at Hotel Jazz pre-cruise for several days in April. We could not be more pleased!
The rooms were classy, clean and bed and pillows were comfortable. The staff could not be more helpful and were always willing to call us a taxi or make reservations for us.

The breakfast for 10 euro was well worth it as was the free computer service near the bar on the 2nd floor. It is always nice to check e- mail and print boarding passes without a charge. The complimentary toiletries, a blow dryer as well as a secure safe were nice additions to the room. The hotel is conveniently located to the metro (1 Block) restaurants as well La Rambla and Plaza Catalunya were all within a five minute walk. Great experience, wonderful hotel.

Experience posted by Suzeeque, May 2011.

Hotel Barcelona Universal: much more than what you pay for

The old adage goes; you get what you pay for.

In all things this is mostly true – however there are a few rare exceptions out there and Hotel Barcelona Universal is one of them.

Hotel Barcelona Universal is one of these rare cases where you get so much more than what you pay for – you get true value for each penny spent. I cannot even begin to list how impressed I was with what this hotel provided. We felt truly cared for; and while this is commonplace at hotels such as the Waldorf in New York, the d’Angleterre in Copenhagen, the Mamonia in Marrakesh it was not what I expected from a fairly cheap hotel picked by more or less chance on a vague recommendation from a friend.

The Hotel is located a few minutes walk from the Rambla. A few minutes walk from the Port Vell and the Rambla del Mar, and a mere second away from the closest subway. A walk to plaze Catalunya takes about 10 mins at a slow pace looking at the shops in the backalleys and is quite a charming experience. The Barcelona Universal gives you the opportunity to experience life in Barcelona by making you take a short walk through a few genuine, “untouristy” blocks before landing you smack down in the middle of the Rambla. Or you could simply hop on the metro outside the hotel and go where ever you like.

Inside the hotel itself we were greeted by the doorman every time we came or went, and the staff were always very helpful no matter what we asked for. The rooms were meticulously clean and tastefully decorated. Minibar, TV with USB (Just bring what you want to watch on a USB stick, plug it in on the back of the TV and use the remote) and bathtub was standard as was WiFi albeit it was a bit shaky and up and down at times.

The breakfast buffet deserves special attention since it was on par with the most exclusive hotels I’ve visited (see above) although somewhat smaller. Several kinds of bread, including rye and darker breads, eggs, bacon, sausages (worth trying, they were excellent) quiches, juices, yoghurts, fruits, croissantes, and more where aplenty. Worth mentioning for those of you with a sweet tooth is that at each buffet were atleast two kinds of cake and several kinds of doughnuts and muffins.

As for other accommodations worth mentioning one cannot forget the rooftop pool and the astroturf garden / sundeck on the top floor together with the small but clean and well stocked gym also on the top floor located next to the pool. The surrounding decked area is stocked with comfortable lounge chairs and as made for bringing your own beer and taking in the panoramic view over the city.

All in all – this hotel gives you the most bang for your buck I’ve ever come across. Friendly and helpful staff, clean and tasteful rooms, freedom to move around and simply enjoy the city and your accommodation to the fullest.

Four stars in the guide – I’d give it Four+ and a half

Enjoy your stay as much as we did!

Experience posted by hanning, May 2011.

Free New Year’s Eve Winner at U232 Hotel in Barcelona

We have the second free New Year’s Eve winner in Barcelona. Núñez i Navarro Hotels had organized a poll via Facebook asking you what was the most characteristic feature of Christmas in Barcelona and among all who have responded to our survey.

The lucky winner was … Mari Verdu Rodriguez. Congratulations!!!

The prize was:

2-nights stay at U232 Hotel, on a double room, on December 31st 2010 and January 1st 2011.
Breakfast included.
1 Bottle of Cava.
The prize can not be used in conjunction with other item or goods.
The prize can not be exchanged for any other item or goods.
The prize is personal and non-transferable.
People under 18 years old can not participate.
Maximum one vote per person. People voting with more than one profile will be automatically disqualified.

We would book Europark Hotel again

We enjoyed very much our stay for 4 nights at Europark Hotel which was our first booking among NN Hotels. It is a very nice decorated design hotel in the Eixample area near to two Metro stations and only a 10 minute walk to Passeig de Gracia. We had a Superior Room backside and loved the decoration and equipment of this spacious and well cleaned room. The breakfast service met our price/performance expectation. We would book Europark Hotel again.

with kind regards
ThomasR, November 2010.

Varekai. Cirque du Soleil in Barcelona

Deep within a forest, at the summit of a volcano, exists an extraordinary world—a world where something else is possible. A world called Varekai.
The Cirque du Soleil’s latest show in Barcelona takes us into a kaleidoscopic world at the summit of a volcano, the setting for a wonderful, illogical adventure.

The word Varekai means “wherever” in the Romany language of the gypsies the universal wanderers. This production pays tribute to the nomadic soul, to the spirit and art of the circus tradition, and to the infinite passion of those whose quest takes them along the path that leads to Varekai.

Núñez i Navarro Hotels offers you nine hotels in Barcelona, centrally located, and directly connected to Varekai venue by metro. Your best option in Barcelona.

Where: Gran Carpa de la Plataforma del Zoo Marí (Fòrum)
<M> Maresme-Fòrum (L4)
More inf@ and Tickets: Varekai Website

What do you remember from Christmas in Barcelona?

We will draw a free New Year’s Eve in Barcelona among all voters.

Christmas is always a special time on the year. For one reason or for another, everybody remembers Christmas. Núñez i Navarro Hotels wants to join you on next Christmas, and has started a poll to know what represents Christmas in Barcelona.

How to participate:
First thing you need to do is visit our facebook page, and join us (Like)

Once you are part of our facebook community, you can check the Poll tab, and cast your vote.
And that’s all you need to do. Wining a Free Stay in Barcelona has never been so easy.

Xmas street lighting.
With beautiful old buildings, narrow streets and numerous plazas, Barcelona is a great backdrop for Christmas light displays. Central streets and commercial areas such as Plaça Catalunya, Portal de l’Àngel and Passeig de Gràcia have large and beautiful displays, while small streets have traditional settings usually maintained by neighbours and shops.

Traditional market Santa Llúcia.
Fira de Santa Llúcia is not only a traditional market in front of the Cathedral, but one of the oldest and most firmly rooted Christmas traditions of Barcelona. First written evidences date back to 1786, referring to it already as a tradition. In this market, you can mainly find Nativity scenes and all their complements, Christmas greenery such as moss, bayleaves or Christmas Trees.

Caganer and nativity scenes.
In Barcelona, as well as in Spain, France or Italy, traditional Christmas decorations consists of a model of Bethlehem, similar to the Nativity Scenes of the English-speaking world, but encompassing the entire city rather than just the typical manger scene. The caganer is a particular feature of modern Catalan nativity scenes, and accompanying Mary, Joseph, Jesus, the Shepherds and company, the caganer is often tucked away in a corner of the model, typically nowhere near the manger scene. The figure is depicted in the act of defecation. The exact origin of the Caganer is lost, but the tradition has existed since the 17th century. Originally, the Caganer was portrayed as a Catalan peasant wearing a traditional hat called a barretina — a red stocking hat with a black band; but nowadays you can easily find other popular characters assuming the caganer position, such as nuns, celebrities, sportsmen, politicians, etc…

The 3 Kings Parade.
All children in Barcelona impatiently wait the evening of January 5th. The visit of the 3 Wise Men, the famous distinguished foreigners who are said to have visited Jesus after his birth, bearing gifts of gold, myrrh and frankincense. They usually arrive to Barcelona sailing, and are greeted at Port Vell by the City Authorities. After that, the 3 Magi start a long Parade through all the city, accompanied by their large entourage and Royal Carriages, where children can see them and give their wish letters. Those who have been good during all the year, will receive their Christmas presents at night.

Join us on facebook and participate in our poll. The prize consists of:

• 2-nights stay at B-Hotel, on a double room, on December 31st 2010 and January 1st 2011.
• Breakfast included.
• 1 Bottle of Cava.
• The prize can not be used in conjunction with other item or goods.
• The prize can not be exchanged for any other item or goods.
• The prize is personal and non-transferable.
• People under 18 years old can not participate.
• Maximum one vote per person. People voting with more than one profile will be automatically disqualified.

Winner will be randomly chosen among all voters of the poll. Winner will be announced on November 26th 2010.

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