Detailed review by jipp05
The B-hotel in Barcelona is one of my favourite hotels and whenever i go to Barcelona I try to get a room there and the last time I stayed was in May 2010.
The hotel is situated just next to Placa Espana which is one of the most famous squares in Barcelona so it couldn't be easier to find. A taxi from the airport will take about 20 minutes but it's so much easier and cheaper to just get the airport bus which costs 6 Euros and the first stop is Placa Espana so perfect for the hotel.
It is also located next to a metro station and is only a couple of stops to Plaza Catalunya which is considered to be the centre of the city. As it is on the Gran Via a long central street it is also easy to walk to Plaza Catalunya in about 20 minutes and if you just go in a straight line you can't get lost.
From the outside the hotel looks really modern with shuttered balconies that make it look like a giant chess board and has a huge letter B on the roof.
Inside there is a large lobby decorated very minimally with leather chairs and large plants. The first thing you notice is the wood as the whole lobby is clad with it. There is a wooden floor with lots of metal and glass so it has lots of light while remaining cool when it's warm.
The reception desk is straight across from the electronic doors and it always seemed to have enough members of staff so it didn't matter how many people were booking in. The reception staff were friendly and efficient and all of them spoke English well. Check in took about 2 minutes and then we were given our room number and key.
The B-hotel advertises itself as a boutique hotel and I can see why as the rooms are gorgeous. The rooms echo the wood theme from the lobby with dark brown wood floors and some wood cladding on the wall. It looks really classy and is something I would love to try and recreate at home.
The double bed was massive and so comfortable being not too soft or firm but just perfect. You can see a lot of thought was put into the design of the room but it's good to see they didn't skimp on the quality of the furnishings.
There is plenty of lighting with small lights built into the shelving for reading but there are also ceiling lights and lamps on the table.
My room was at the front of the hotel facing the road and there was massive floor to ceiling windows that slid open to reveal a balcony which is half covered with the shutters that make the hotel look so distinctive from the outside. The Gran Via is a very busy road with traffic the whole day and when the window was open you could hear it but it wasn't as bad as I imagined it would be.
When the window was closed there was no traffic noise whatsoever and the room was like a tranquil oasis in the middle of the city, the sound proofing has been done excellently.
The rooms have integrated air conditioning that you can adjust yourself so is great if you are too warm or cold.
There is a TV but not many channels in English other than CNN and also a mini bar and a safe.
The bathroom was absolutely gorgeous. All glass and wood with marble sinks and nice products to use. There is a bath and a shower and the water was always hot and powerful. There is a strange little feature in the bathrooms in that the wall that separates it from the bedroom is made of glass so sitting on the bed you can see into the bathroom and vice versa. There are blinds built into the glass but these are open, apparently there is a way to close them but for the life of me I could not figure it out. Now this didn't bother me but someone who is more shy might find it a problem.
The hotel doesn't have a restaurant but does have a really nice bar on the ground floor where you can get tapas and they offer room service snacks which work out good value. I got a iberico ham and cheese baguette with chips and mayo and the plate was full and it was only 7 Euros which I didn't think was bad. The only problem with the room service is that the staff who answer the phone when you order don't really speak any English which wasn't a problem for me as I speak Spanish but might be a bit annoying for those that don't.
The breakfast was really nice with a good selection of all the usual hotel buffet food and it was good quality and plentiful.
The best feature about the B-hotel has to be the roof top pool and lounge area. There was only one sunny day while I was there but I made the most of it by going up to the roof to sit by the pool and order drinks. I was amazed that there was only one other person up there as it's such a nice area.
The pool is quite small and isn't heated so was a little chilly but I soon got used to it and the view from the pool is spectacular with a glass wall giving a view of Placa Espana. The lounge chairs are the same quality as the rest of the hotel and made from rattan and perfect for lying on to do a little sunbathing.
The hotel offers free wifi for those people who bring their own laptop but they also have 2 computers for guests use.
The hotel is a little out the centre which means you will have to get a taxi at night when the metro stops running but these are usually in ready supply on the streets and the prices are quite reasonable. There are a few nice bars within walking distance and the area is a safe one so it's fine to walk back at night after a few drinks.
I can't believe this hotel has only 3 stars and I can only assume it is because they have no restaurant but I don't care as it allows me to stay in a luxurious hotel which many higher stared hotels would have trouble competing with for 3 star prices.
B-Hotel10
