I spend four nights at the hotel and is most likely to choose it for my next stay in Barcelona. Metro station is just around the corner.
Consider going to the Japanese restaurant Shunka nearby for an excellent sushi treat.

We stayed at Grand Hotel Central for the second time in November 2012 (we were there 2 years or so ago) and loved it. It is located steps from the cathedral, is sleek and comfortable, with great service and an excellent restaurant. The rooms are spacious and we were upgraded to one with a beautiful view. The rooftop bar has one of the best views of Barcelona. The lobby is well watched so we did not worry about the crime issues we have heard about in Barcelona. Our room was quiet and immaculate. The staff is friendly and helpful. If you drive however, as we did, parking is very expensive ($70 for less than 24 hours) since the hotel does not have its own parking facilities or a relationship with a commercial garage.

On arrival this superbly located hotel gives an impression of old world charm. Through the revolving doors and straight in to reception and you still think you have fallen across and old gem.

A choice of lifts and take the glass one gives you a great idea of how this hotel is cared for clean as a whistle!!

Rooms are modernistic with nice features. Mine on the fourth floor lacked anything like a view but again was clean and very comfortable with a great walk in bathroom with full facilities.

The City Bar where the service is good but prices a little high 10 euros gin and tonic was pleasant and not too noisy. To be honest for a short city break given its central location not bad at all.

My wife and I stayed here in November 2012 for 2 nights. The hotel is about a quarter of a mile east of the Ramblas, on the edge of the Gothic area. We found it great just to walk out of the hotel and be in the midst of the small back streets packed with bars, restaurants and shops. All of the sights and the beach are within reasonable walking distance, and over 3 days we didn´t once need to catch a tube or bus.

The hotel is clean, tidy, well decorated and furnished in a minimalist modern sort of way. The main road going past the hotel was quite busy and we had a side facing room. The sound proofing was very good and we could hardly hear the traffic at all.

There is a roof bar (which wasn,t fully open in November) and an infinity pool that you can probably see on publicity shots of the hotel. It wasn´t heated when we visited, but looked inviting.

Breakfast at the hotel was 12 Euros per day, but we went next door one way to the bakery and then next door the other to Starbucks, and sat in the loungers of the roof bar in the sun and had breakfast.

Only down side was that the rooms were very warm and the windows don´t open. The front desk told us that the air con is not on in the winter, and that we could only get warm air. They did open the window for us to cool the room, at which point we realised just how well the sound insulation was working, and asked them to close it again!

I would return here in future and would recommend it for a short or medium stay.