Duquesa de Cardona

Reserved 2 rooms for 4 nights for two couples. One included breakfast - identified on room card BB (bed and Breakfast). When this couple went to have breakfast, they were told to pay. They explained they had breakfast included and the server told them they did not, argued and insisted on payment 3 separate times during breakfast in front of all other guests. Finally, the server told the couple to speak to the front desk (before the could even finish breakfast), the wife told the front desk they had prepaid breakfast and it was on their room car folder upstairs - she was told to go and get it. She did. She was then told the card was wrong! BB was written on the wrong guest card. The wife explained it didn't matter because they were accompanying the couple in the other room and both rooms were under her name and paid by her - but Naomi told her that didn't matter. The couple finally requested to speak to the manager. He apologized and offered both couples breakfast the next day. The next day the husband of the additional couple presented himself for breakfast compliments of the manager - her was told to pay, went to the front desk, to Namoi, and she told him he was to pay. The manager came out and apologized, said he'd told the personnel to provide breakfast for all and to disregard these employees, but when the couples returned to their rooms, their keys no longer worked - so they had to go to the front desk to ask Naomi for help when they wanted in their room. Upon leaving, Naomi, front desk, tried to collect for the breakfast once again!
First, it was highly embarrassing to be approached 3 times during breakfast in front of all other guests. Second, it was unprofessional to blame the guests if BB was written on the wrong card! The customer had paid for both rooms and both were under her name - there was never any dispute she'd paid for 2 breakfasts - she was told she couldn't apply the two to the paid breakfast! What a fiasco!!! And we can all only surmise there is some control issue Naomi has with the manager - obviously neither she or the woman overseeing breakfast have any respect for him whatsoever.
Rooms were pleasant enough, on the small side, but the experience with personnel ruined the stay.

If you plann to visit Barcelona on your arrival, I can recommend you a hotel near the cruise port: it's called Duquesa de Cardona. It's little, comfortable and very cosy: www.hduquesadecardona.com

Unique Quality: - Little and comfortable boutique hotel.
- Great views from the Terrace on the top floor: you can see the harbour of Barcelona
- Very closed to the harbour for cruisers
- Warm decorated
- The nicest restaurant I have seen ever: it was the main entrance of a XVI century Palace. Between classic and modern, beautiful colors
- Situation of the hotel: Ramblas, Gothic Area, Barceloneta, Born, all closed by
- Personal service

Directions: At the end of the Ramblas and the harbour is in front of you, turn left into Passeig Colom Street, nr 12

An excellent hotel overlooking the marina. The view of the rooftop bar is superb, especially at night. The hotel also has a swimming pool on the roof but this is rather small and better for cooling off than swimming.

Unique Quality: Close to all facilities including the Ramblas, marina and public transport.

Directions: Overlooking the marina

I'm including this tip as a "Don't Bother" tip. Our hotel, the Duquesa de Cardona, had a rooftop terrace with a very small pool, which was kind of nice, and guests had the option of eating breakfast on the terrace. That sounded nice to us, so we signed up for that. With 50/50 hindsight, I now can say it is not worth it. What we didn't know when we signed up is it is 3 times the cost of eating breakfast in the very nice restaurant on the ground floor. The food was ok, but nothing to write home about. In contrast, the breakfast at our first Barcelona hotel, the Hotel 1898, was far better. The view is ok, but not worth the price of the breakfast.

If you are staying at this hotel, you could try breakfast downstairs, or better yet, walk 5 minutes to the Mercat and pick up fresh fruit, fresh juices, cheese and bread. You can always come up to the rooftop terrace for a glass of Spanish wine in the afternoon.

Unique Quality: Price range and ratings in this tip refers to breakfast only at the Duquesa de Cardona.

This is another good hotel is a very good location. Just on the edge of Ciutat Vella, the Duquesa de Cardona is on Passeig Colon and faces the Mediterranean. Although you won't get expansive views of the sea, a room facing the street will have a rather pleasant harbor view. The hotel has good access to Ciutat Vella, La Rambla, Puerto Olimpico and several museums.

Unique Quality: Everything worked very well in the rooms. Beds were comfortable, showers were good, water was hot, air conditioning was quiet. This is a good place for a comfortable night's stay. The staff is very helpful and friendly. A business center with free internet access is located on Floor 1.