I had a conference at the convention center and got a great rate (GBP70 per night) on this hotel through a travel site. First impressions were excellent. I arrived late (~10:00pm) on a Sunday evening and immediately thought that the hotel looked good. Room was very modern, superbly clean, etc.

The problem came when I looked for an iron. There was none - no coffee making facilities either but there was a well stocked mini-bar. So I went down to reception and asked for an iron. They didn’t have one. Get this - the only way to iron a shirt in this 4* hotel is to put it in the laundry – for this they charge you 5 euro (or 7.50 euro for the express service if you need it turned around quickly). The receptionist couldn’t understand why I thought that not being able to iron a shirt in a 4* hotel was ‘poor’ when our conversation was cut short because a lady in her 50s ran in having just had her handbag snatched outside!

I ran out with her (the concierge wandered out as well) only to see a guy getting into a car about 100 yds down the road. So she lost her passport, money, mobile phone, etc. Not a great introduction to the hotel.

So, onto the facts. I’d happily recommend the hotel to those needing somewhere close to the convention center. It’s a modern hotel and everything works. My room was a good size and comfortable. The bath is full size which is a real luxury in hotels these days. The area is not ‘bad’. I guess bag snatching happens in all cities everywhere – especially late on Sunday evenings in deserted streets. I guess they target the tourist/conference areas. One person I was discussing the incident with last had her bag snatched in London.

That said, the hotel is not as noise free as I’d like. I could hear the wake-up call next door every morning (about an hour before I wanted to wake up) and a baby screaming at 5:00am seemed like it was in the same room. The internet works (7 euro for 1 hr and 17 euro for 24 hrs) but seems slooow – I suppose it is broadband, Jim – but not as we know it. The hotel does not appear to have a gym or other such facilities.

The hotel is convenient for the conference center (10 mins) walk and is a couple of minutes from a large shopping center (Diagonal Mar – which you can walk through to get to the conference center as it’s across the road) which has countless bars/food outlets, etc. I didn’t use any of the hotel’s facilities. Breakfast was listed at 15 euros in the hotel and there was a Starbucks 2 mins down the road in the shopping center!

I put my shirts for ironing in at 9:00am the next day and did get the express service one back within the hour. So I suppose I have to conclude that the service was good! Luckily I didn’t need it until midday. But, be warned, if you have a 9:00am meeting its crinkly shirt time.

So, in summary, if it wasn’t for the ironing I’d be a happy traveller!