My husband and I will be in Barcelona for 3 nights in February. I really am having trouble deciding on a hotel. We want to be in easy walking distance to the major sights and to restaurants and cafes, but do not want to be on La Rambla or in an immense hotel. We are looking for a nice, upscale, centrally located hotel that will not break the bank.
Suggestions? Thank you in advance.

Hotel Neri meets all your criteria. Stayed here four nights this May in a "standard room" nr. 104 that was just outstanding. In the Gothic quarter, close to the Cathedral and Plaça de Catalunya but in a tranquile and secluded alley down towards small and beautiful Plaza San Felipe Neri. Large and very laid-back roof-top terrace with bar for hotel guests. 20% off if payed more than 30 days in advance, which for us meant some 190€/night. http://www.hotelneri.com/en/

Info and guest reviews: http://www.booking.com/hotel/es/nerihr.en.html
Tripadvisor: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Rev...Catalonia.html

About small Plaza San Felipe Neri and its tragic Civil War history: http://www.oh-barcelona.com/en/blog/...barcelona-3171

You are right - Neri would be perfect, but is fully booked for the dates we will be in Barcelona! Other ideas?

We stayed 5 nights at Hotel Pulitzer off of Placa Catlyuna on a quiet side street. Fabulous breakfast, quiet hotel and very well located. We were with our kids and had one superior and one standard room. Superior room definitely had a bit more room along with a couch, but standard was fine too.

A few pictures and review here: http://www.fromhometoroam.com/2012/06/barcelona/

"centrally located hotel that will not break the bank." Okay, you have a few options, depending on your budget. Not "breaking the bank" doesn't mean anything.

Hotel Neri is nice and it is a Relais Châteaux, running at €187,50/night (non-refundable) for a standard double mid-week in mid-February, which is not bad. The deluxe doubles are a little nicer and larger, and have a desk.

Another good option in the same price range, but on La Rambla, is the Hotel 1898, one of the best properties in Barcelona.

I stayed at the Alma in October, 2012. It's in the nicest area of Barcelona and easy walking distance to Las Ramblas, Sagrada Familia, and many other sites, the restaurants and shopping in the area are great and it has easy access to the Metro to go anywhere in the City with no problem. The hotel was new last year and has exceptional service and gorgeous rooms. If you stay there, ask for a room with a view of LaPadrera next door.

Did you get in contact with Neri directly? At booking.com hotels often appear to be full when they're not, and I would be surprised if the hotel is already fully booked for your days in February. But you've also got some other great suggestions.

You also have time to plan a night at Tickets, the new paradise version of traditional tapas style restaurant run by the Adrià brothers of the world's by far most awarded restaurant the past decade, now closed El Bulli. Very affordable Tickets was up on the list of the world's 100 best restaurants after one year (#77). http://www.theworlds50best.com/

The basic concept is traditional tapas prepared and presented as you never would imagine and with tastes to the maximum. Iberian ham, Spanish cheeses, olives, croquetas, tomatoes, anchoas, shellfish, Iberian pork etc etc plus some surprises from out of this world. Just tell the waiter how much you would like to spend and what kind of food you like, and then leave it up to the kitchen to make it an evening never to forget. The four of us had some 17 dishes here a couple of months ago and payed around around 60-65€ each with wine/cava included. Lived very much up to the high expectations.

You can normally only book online and only two months in advance. Tables are literally gone 10 minutes after midnight two months prior to every day year around, so you have to be online on midnight Barcelona time two months on the day before you want to book a table. http://www.ticketsbar.es/web/en/

Guest reviews: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restauran...Catalonia.html
http://www.foodandthefabulous.com/re...drias-tickets/
Guardian: http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/201...elona-el-bulli

I stayed at Murmuri on beautiful Rambla de Catalinya ( not Ramblas)
Perfect location ... if it fits your budget

The Regencia Colon is reasonable and it is far enough from that area you think you don't want to stay in.

You all have been so helpful. Do we have a prayer of using an outdoor hotel pool and/or balcony in February? I'm trying to decide how important those elements are.

Condes de Barcelona

The average temp in February is in the 40s
I would not worry about a pool.

The 1898 has an indoors pool!

First time we went we stayed at the the Grand Hotel Central. Good location between Barrier Gotic and El Born. Nice outdoor pool, often has deals....
That said I really like the location of the murmuri too but it was all booked up when we went this year.

I can recommend the Hotel Regina which is off Placa Cataluyna on a quiet side street. In fact, I think it's next door to Hotel Pulitzer which another poster mentioned here earlier. This is a very good location.

Thank you all. Lots of good suggestions!
330east - I notice the Condes is actually 2 buildings. Is one better than the other?

I liked the Hotel Jazz, which is around the corner from the Pulitzer and Regina. There is some rather noisy bar or hostel or something right across from the Regina BTW, I noticed last time I was there (St Christopher's)--it's a hostel with a bar, which stays open very late, actually.

I would not call Bergara a "quiet side street", I think it is pretty noisy myself.

Condes de Barcelona is in two 19th century buildings, Edificio Monument and Edificio Center. Edificio Monument looks very nice, but from guest reviews which of the two doesn't seem to be a big deal: http://www.condesdebarcelona.com/es/el-hotel/
http://www.booking.com/hotel/es/cond...celona.en.html

The 2 Michelin star Lasarte restaurant is in the Hotel Condes. Run by the famous Basque chef Martín Berasategui who also runs the 3 star Martín Berasategui restaurant in Lasarte just outside San Sebastián. He at least keeps it simple when naming his restaurants... http://www.condesdebarcelona.com/en/lasarte/

Apropos of Condes de Barcelona:The 2 bldgs are across the street from each other. I only know 1 of them. It has a pool-water temp. unknown to me. They are next to Costa Gallega a nice tapas rest. and nearby Cerveceria Catalana an excellent tapas rest. Also 2 Gaudi' sites are seconds/minutes away.

I'll second (or third?) the recommendation for the Murmuri. We stayed there in May and loved both the hotel and its location.