Barcelona and Catalan hotels
 

I am having great difficulty in deciding where to stay and it is getting urgent to book for end October.

We will take the train to Girona, rent a car, visit the 3 Dali museums and then

overnight near Olot (Les Cols (Llanars)is too expensive, but we would like to eat there).
1 day Cardona parador
3 days in Barcelona (central)
The only place which looks interesting is the Hotel Apsis Atrium Palace. Does anyone know it? I'd like to spend less than 180€/night.

Any suggestions for hotels near Olot and in Barcelona would be greatly appreciated.

We really liked the Hotel Lleo in Barcelona.

In Olot, the "Riu Olot"
Carrer de Santa Pau

Phone : (34)972.26.94.44
is a nice and reasonable hotel.

Breakfast at the Cardona parador is enormous (and delicious)!

moxie,
If you'd enjoy staying in the Empordá countryside, closer to Figueres, I can suggest a 16th century reconverted stone farmhouse where we have happily stayed on the Basalú-Olot road, the Mas Pau.

If I were heading to Figueres for the Dalí museum and Les Cols for lunch (and those extremely avant-garde Les Cols rooms are very pricey), I would certainly return to Mas Pau to spend the night. It has an El Bulli connection, and it is suggested by El Bulli for lodging for those lucky enough to snag a dinner reservation. Mas Pau also has a wonderful and atmospheric gastronomic restaurant of its own. The rooms are in an annex. We took a jr. suite for 130 euros, but doubles go for only 96, including VAT, as Oct. is low season.

Outside the same village of Avinyonet de Puigventós, there's also the Mas Falgarona, a reconverted stone 14th century farmhouse and member of Rusticae hotels of charm, but a standard double goes for 155, maybe more than you wanted to spend.
www.maspau.com
www.masfalgarona.com

But if you specifically want to stay in Olot, then check the Riu, on the way to Santa Pau in the Garrotxa Volcanic Park. And make sure to visit this sleepy little medieval village-it's a gem.
www.riu.com

Regarding your top limit of 180 euros for Barcelona, I've been charting the hotel prices there, and these are the 4 stars in the Eixample that I like which should come within your budget, or at least do for mine for my Jan. stay.

new: Olivia Plaza
www.oliviahotels.es
(check www.utell.com)

new: Rafaelhotel Casanova
www.rafaelhoteles.com

Apsis Atrium Palace (well reviewed here by Dukey and others)

Pulitzer
(on edreams and hotelsearch)

AC Diplomatic
(I've seen it as low as 120, but may not be available at hose rates for your dates)

Condes de Barcelona
(check utell for lower rates)

Constanza
www.hotelconstanza.com
read review at www.i-escapes.com)

Hotel Actual
www.hotelactual.com
(or check www.laterooms.com)
See review at www.i-escape.com

Good luck!

moxie,
Forgot one!
I've also seen good rates for the Derby Granados 83 on laterooms and lastminute
www.derbyhotels.com

Thanks for your suggestions. I will try to reserve at Mas Pau since I don't think we'll have time to make it to Les Cols for dinner.

Did you eat at Mas Pau Maribel or did you have a reservation at El Bulli?

I just went by the Monte Carlo last night and they have great fall room rates that could get you a really nice suite for under 180€ a night. The basic double is at 116€ and it is right on the ramblas but still a very nice place.

Hi moxie,
No, I've never snagged a reservation at El Bulli, We dined twice at Mas Pau. They have several degustation menus and a superb wine list. The upstairs dining room is particularly atmospheric, with stone walls, beamed ceiling, chandeliers, family portraits, gilt mirrors, antiques. The two managers, Toni Gerez and Xavier Sagristà are former partners of Adrià at El Bulli.
But dining room is closed Sun. nights, Mon. and Tues. lunch. It receives an 8.25/10 from Gourmetour and 1 Campsa sun (sol).

moxie,
Forgot to mention that Mas Pau was selected as one of the top 24 hotel restaurants in Spain by El Mundo's food critic ("Fernando Point", also a noted wine maker), and it also has one of the very best cheese trays.

F. Point's top Barcelona hotel restaurants:
Drolma (Majestic)
Abac (Park)
Gaig (Cram)
Moo (Omm)
Lasarte (Condes de Barcelona)
Caelis (Palace, the ex Ritz)

We stayed at Hotel Actual in June and loved the location. It was a bit in the business district and we timed our arrival with a weekend but having to do a bit of searching for food over the weekend was preferrable to being in a very crowded, noisy area.

The staff was great and they can direct you to this fabulous Tapas restaurant a few blocks away (sorry, don't know the name but wish I did; we loved it and would like to tell other as well as go back).