Which Barcelona Hotel?
 

Visiting Barcelona late September before a cruise for 4 nights and contemplating 2 hotels - Hotel Banys Orientals and Hotel Raco del Pi. Wondering if anyone has stayed at either with any insight into the locations. Both seem to get good and bad reviews. Looking for convenience to sights, metro and breakfast places, and quiet when sleeping. Thanks for any information.

Both are about equally distant from the cathedral; the Oriental might be a bit closer to the Metro. IF you like staying in the Gothic Quarter I suspect wither would be fine.

Staying a bit closer to the Placa Catalunya would be preferable for some folks but your choices are certainly not deal-breakers IMO. Our first time in Barcelona we stayed in that monument to Franco the Colon across from the cathedral and, despite the horrors expressed by some Fodorites, actually survived.

Your choices are both within easy walking distance of many things or close enough to the Metro to make getting to and from pretty easy.

We stayed at the Hotel del Pi in 2007. I really liked the location, we visited the Boqueria nearly every morning. The Placa del Pi was a lovely place for drinks and tapas and people-watching. I don't recall whether there were any noise issues.

Both are decent 3-star boutique properties, located fairly close to each other, with the Banys Orientals being a little closer to the Picasso Museum. There isn't that much difference in the neighborhoods, but between the two choices, I would go with the Banys Orientals as my first option.

As another option, you might consider the 3-star Hotel Astoria Barcelona, which belongs to the Derby Hotel Group (www.hotelastoria-barcelona.com/). It's located within easy walking distance of both the Born and Gothic areas, but in the left L'Example.

Try this, without the accidental punctuation:

http://www.hotelastoria-barcelona.com/