More about Le Meridien - Barcelona
Nice rooms, horrible service
by A TripAdvisor Member
The rooms are nice - what you would expect for a hotel of this class. However, the service is non-existent. First, when we checked in, there was nobody available to help with our bags. Then, they gave us a room with 2 double beds, even though we reserved a room directly through the hotel website requesting a king-sized bed. We immediately asked to change rooms, but they had no king-sized beds available and they would give us a new room the next day. The next day, I called again and the front desk had no idea I made the request the day before. After some arguing, they relented and gave us a room with a king size bed. Also, the concierge made us a reservation at the wrong restaurant, and they were unable to help us rent a car. The final blow was when leaving, we requested a taxi to the train station. The taxi driver and the bellhop appeared to know each other. The driver charged us 18 euros for what should have been a 9 euro taxi ride. We suspect the bellhop got a cut.
A lot of people complain about the noise, but fortunately both rooms we had were not facing Las Ramblas, so noise was not an issue for us.
If you want to stay in a luxury hotel, stay at the Arts Hotel, or any of the luxury hotels on the Diagonal. Le Meridien Barcelona is a rip-off. Also, while we thought the location directly on Las Ramblas was convenient our first night, we realized later it is not worth staying right smack in the middle of everything. There are plenty of luxury hotels that are in safer areas (especially around Rambla Catalunya) and are walking distance to Las Ramblas and the Barri Gotic. Don't stay here! You will be sorry!
BEWARE: You will regret staying here. The noise is unbearable.
by TripAdvisor Member none-n/a
I just returned from the Le Meridien Barcelona. What a horror! The noise is unbearable. It makes you want to jump out the window! It's horrible beyond imagination. It is a constant, extremely loud, pounding, from which there is no escape.
Worse yet, before I went, I asked if there would be noise, and was told 'no'. I was told that the renovations were finished. Apparently, their goal is to now finish sometime in mid-2006. Personally, I wouldn't believe them, and I would avoid this hotel for a long, long time. They lied to me about being finished with their renovations, when there are no where near finished. How can they be trusted? Renovations of this scale can last for years.
This is the first time I have every posted on a travel site. I tried to get out of the hotel as soon as I arrived, but could not for 2 days. I asked for another room, but was told that all rooms are just as bad.
Le Meridien should shut this hotel down with this much noise. They are milking people to cover their expenses, but not providing a place of quiet enjoyment. When I suggested a reduction to the rate based on the noise, the manager became insulting and accused me of trying to get something for nothing and abruptly said that no discount whatsoever would be provided. I was shocked at the manager's rudeness, but promised myself that I would post this review so that others would be forewarned.
You would be better off at a quiet 2 star hotel, than this terrible hotel. There are many, many, less expensive hotels all around this hotel. Stay at any other hotel!
The renovations start early in the morning, and go late into the day. It is a constant sound like metal slamming against stone, and it echos throughout the hotel.
Forget about sleeping in, and forget about an afternoon nap. It's a bad joke. Le Meridien as a chain, has/had a decent reputation, but this place is terrible and the management is rude.
You should have seen the front desk. The customers were lined up complaining all around me. Every time I went by the front desk, people were complaining. The staff is oblivious to the customers' complaints. They just do not care. They know exactly what they are doing: They are calculating that it is better for them to take in the cash flow at the cost of alienating the transitory tourists who stay there. It really should be a crime what they are doing.
Barcelona has so many hotels. Don't be suckered into staying at this hotel like I was!
Simple, complicated and expensive....
by TripAdvisor Member Ancon
Stayed in this hotel for 5 days, early in April. Called ahead to verify they had aircondition rooms and the answer was yes. Upon arrival, try to set the AC to cool the room, but didnt work. Called the front desk and the answer was that they did have AC but that it will not be available until the end of the month. Therefore had to sleep with the window open, lots of noises from people at La Rambla, garbagge truck at 4:00 am and other nightly noises.
Bar was very expensive, 2 drinks and a couple of entrees was $70.00. Staff not very friendly, would help you if asked, but they didnt went out of their way to help. Hotel was under renovation. Rates are rather expensive, but so are other hotels in Barcelona, US$ to Euro dosent help either.
They have 2 PC's with internet in the lobby, that was nice and in the room the best thing was the bed, very comfortable.
The area is not very good, has changed a lot for the worse. NOT a family hotel, and I would probably stay at another location in the future.
Great hotel in Barcelona
by A TripAdvisor Member
We wanted to be near the La Ramblas shopping & cruise pier. This hotel was all we wanted & much more, just steps from shopping & the exciting La Ramblas "mall" with all the street performers, large grocery store, great produce market place, restaurants, Metro station & 5Euro cab ride to the cruise pier.
Smart, new, super clean Art- Deco rooms, state of the art plasma TV, HUGE bathtub w/fancy back support so that you could watch the 2nd TV in the bathroom, the BEST most comfy down pillows & bed (pillows were not available for purchase, because we inquired) & beautiful bath amenities.
Friendly front desk staff & bellmen, all who spoke English; all staff also served as concierge & information desk, which the hotel lacked.
Most unique feature in our room was that when you got out of bed to go to the bathroom at night (in the dark), there was some kind of sensor that turned on a soft blue light on the floor and in the bathroom!
We had the $25 buffet breakfast that included all you could drink Cava (Spanish champagne), a little pricey for what was offered, but food was fresh & good, friendly servers.
Our only regret was that we only had time to spend 1 night here before our cruise.
Will be more Above Average when remodel is complete
by TripAdvisor Member Msk6261
We waited and waited and snagged 2 rooms at the Le Meridien when we found a good price. The deals are out there.
I think we were in the midst of a heatwave in Spain. We arrived to find a hot, hot lobby, hot, hot hallways and hot, hot elevators but really cool rooms (both style and temperature)! Seriously, the common areas were unbearable. The newly remodeled rooms are modern and great. Awesome beds, interesting lighting and fixtures. It took some time to figure out the multitude of lighting choices (switches everywhere would do different things every time you used them) and the workings of the tv were a bit of a puzzle (it would stay on or not turn on). GREAT shower, Plasma TV too. The air-conditioning in the rooms worked perfectly and the rooms were quiet enough so that you could not hear other guests. Especially when the windows were closed, you could barely hear outside noise.
You could, however, hear construction in the hotel and across the street (the contractors on that building chose to take their coffee breaks sitting on the roof of their adjacent building to watch the goings on in the hotel rooms) but that won't last forever.
They offer free admission to an excellent, top rate gym/spa facility with an indoor pool but it is a 10 minute walk away.
The common areas were not inviting to relax or hang out in. That was dissappointing since we were traveling with friends and found ourselves just retiring to our seperate rooms. We did see some famous people who were there as guests. The restaurant was very average (even for breakfast) but they are building a new one right on Las Ramblas. The staff was incredibly helpful and made some excellent, non touristy recommendations.
We sought out the Le Meridien because of it's class of hotel (listed as a 5 star) and it's proximity to Las Ramblas. Consequently, it's kind of a contradiction. Las Ramblas sure has the activity level we were interested in but it's kind of on the "seedy" side. Although we never felt our safety was at risk there is a bit of an element there.
We found ourselves walking up passed the Placa Catalunya and spending our evenings on Rambla De Catalunya (higher up on La Rambla) or Passeig De Garcia where the nicer cafe's and stores are. I think a better choice would have been to stay there and visit the Las Ramblas madness for measured doses.
Not unhappy with our choice but we might consider a different location next time.
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