barcelona--terrific!
Mar 25th, 2004, 09:53 AM
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barcelona--terrific!
Just wanted to say thanks to everyone for recs in Barcelona (thanks Maribel for the file, and to the folks who were kind enough to forward it to me).
1. Language: As someone who can follow Spanish decently, I was surprised to see how different Catalan is! To the person who in a thread below said that everyone speaks Spanish so it is OK--this is true, but all the menus are in Catalan, and most poeple will initially address you in Catalan. The language is more diff. from Spanish than I anticipated. That being said, everyone was very sweet about our lack of language, very helpful, extremely kind.
2. Hotel: we stayed at the Hotel Astoria in the Eixample (around Diagonal and Balmes)--extremly affordable, a lovely neighborhood, a quality hotel. Rooms are small. Very small, but otherwise it is a nice place, esp. for the price (around 105 Euros a night). Got the reservation directly from their website.
3. Post 3/11: There is a lot of evidence of the sadness and furor following the attacks: banners with black ribbons and anti-war posters in people's apt. windows, but the city did not feel sad, nor did it seem to have an increased police presence.
4. Walking: Unless you have less than 48 hours there, or have bad knees or are a senior citizen, I would recommend not taking any bus turistic butinstead walking yourself all over. The city is big but not impossibly so. With a bus you would miss all of the unexpected surprises that can happen when you are wandering around. Ex: Gracia: a very cool, grungy, artistic hotbed, a really fun place to walk around during the day and also at night.
5. Coffee: Boy do they know coffee there. No matter how dingy or fancy a place is, coffee means espresso, cafe con leche means a cappucino. Fabulous, wonderful coffee everywhere you go.
6. Highlights: walking up Sagrada Familia, roof of the Perdrera, cloisters of La Seu....
1. Language: As someone who can follow Spanish decently, I was surprised to see how different Catalan is! To the person who in a thread below said that everyone speaks Spanish so it is OK--this is true, but all the menus are in Catalan, and most poeple will initially address you in Catalan. The language is more diff. from Spanish than I anticipated. That being said, everyone was very sweet about our lack of language, very helpful, extremely kind.
2. Hotel: we stayed at the Hotel Astoria in the Eixample (around Diagonal and Balmes)--extremly affordable, a lovely neighborhood, a quality hotel. Rooms are small. Very small, but otherwise it is a nice place, esp. for the price (around 105 Euros a night). Got the reservation directly from their website.
3. Post 3/11: There is a lot of evidence of the sadness and furor following the attacks: banners with black ribbons and anti-war posters in people's apt. windows, but the city did not feel sad, nor did it seem to have an increased police presence.
4. Walking: Unless you have less than 48 hours there, or have bad knees or are a senior citizen, I would recommend not taking any bus turistic butinstead walking yourself all over. The city is big but not impossibly so. With a bus you would miss all of the unexpected surprises that can happen when you are wandering around. Ex: Gracia: a very cool, grungy, artistic hotbed, a really fun place to walk around during the day and also at night.
5. Coffee: Boy do they know coffee there. No matter how dingy or fancy a place is, coffee means espresso, cafe con leche means a cappucino. Fabulous, wonderful coffee everywhere you go.
6. Highlights: walking up Sagrada Familia, roof of the Perdrera, cloisters of La Seu....
Mar 26th, 2004, 09:47 PM
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m kingdom,
I popped into the Ritz...and did not stay longer tham 3 minutes! We wanted to have a tea there. But the lobby seemed to us live a cave or like amausoleum. No (!) windows. Outside was a bright sunny day and inside the hotel there was darkness... We also didn't like the decoration, it was not very tasteful. It looked as if somebody had bought the furniture of many old houses and put them together. The hotel is located on a very busy 6 lane street. We stayed at the Grand Marina Hotel. It was one of the best hotels I've ever been to!
I popped into the Ritz...and did not stay longer tham 3 minutes! We wanted to have a tea there. But the lobby seemed to us live a cave or like amausoleum. No (!) windows. Outside was a bright sunny day and inside the hotel there was darkness... We also didn't like the decoration, it was not very tasteful. It looked as if somebody had bought the furniture of many old houses and put them together. The hotel is located on a very busy 6 lane street. We stayed at the Grand Marina Hotel. It was one of the best hotels I've ever been to!
Mar 27th, 2004, 12:23 AM
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I cannot consider the Grand Marina Hotel, firstly the location is too distant from the centre for my liking, secondly it appears to be another modern, bland property.
I was considering the Ritz or Claris. I had booked the latter, but changed for the former, still undecided!
I was considering the Ritz or Claris. I had booked the latter, but changed for the former, still undecided!
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Melissa
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Oct 26th, 2002 05:10 PM
