Quiet, convenient Barcelona hotel?
 

We're planning on 5 nights in Barcelona in September, during the Festival de Merce. We are looking for a recommendation on a hotel/apartment with the following criteria:

* Conveniently located to Barcelona sights/transportation/restaurants (walking distance)
* Quiet room (we will have our 7-month-old daughter with us)
* ~$175 / 150 euros/night
* Air conditioning!
* Elevator preferred
* 3 stars and above
* Character a plus
* Breakfast/restaurant in hotel NOT important

Here are some hotels I found through various searches. Any advice on these or others that fit the criteria would be much appreciated!

B-Hotel
Occidental Reding Hotel
Hispanos 7 Suiza
H10 Raco Del Pi
Avenida Palace
Expo Hotel Barcelona
Hotel Amister
Catalonia Corcega Hotel
Barcelona Princess Sercotel
Hotel Barcelona Universal
Royal Hotel

So many choices! So much information!

You should check out the Hispanos 7 Suiza if you want a nice apartment/hotel during your stay. It's very comfortable and the only one in this group highly recommended by Inns of Spain (http://www.innsofspain.com/hotelview.aspx?h=1266).

I just recently had great hotel experiences with an agency called Totally Spain. They are located near Bilbao and know the hotels they offer. I'd contact them and see what they suggest.

We had a wonderful week at the Hotel America in Barcelona. It's in a lovely neighborhood in L'Example -a modern, contemporary style hotel,(I'm not sure you'd say it had a lot of character), - clean, internet access in the lobby(free),restaurant in hotel (we didn't use the restaurant) - had our morning coffee in nearby cafes -- try MAURI - and discovered many good restaurants right in the neighborhood - a few blocks from the Diagonal -more fine restaurants and shops -- also a subway is on the next corner -- one stop to Ramblas, etc. We would stay there again
-staff was very helpful but not intrusive. Our trip was not planned and we had to scramble,nervously, for a place to stay -- many of the ones that you mentioned were all booked up so we felt very fortunate that we found the America. Our adult daughter came for a few nights and they were very accomodating about bringing another songle bed into the room. I'm sure a crib will be even easier. We were most pleased that the rooms were quiet and the neighborhood was safe. Good luck.
Lucky you -- to have a beautiful 7 month old little girl!!!!!

Oooh! The Mercè festival! Soooo much fun, but not really a family ambience at night. I would stay away from the Ramblas in the late evening, as people are out in droves.

The only hotel I have any experience with is Catalonia Corcega, which is a nice place but not particularly well communicated with the city. Within a few blocks of the hotel, you do have bus service, and there are taxis, and the metro is just a few more blocks away, but I would feel a little anchored if I were there.

I have heard great things about the Avenida Palace which has an excellent location that will not be at all too loud during the Mercè festivities (you are on the Mountain side of Plaza Catalunya, which is where you want to be), though I would still request either an upper floor or being away from street noise.

Good luck and if you are interested in a possible BCN GTG, go to the "la asamblea fodorite" thread and post your dates. We are planning great things!