Hotel Neri in Barcelona
Sep 25th, 2003, 09:23 AM
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Hotel Neri in Barcelona
Has anyone heard anything about Hotel Neri in Barcelona (located in el barrio Gotico: Calle Sant Sever, 5)? I found it on InnsofSpain.com and it is a Rusticae group hotel...I think it opened recently so I have not been able to find anything at all about it on the message boards. Anybody have feedback?
I am looking for a hotel in the $150-$200 range in Barcelona. I will be in Spain for my honeymoon in October, so would like somewhere nice, charming and romantic...Any tips on hotels near Cadaques would be great too....
I am looking for a hotel in the $150-$200 range in Barcelona. I will be in Spain for my honeymoon in October, so would like somewhere nice, charming and romantic...Any tips on hotels near Cadaques would be great too....
Sep 27th, 2003, 01:31 PM
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magsc,
The Hotel Neri is quite new so you may not get much feedback yet. I haven't seen it, but I do know the location, the little Sant Felip Neri square, just a stone's throw from the Cathedral in the Barri Gotic.
Since it occupies a renovated 18th century mansion and has a rooftop terrace/solarium with honor bar, lounge chairs and views of the Cathedral, I don't see how you can go wrong, provided you like that "hip/trendy/cutting edge" catalán style.
At
www.hotelneri.com the standard doubles look a little compact, so I'd opt for a superior, or better still, splurge on a jr. suite.
Rms have internet access, video on demand, high definition TV, and since there are only 22 rms, it should be nice and private, and there's a living room/library downstairs.
We've stayed in several Rusticae city and countryside properties and like this group very much, as we love very small, charming, original, distinctive places off the beaten path. But the Rusticae hotels aren't all that well known yet outside of Spain. They still don't attract a high number of English speaking guests, if that matters. What the ones we've experienced all have in common is their sense of style and their air of relaxation.
This "Metropoli" city collection of theirs is new this yr.
The other city ones I'm familiar with that they've included, the Casa del Maestro in Seville (stayed for 4 fantastic days there during Holy Week), the Residencia del Viso in Madrid and the York House/As Janelas in Lisbon are all fairly high on the "small and charming" dept. I think.
The Rusticae ladies, the former innkeepers of the Aultre Naray in Picos de Europa, Asturias, inspect the properties regularly and are pretty demanding. We have friends who own a property in Navarra that has just joined the group. They didn't make the highest Rusticae category that they hoped for because Rusticae wants them to prove themselves first before awarding them the highest rating, the green symbol for "elegance and great comfort".
And we've booked often with Inns of Spain and have always been pleased. Nick is a pleasure to work with.
Don't know if your stay will fall over a wkd., but www.travel-in-barcelona.com quotes 142 and 158 rates for the jr. suite and suite.
Hope someone else can give you first hand feedback.
The Hotel Neri is quite new so you may not get much feedback yet. I haven't seen it, but I do know the location, the little Sant Felip Neri square, just a stone's throw from the Cathedral in the Barri Gotic.
Since it occupies a renovated 18th century mansion and has a rooftop terrace/solarium with honor bar, lounge chairs and views of the Cathedral, I don't see how you can go wrong, provided you like that "hip/trendy/cutting edge" catalán style.
At
www.hotelneri.com the standard doubles look a little compact, so I'd opt for a superior, or better still, splurge on a jr. suite.
Rms have internet access, video on demand, high definition TV, and since there are only 22 rms, it should be nice and private, and there's a living room/library downstairs.
We've stayed in several Rusticae city and countryside properties and like this group very much, as we love very small, charming, original, distinctive places off the beaten path. But the Rusticae hotels aren't all that well known yet outside of Spain. They still don't attract a high number of English speaking guests, if that matters. What the ones we've experienced all have in common is their sense of style and their air of relaxation.
This "Metropoli" city collection of theirs is new this yr.
The other city ones I'm familiar with that they've included, the Casa del Maestro in Seville (stayed for 4 fantastic days there during Holy Week), the Residencia del Viso in Madrid and the York House/As Janelas in Lisbon are all fairly high on the "small and charming" dept. I think.
The Rusticae ladies, the former innkeepers of the Aultre Naray in Picos de Europa, Asturias, inspect the properties regularly and are pretty demanding. We have friends who own a property in Navarra that has just joined the group. They didn't make the highest Rusticae category that they hoped for because Rusticae wants them to prove themselves first before awarding them the highest rating, the green symbol for "elegance and great comfort".
And we've booked often with Inns of Spain and have always been pleased. Nick is a pleasure to work with.
Don't know if your stay will fall over a wkd., but www.travel-in-barcelona.com quotes 142 and 158 rates for the jr. suite and suite.
Hope someone else can give you first hand feedback.
Sep 29th, 2003, 08:03 AM
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Hi Maribel,
Thank you so much for your reply. Your advice is always welcomed (I love your past threads!!) I will post a review of the Hotel Neri when I get back. I also got a good feel of the property from my research.
Another Barcelona hotel I was considering was the Hotel Albinoni located at Plaza Portal del Angel, 17 in the Barri Gotic as well. There is no info about that hotel on the boards either. I have 1 night in Barcelona at the beginning of my trip and another at the end, so I thought of staying here at the end. Any thoughts on this hotel?
I am still looking for advice on hotels on Cadaques. Petit Llane vs Hotel Rocamar. There doesn't seem to be many options in this city and want to be sure I go with the best hotel in the city. Thoughts anyone?
Thank you so much for your reply. Your advice is always welcomed (I love your past threads!!) I will post a review of the Hotel Neri when I get back. I also got a good feel of the property from my research.
Another Barcelona hotel I was considering was the Hotel Albinoni located at Plaza Portal del Angel, 17 in the Barri Gotic as well. There is no info about that hotel on the boards either. I have 1 night in Barcelona at the beginning of my trip and another at the end, so I thought of staying here at the end. Any thoughts on this hotel?
I am still looking for advice on hotels on Cadaques. Petit Llane vs Hotel Rocamar. There doesn't seem to be many options in this city and want to be sure I go with the best hotel in the city. Thoughts anyone?
Sep 29th, 2003, 09:58 AM
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Magsc,
For location, I would probably choose the Neri over the Albioni because of the Neri's proximity to the cathedral square. It think that tucked into that side street around the little Sant Felip Neri square it would also be quieter. They're both new, but the Albioni is located right on busy Portal de l'Angel. I'd love first hand feeback on the Albioni too.
I don't know about the "best" of Cadaques, but when I put that Cadaques hotel question directly to George Semler (2 yrs. ago), author of Fodors Barcelona to Bilbao, he wrote to me that he would choose the Llane Petit, but perhaps that's because of the price to quality ratio, the good value rather than the # of amenities. Penelope Casas, author of Discovering Spain: An Uncommon Guide, doesn't seem to have a real favorite, although she recommends Playa Sol, as does Madrid & Beyond.
I've never spent the night in Cadaques; I've always day tripped, staying in Aiguablava, or I've stopped on route from Aiguablava to Collioure via that very serpentine but unforgettable back coastal road. Other Fodors friends have stayed in Roses at the Hotel Almadraba Park, a Relais du Silence property, and have made the trip up to Cadaques from there.
www.almadrabapark.com
Topping this for others to give you their first hand opinions on Cadaques hotels.
For location, I would probably choose the Neri over the Albioni because of the Neri's proximity to the cathedral square. It think that tucked into that side street around the little Sant Felip Neri square it would also be quieter. They're both new, but the Albioni is located right on busy Portal de l'Angel. I'd love first hand feeback on the Albioni too.
I don't know about the "best" of Cadaques, but when I put that Cadaques hotel question directly to George Semler (2 yrs. ago), author of Fodors Barcelona to Bilbao, he wrote to me that he would choose the Llane Petit, but perhaps that's because of the price to quality ratio, the good value rather than the # of amenities. Penelope Casas, author of Discovering Spain: An Uncommon Guide, doesn't seem to have a real favorite, although she recommends Playa Sol, as does Madrid & Beyond.
I've never spent the night in Cadaques; I've always day tripped, staying in Aiguablava, or I've stopped on route from Aiguablava to Collioure via that very serpentine but unforgettable back coastal road. Other Fodors friends have stayed in Roses at the Hotel Almadraba Park, a Relais du Silence property, and have made the trip up to Cadaques from there.
www.almadrabapark.com
Topping this for others to give you their first hand opinions on Cadaques hotels.
Sep 29th, 2003, 10:31 AM
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I also emailed Semler for advice and am waiting to hear his reply...I checked and Almadraba is closed in October. I have read on previous threads about Mas Pau and am considering one night there and just accessing Cadaques from there in order to stay somehwere a bit more off the beaten track...I believe I read that you had stayed here before on a previous thread....if yes, how easy would it be to access Cadaques from here as a day trip? I have heard about the serpentine drive up to Cadaques and am afraid that it will be too long of a drive (Aiguablava to Cadaques for the day and then to Mas Pau to stay the night) and I will not want to come back down the winding road that same day. Thoughts? By the way, I am already staying at Hotel Aiguablava for 2 nights and will be accessing Girona, Pals region from there....Thanks again for any tips!!
Sep 29th, 2003, 03:30 PM
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Magsc,
I'm so happy you have 2 nights in Aiguablava. I think you'll fall in love with that gorgeous little cove!
Sorry, I didn't check the
Almadraba re closing dates. I see that it closes Oct. 14. Will you be up there before then?
Your instincts are right on-it would probably be too much to leave Aiguablava, drive up the slow and extremely serpentine road to visit Cadaques then drive back down and west of Figueres to the Mas Pau in Avinyonet or to Rusticae's Cal Governador south of Figueres just for 1 night. There's another nifty Rusticae, Can Xiquet north of Figueres near La Jonquera.
Those last 2 Rusticae properties are really lovely, but with Rusticae country places, it's a shame to spend only 1 night in them since they're soooo romantic. I've heard really great things about Can Xiquet and it would be the closest to Cadaqués. Have you seen it at www.canxiquet.com?
Will you be heading directly back to Barcelona after that Cadaques area night?
The Cadaqués properties are not luxurious but instead on a fairly modest scale fitting the town's bohemian artsy style. If you really want the experience of spending the night up there (it should be quiet in mid-late Oct.), I'd go with Semler's choice. It was also the hotel choice of the National Geographic Traveler magazine article on the town. The Frommers '04 (hot off the press) says of it: "a little inn of considerable charm lying below the better known Rocamar opening right onto the beach. A hospitable place, it offers decent-sized bedrooms and well-maintained bathrooms with tub and shower. All accomodations open onto a little terrace. The owners keep the hotel under constant renovation during the slow months so that it's always fresh again. ...patronize the hotel's little dinner-only restaurant, as cuisine is well prepard and most affordable".
Rates include brk. off season. I'd expect it to be simple and serene.
But if you can make it to the 4 star Almadraba Park before Oct. 14, I'd stay there.
Hope this helps and that someone else can give you first hand Cadaqués advice.
I'm so happy you have 2 nights in Aiguablava. I think you'll fall in love with that gorgeous little cove!
Sorry, I didn't check the
Almadraba re closing dates. I see that it closes Oct. 14. Will you be up there before then?
Your instincts are right on-it would probably be too much to leave Aiguablava, drive up the slow and extremely serpentine road to visit Cadaques then drive back down and west of Figueres to the Mas Pau in Avinyonet or to Rusticae's Cal Governador south of Figueres just for 1 night. There's another nifty Rusticae, Can Xiquet north of Figueres near La Jonquera.
Those last 2 Rusticae properties are really lovely, but with Rusticae country places, it's a shame to spend only 1 night in them since they're soooo romantic. I've heard really great things about Can Xiquet and it would be the closest to Cadaqués. Have you seen it at www.canxiquet.com?
Will you be heading directly back to Barcelona after that Cadaques area night?
The Cadaqués properties are not luxurious but instead on a fairly modest scale fitting the town's bohemian artsy style. If you really want the experience of spending the night up there (it should be quiet in mid-late Oct.), I'd go with Semler's choice. It was also the hotel choice of the National Geographic Traveler magazine article on the town. The Frommers '04 (hot off the press) says of it: "a little inn of considerable charm lying below the better known Rocamar opening right onto the beach. A hospitable place, it offers decent-sized bedrooms and well-maintained bathrooms with tub and shower. All accomodations open onto a little terrace. The owners keep the hotel under constant renovation during the slow months so that it's always fresh again. ...patronize the hotel's little dinner-only restaurant, as cuisine is well prepard and most affordable".
Rates include brk. off season. I'd expect it to be simple and serene.
But if you can make it to the 4 star Almadraba Park before Oct. 14, I'd stay there.
Hope this helps and that someone else can give you first hand Cadaqués advice.
Sep 30th, 2003, 02:05 PM
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I am on a Mediteranean cruise for 11 nights until 10/24, which is why short time after that is sacred and not flexible...it is my honeymoon!
I have heard loads about "Maribel's Files" and would love it if you could send me your Barcelona file to [email protected]
I appreciate all of your input!
I have heard loads about "Maribel's Files" and would love it if you could send me your Barcelona file to [email protected]
I appreciate all of your input!
