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hen in Barcelona, you will want to check into one of the several new or refurbished and distinctively cool hotels that have opened there recently. The latest hotel launch capturing design media attention is Mandarin Oriental Barcelona. The Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group operates in 25 countries, but this is its first entry into southern Europe. Mandarin Oriental Barcelona’s official opening was celebrated in 2009 with a lavish gala. The hotel’s cool factor is a lucky combination of three elements: The convenience of the central location on Passeig de Gràcia, the good bones of the refurbished 20th-century former bank building, and most significant, the tour de force of design by Spanish-born Milano-based architect, Patricia Urquiola, responsible for the interior decor of the 98-room hotel, including most of the furnishings.

www.mandarinoriental.com/barcelona

At the beginning of the year a bold prediction was made by the tourism office of Barcelona: over 50 new Hotels would open between 2009 and 2010. Here we are a year later and these 5 hotels below managed to beat the global crisis open their doors (fashionably late) and have managed to grab headlines, tweets, and posts from cool hunters across the globe.

W Hotel Barcelona -  “The Dubai Hotel Of The Mediterranean”

Managing to design a hotel that looks almost the same as the Burj Al Arab in Dubai. Ricardo Bofill, created a tower of glass and steel in the run-down southern tip of the Barceloneta neighborhood that since its opening has cleaned up quiet nicely. With starwood launching a full-out search for ultimate cool hunters and an interview process that closely resembled more of casting (think russian girls in stilettos standing next to a woman with a unibrow trying to get a job) they looked at style rather than a passion for truly attentive staff.

The W made headlines for all the wrong reasons… late openings,  a less than stellar opening night and its prime waterfront location conveniently located on a nude beach have been some of the erros the PR department had to deal with.  However, there is still hope for one of my favorite hotel chains in the world… Barcelona is a summer-time city with a wild child streak. Come summer time they will hopefully team up with some savy locals and put their massive terrace to good use.

PROS: The fantastic Eclipse sky bar located on the 26th floor overlooking the city. The decision to  bring aboard Michaelangelo L’Acqua as W Hotels’ first ever Global Music Director.

CONS: Something is missing from the equation, the WoW factor must be stuck in crates in Spanish Custom House. Yes the hotel looks great at sunset but with 315 hotels in Barcelona, competing for international travellers, the W needs to find their niche and fast. This is not South Beach, here  nobody cares how good you look, but rather just how cool you really are.

W HOTEL- Plaça de la Rosa dels Vents 1
08039 Barcelona, Spain
+34 932 95 28 00

MANDARIN ORIENTAL- ”The Chic Foreign Aunt With Loads of Money”

Like a game of  chess,  this prestigious hotel chain chose Barcelona to set up shop making it hotel number 5 in Europe. With the number five signifying  Travel, Adventure and Motion these three things  perfectly embody their latest creation. With 98 elegantly appointed rooms directly on the Barcelona shopping mecca known as Passieg de Gracia. The Mandarin Oriental opened it’s doors this past November stopping traffic on Barcelona’s most fashionable boulevard. The Mandarin Barcelona makes our list due to the hotel making headlines due to several pushback in the opening dates.

However, the hotel  has earned its street credit by hiring the only female chef  in the world  to have earn five Micheline stars for her restaurants in Spain and in Japan. The Restaurant MOments is well on the way to slicing the competion. Chef Carme Ruscalleda  has invited her son Raul into the kitchen and the result has wowed the critics with their home-stlye Catalan Cooking  as Spain is presently the talk of the culinary world.

PROS: Fantastic rooftop, with plunge pool and killer views. Booking Tip: Make sure to book the rooms facing the garden rather than the boulevard.

CONS: The Mandarin is known for their descendant Spa with spectacular views and spacious layouts. Due to the fact that this is Spain, the spa is not at parr with other of their more famous properties.

Mandarin Oriental Barcelona-Passeig De Gràcia 38
08007 Barcelona, Spain
+34 931 51 88 88

ROOM-MATE EMMA-  “The Reccision Proof Hotel of 2009″

While other chains were busy slowing their growth and charging outrageous fees for internet usage, Room Mate Hotels was busy opening new spaces all over the world and bundling all of their fees into one low price. Owner Kike Sarasola,  managed to stay ahead of the global downturn in tourism by opening smart, basic and comfort hotels with free WIFI and loads of  style with a price tag of around 45 euros.

Their marketing campaign has been the key to their success. Instead of attempting to make all hotels in their chain look the same, they try to create hotels that reflect the city/neighborhoods they move into. Their latest creation EMMA is  the personification of Barcelona: Creative, Energetic, and Innovative the hotel has made quiet a name for is discreet addition to the over crowded Barcelona hotel scene. Opting for a more word of mouth Social networking way of promoting their property.

 Located in the Eixample neighborhood it has the perfect location for travellers flyining into Barcelona for a weekend of shopping. Their latest marketing effort was an online contest  searching for the face of their two latest properties CARLOS (in Buenos Aires) and VALENTINA (in Mexico City) the winners faces will be part of the hotel campaign in 2010. WIth Properties opened in New York, Miami, Madrid, Malaga and Valencia. They are definitley one to watch in 2010.

PROS: Steps away from the Diagonal metro station that links much of the city’s metro lines. Basic hotel hotels for people who will not be spending too much time in their room

CONS: The location of the hotel is quite a trek from the smoky bars of the Raval and hip eateries of the Borne.

EMMA HOTEL-Carrer Rosselló 205
08008 Barcelona, Spain
+34 932 385 606

HOTEL DENIT- “The Darling Of The Internet”

  This new hotel has rapidly become the darling of Trip Advisor. With over 100 positive reviews and the staff regularly check in with comments posted on the page to guarantee each visitor is satisfied. In an age where social media is the norm it is nice to see a hotel scanning the net and listening to the people’s comments. 

Denit, meaning “At Night” in Catalan, lives up to its name in city that becomes another animal come night fall. Centrally located on the edge of Gothic Quarter, where 2000 years of history collides with the modern shopping district of the Eixample on the corner of Fontanella and D’Estruc.  This fresh and modern hotel boasts innovatively designed bedrooms and a 24-hour cafe in the smart lobby. A savior in a city where bars stay open until 6am but finding a place to eat after 2am can be a challenge.

The Denit offers you the chance to enjoy contemporary design at a pocket-friendly price. With its restrained color palate of white on white on white with touches of beech veneer it is designed to help you relax after coming in from the chaos that is Portal D’Angel- a shopping street  that has 3 H&M’s in a 2 block radius. Though the rooms are small, the staff and location more than make up for it. If  shopping, eating, and drinking your way through Barcelona is your idea of the perfect weekend. Look no further you have found you crash pad- Barcelona is yours for the taking!

PROS: Tucked on a quiet street 500 meters from the dead center of the city you will be pretty much walking distance from every neighborhood in Barcelona

CONS: The rooms are not the biggest in size, however if you just looking for a place to sleep this is your place.

HOTEL DENIT-Estruc 24
08002 Barcelona, Spain
935 454 000

W HOTELLS- raval  ” A Hotel For Cool Hunters”

Mention the neighborhood ”El Raval” to a local, and their reaction will run the gamut from praising it’s authenticity  to the a manifesto  detailing   everything that is wrong with the city. A safe haven for hipsters, a bustling immigrant cluster, the last bohemian village in a city with inflated real estate prices. The Raval is everything and nothing at once but one can’t turn a blind eye to the creativity and raw talent percolating on these streets. 

It’s not every day that a neighborhood gets in own verb. In this case RAVALEJAR

To explain Ravalejar to someone outside is a bit complicated. But in its purest form it’s the act of being extremely busy doing nothing. Born from the global economic crisis and humid Barcelona nights. The neighborhood come to the main steps of the MACBAand sit for hours in the hot summer nights watch the skateboarders take over the plaza while crowds of  people break the law by sitting in the plaza and having a beer as the local police stands back with a watchful eye.

Why do I mention this? Because if you are looking for quiet streets, 5 star hotels and charming restaurants this MIGHT not be the neighborhood for you to stay in. However, if you are looking for the most cutting edge designers, vintage music shops, kebab stands and local dive bars with snide bartenders serving up 2 euro beers check into these apartments and explore Barcelona’s most polemic neighborhood of El RAVAL.

This hotel makes our list because of their team up with Japanese retail store MUJI. Furnishing their flats with everything Muji. Whotells (not to be confused with THE W HOTEL) is located in one of the best streets in the Raval – Joaquin Costa

PROS: If you’re looking to discover the real side of Barcelona the location can not be beat. MUJI Furnished lofts make getting into bed that much better.

CONS: Noise, the streets tend to get pretty loud on the weekends, not recommended for women to be walking this neighborhood alone, but if you in a group you will be fine.

W HOTELLS-Joaquin Costa 28
08001 Barcelona, Spain
616 581 780

Travel to Spain is a must for the adventure seeker, the wine sipper, and the art connoisseur alike. Accommodations are widely available at Barcelona Hotels, Madrid Hotels and hostels.

From centuries-old festivals like the running of the bulls in Pamplona, to 24-hour sun and fun on the Mediterranean island of Ibiza; from the art and architecture of the Moors and Romans, to Picasso and Joan Miro, travelers can see it all when they visit Spain. For the intrepid adventure seeker, to the laid back vacationer, the tourism Spain offers is one of a kind.

According to official tourism Spain data, 45 million tourists visit Spain each year–which means that as many people visit Spain per year, as there are Spaniards. So while the restaurants and cafes may be rustic affairs tucked away on cobble-stone streets, travel to Spain and travel within Spain is easy and affordable.

From most major cities in Europe and the eastern coast of the United States, daily non-stop flights to Madrid and Barcelona are available year round. In Spain the state run train system, Renfe, and an extensive bus system put even the smallest of villages within reach.

Spain”s second largest city, Barcelona, remains relatively balmy year round and is the perfect place to take in the architecture of Antoni Gaudi”s unfinished masterpiece, the Sagrada Familia, or stroll through the psychedelic Parc Guell overlooking the city.

But if you decide to travel to Spain for the beaches you”re in luck, because from the Costa del Sol in the south, to the surfing areas around the town of San Sebastian in the north, Spain is circled with beautiful beaches.

If it”s art and architecture that you crave, the best places to visit in Spain are Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Seville and Granada. Art buffs will love Madrid for its most famous Museum, the Museo del Prado. The Prado houses masterworks by Goya, Velasquez and El Greco and is a must on any traveler”s itinerary.

While Madrid is sweltering in the summer months, you can escape for a day trip north to Toledo, or spend an extended weekend touring the northern Basque region or hiking in the Pyrenees Mountains that form the border with France. To the South, the best of Spain sight seeing options are located in the region of Andalucia. Andulucia is rich in Moorish architecture–including the mythical Alhambra Palace–and is the birthplace of the colorful, passionate flamenco dance.

But modern Spain is much more than bullfights and flamenco dancing. For those that crave the nightlife, the best of Spain sight seeing is in The Balearic Islands. This archipelago of four major islands includes the trendiest of European resort destinations, Ibiza.

So whether it”s masterpieces of art, white sand beaches, bullfights, flamenco dancing, or just sipping a nice Spanish wine at a sidewalk café, the best places to visit in Spain are within your reach.

If you are going to visit Spain, and you need a Travel Visa Insurance, then you may consider this: http://incominghealthinsurance.com/

Almost 60,000 attendees, 2500 media and a press office the size of half a football pitch…just how do you get your message across at the now (in)famous Mobile World Congress held every February in Barcelona?

Well its simple isn’t it:

You use a large PR machine that throws enormous amounts of time, resource and money at the challenge. You only start talking to your audiences five days before the event and are mystified why they are too busy to talk back to you.

You fire a shotgun of (sometimes irrelevant) information at the over worked, over tired, mostly non-mobile savvy and almost certainly hungover journos in the vain hope some of it might stick. It’s the media relations campaign with the turning circle of an oil tanker.

And guess what? It happens every year without fail; Armies of PRs dotted all over the outer limits of Barcelona in, let’s say, somewhat questionable accommodation (amazing considering they booked it in January!!!) living on bottled water, bread, cured meats and Cava.

Here are our tips to consider at this stage in your congress preparation …

1. Rebook your hotel for the next year as you leave the hotel on the Saturday.
2. Hire a private driver for the entire congress which is much cheaper than taxis in the long run… and there is a good chance that the driver will actually be there.
3. Have people on the ground that speak Spanish and liaise directly with the local council and suppliers
4. It’s a great help to work with people who have been attending congress since mobile phones came in any colour as long as its black and the future was very very bright

We’d welcome your thoughts on MWC preparations and horror stories from years gone by……..

There are still six days to go till it opens, but the folk at W Barcelona have stuck up some sneak peek photos on their Facebook page. The teases!

Up top is the the sundeck at the Altitude Terrace. Then there’s the WET Deck (loving the water all over the place)

The gym – yep, we’d work out here.

And a corner suite. No complaints there, either.

We’re not so keen on the corridors, which look a little institutional:

But if you’re only disliking the corridors, you’re going pretty good. You know how we were saying yesterday that the prices (EUR280/$414/£255) were pretty hefty? Well we still think they are. But we’re coming round to them. A little bit.  by juliab – HotelChatter

SocialiteTravel.com – For Jet Setters, By Jet Setters!

Location.
Located in the Ciutat Vella neighborhood, this Barcelona property is close to Placa Catalunya, Cathedral of Santa Eulalia, and Palau de la Musica Catalana. Also nearby are Gran Teatre del Liceu and Mercat de la Boqueria.

Features.
Royal Ramblas has a restaurant, a bar/lounge, and a coffee shop/café. Room service is available during limited hours. Business amenities include business services and secretarial services. The staff can arrange concierge services, dry cleaning services, and translation services. Additional amenities include laundry facilities, barbecue grills, and multilingual staff. This is a smoke-free property (fines may apply for violations).

Guestrooms.
Amenities featured in guestrooms include air conditioning and minibars. Guestrooms have satellite television with premium TV channel(s). Business-friendly amenities include desks. Bathrooms feature bidets, hair dryers, and handheld showers. Guestroom services include housekeeping and wake-up calls. Sofa beds are provided. All guestrooms at Royal Ramblas are non-smoking

This is a piece of information to all those who are a frequent visitor or looking forward to their Barcelona holiday or business trip. While surfing through one of the travel websites, I came across this attractive Barcelona hot deals offering some great deals on Barcelona hotels.

If you want to stay near the sea during your Barcelona, the website offer one hotel by the name of Bel Air Hotel, Castelldefels-Nr.Barcelona. The hotel is superbly located right on the seafront at Castelldefels which is about 18 km from Barcelona.

The hotel has modern facilities and amenities. Guests can also relax in the hotel bar and enjoy delectable cuisines served at the restaurant.

The plus point of the hotel is its location. Being situated close to various transport links, one can explore the city’s attractions.

However, before booking Barcelona hot deals one can always check out the hotels reviews. Best of luck!!

Looking for travel tips, restaurant reviews, celebrity gossip, top hotels & hot nightlife tips in Barcelona? Read on to find out more….

Much like the delay in my posts (been quite busy the last couple of weeks), delays are expected for both the upcoming W Barcelona and W Hoboken.  

The W Barcelona originally anticipated a Spring opening, but the hotel now projects it will begin accepting reservations for October 1, 2009.  With its fitting home in Barcelona, this W should be well worth the wait especially since it will be the first W to open its doors in Europe.  Barcelona is well positioned on the Mediterranean shores and boasts a rich and flamboyant culture.  The city offers enthralling architecture, and the W is no exception.  The 473-room hotel is shaped like a sail on the waterfront and designed by the famed architect, Ricardo Bofill.  I have no doubt that its interior design will also reflect the artistic spirit of Barcelona albeit with a modern interpretation.

W Barcelona

The W Hoboken is the hottest thing to hit New Jersey, but unfortunately we’ll have to wait a tad longer than expected for the grand opening (originally February 26).  According to the folks over at Hotel Chatter, this W is now taking reservations for mid-March with an official grand opening on April 16.  The 225-room W Hoboken sits on the Hudson River and promises magnificent views of the Manhattan skyline.  Their average nightly rates should be easier on the wallets than the sister W’s in NY.  As a category 5 property (12,000-16,000 Starpoints), this hotel won’t drain your SPG account either.

W Hoboken

Source: Hotel Chatter

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Christmas time in Barcelona is to say the least, very special. This is a time for family, friends and fun, and whether you’re young or old, there is something for everyone to do here. It is important to have things to do at Christmas time because for many of us who have to spend copious amounts of time with family, (namely really old relatives or really young annoying cousins), the festive period can be a bit boring or trying, and thus it’s a good idea to plan ahead a bit in advance. This includes getting your flights and Barcelona apartment or Barcelona hotel sorted!

Then relax in your accommodation in Barcelona and put your Tio Nadal (Christmas Log) on the ground. This little chappy is the Catalan’s answer to Father Christmas and is a small figure with eyes, a nose and mouth. This log has the strange and magical ability to poo delicious treats such as sweets, nuts and torrons. Just like children believe Father Christmas is the one who brings all their presents on Christmas Eve, Caca Tió (the pooping log) brings the childrens’ presents too. When the children have sung the song to Caga Tió, (Caga Tió, almonds and turron, if you don’t poo sardines that are too salty or poo turrones that are the yummiest, Caga Tió, almonds and turron, if you don’t want to poo, I’ll hit you with the stick!) and hit Caga Tió with the stick, they lift up his cloak and underneath a heap of goodies is revealed. However, when the children find out that it is mummy and daddy who hide the sweets under Caga Tió’s cloak just before they sing the song, it is a sad day for all.

Make sure you stick around in Barcelona for 6^th January. This special date is something that you should not miss, as it is the night of the Three Wise Men. This night is the night of presents and there are many parades with camels and trucks full of presents through the streets of Barcelona. The children of the city believe this is a unique event and thus every effort is made to pretend that it is only happening in Barcelona. The shops stay open until 12pm for parents to do last minute present shopping, and toddlers are weened off their dummies because they collectively give their dummies to the Three Wise Men.

Fireworks light up the sky, and at a certain time during the night, a special event takes place at the Town Hall, the mayor comes outside and presents the Three Wise Men with a huge magical golden key so that they can unlock all the doors of the city to bring the children their presents…

]]> http://romeapartmentsforrentlp.wordpress.com/2008/10/22/tibidabo-in-barcelona/ Wed, 22 Oct 2008 09:16:25 +0000 romeapartmentsforrentlp http://romeapartmentsforrentlp.wordpress.com/2008/10/22/tibidabo-in-barcelona/

This Magic Mountain can be seen from many different view points in the city of Barcelona and looks particularly striking at night when it is lit up and shines like gold. The Mountain of Tibidabo is 512 metres in altitude and is the highest point of the Collserola hills. Up until recently the amusement park there was in disarray but has recently been restored by the Generalitat of Catalunya. Famous for its hall of mirrors, it’s old charm and the fact that it was created 100 years ago, Tibidabo amusement park now has new attractions such as; the Plane, the Carrousel, the Automata Museum, the Talaia, the Panoramic and three children’s rides Les Llaunes, Pony Rodeo and Río Grande.

There is also a 12minute film, subtitled in Spanish and English in the Cel building which tracks the history of Tibidabo over the years starting from the 1920’s to the present day. It primarily celebrates the 100th anniversary of Tibidabo and shows its close links to the history of Barcelona. The amusement park dates back to 1899, to the founding of the “Tibidabo Company” by the pharmaceutical pioneer Salvador Andreu. One of his aims was for people to have somewhere in the city where they could come and relax and thus created this special recreational area on the hilltop.

After leaving your Barcelona hotel or Barcelona apartment, make your way over to Tibidabo by train (L7) to “Av Tibidabo”, then take the funicular, Tramvia Blau or Tibidabo Bus up to the top. You can also catch the Tibibus from Plaça Catalunya, which runs from 10:30 everyday. The Blue Tram and the Funicular were inaugurated on 29th Oct 1901, and shortly afterwards the first attractions were installed on Tibidabo. The park still conserves some of the most significant ones that have filled it during its hundred years of existence: for example, the Castle of Terror and the Big Dipper. One of its most unusual items is the aeroplane, which dates from 1928 and is a replica of the model that made the first flight between Barcelona and Madrid.

If you want to see a bit more than just the amusement park, Tibidabo is home to other interesting sites such as The Fabra Observatory and the Experimental Physics Museum.
As well as this, the two buildings erected between 1901 and 1905: the first by Camil Fabra, the Marquis of Alella, who built the astronomical observatory which bears his name, designed by Josep Domènech i Estapà, and the latter, nearby, in 1905, built by Ferran Alsina; the museum of experimental physics named “La Mentora”, which, due to the great interest of its collection of scientific apparatus of the time, has been conserved to the present day. Finally, in 1908 the slopes of the mountain were converted into a municipal park and it is lovely to take a walk here and leisurely make your way back to your Barcelona accommodation.

Finally, a little taste of England has come to Barcelona! On Rambla del Raval 26 has graced us with its presence. For those of you who don’t live in Barcelona as a Brit, you won’t know the craving that we get every now and again when think about what we would be eating if we were at home in England on a Friday night, or when we really cant’t be bothered cooking but don’t really fancy an Indian or Chinese. Yes, it’s that kind of hunger that only a lovely portion of home made chips, mushy peas and a lovely battered cod can fill. Make sure you get your Barcelona apartment and Barcelona hotel near to this wonderful smelling restaurant!

This fish and chip wittily named; “Fish and Chips”, has only recently opened and is the creation of two mothers; blah and blah. The cuisine here is taditional, authentic fish (just how we like it), where typical fresh cod in batter and chips made from freshly cut potatoes as well as all of the extra side dishes such as mushy peas, baked beans, curry sauce and much more are served. There are British drinks too, such as the lovely sugary obligatory drinks Vimto and Lilt, and for the Scots out there, good old Irn Bru and to add a Spanish touch you can even get a beer or a glass of wine with your meal.

In May 2008, the very special restaurant was featured in that months edition of Easy Jet Inflight Magazine and the two ladies who run the British food hot spot had their say. Julie, 43, who ran a bar in Liverpool, while Julia, 40, was in marketing in London, before they moved to Barcelona seven years ago.
After setting up a nanny service in the city, Tender Loving Canguros, the women seized upon the idea of running a fish and chip shop late one night, while trying to come up with money-making plans to ensure they need never leave Barcelona. (Aren’t we all!)
Besides the joys of the usual chip shop fare —everything freshly battered, cut, peeled and cooked on the premises—the Catalans have also been initiated into the pleasures of crumpets, haggis and English pies.

“As something new in Barcelona, it’s created a lot of excitement,” says Julie. “We’re the first stop for a lot of people straight off the plane. Some people come in every day and some find us at the end of their stay. We’re also fully licensed and sell the cheapest pint in town.”
“We haven’t had a day off in nine months, but we love it, especially now the weather is warm and we can chat to customers outside on our terrace. We also hold regular themed parties—Easter, Halloween, Christmas. All the locals watch us with amazement,” she laughs.
So, be sure to visit this spot on your trip to Barcelona, and right by it you will find a fine selection of Barcelona accommodation.

Are you desperately trying to search for some cool vintage clothing in Barcelona? I’ve been living in this fantastic city since June, and I must admit, although I’ve wanted to, I haven’t done much exploring of the city’s second hand and vintage clothes, simply because there is so much to do… That is, until now. If you want to check out what Barcelona has on offer in the vintage section during your holiday, make sure you stay in the centre in a Barcelona hotel or Barcelona apartment.

To my joy and amazement, Barcelona is full of pretty little boutiques and funky, Aladdin’s cave-like vintage clothes and furniture shops, you’ve just got to know where to go and how to seek them out… I started off with a trip to Raval, Barcelona’s slightly dingy but cool part of town, where the coziest bars and friendliest restaurants can be found, not to mention the millions of beer sellers who line the streets shouting; “sexy beer” “cold beer”. Raval was stocked with little vintage clothes shops, as well as second hand shops which are my favourite.

Amongst these I found the shops with the most variety to be Gallery on Carrer Torrent d’Olla and Lailo on Riera Baixa – this shop was amazing, not only because it sells clothes from as far back as the 1900’s, but because the jewelry it sells there is truly beautiful. Retro City – a shop that can be found in Gracia and Raval is a good place if you are looking for one off pieces in order that no one can steal your look, and Le Swing near Pintor Fortuny focuses on clothes from the forties Fifties and Eighties.

As well as this, there are many chains of second hand/vintage shops in Barcelona, although one off shops outside the Gracia or Raval area are few and far between. One of these; Moda Amiga, works in conjunction with the Obra Social de Caixa de Catalunya and is special in that like a charity shop, it sells people’s unwanted items but you deposit your unwanted items in bright orange bins which are then sorted out and many will end up in the Moda Amiga shop. The shop in Carrer Sant Salvador in Gracia caught my eye as it is a lovely shop that immediately invites you in due to the bright colours and exciting display in the shop itself. The prices here are quite high, many of the unwanted clothes are designer and the look of the shop is definitely retro, but you’ve got to bear in mind that this shop is a job creation scheme. Cheaper versions of this shop such as the one in Cornellà or Mollins de Rei will not sell designer or retro gear.

So, now you’ve got your vintage clothes sorted, go book your accommodation in Barcelona!

]]> http://romeapartmentsforrentlp.wordpress.com/2008/09/25/how-to-see-barcelona-with-seemingly-no-effort/ Thu, 25 Sep 2008 15:08:46 +0000 romeapartmentsforrentlp http://romeapartmentsforrentlp.wordpress.com/2008/09/25/how-to-see-barcelona-with-seemingly-no-effort/

So, you want to take a weekend break to Barcelona? Be smart, book your Barcelona apartment or Barcelona hotel as early as possible. Also, book flights as far in advance as possible, because no matter what people tell you, the more seats that are taken on a flight, the more expensive the price gets…

Research where you want to go before you head off. A weekend is not that long and even if you’re going for a long weekend, that’s still only four days with travel included. I would recommend that you do a shortlist of important places to see. For me, these would include;

The famous works of Antoni Gaudí; La Sagrada Familia, Casa Batllò (fantastic interior and spectacular roof) or La Pedrera (famous for its ornate mosaic chimneys) and Parc Güell. La Rambla (make sure you got to La Boqueria market here), Port Vell/Barceloneta, Parc de la Ciutadella, Plaza Espana, Montjuïc and the Picasso Museum are all must sees too. By doing this you can schedule in a bit of shopping, a lovely meal and a bit of tapas at the top floor restaurant of El Corte Ingles!

To accompany your top 10 list, it is always a good idea to jot down the metro line needed to get there and or any information with it beforehand. This means you can relax and take your time with no need to stress about getting lost when you get there. Luckily, we’ve done this for you!

1) La Sagrada Familia – L2 Sagrada Familia, 10€ entrance fee, 8€ for students, open 09:00-18:00 (Oct-Mar) 09:00-20:00 (Apr-Sep), go round to Calle Mallorca 401 to enter.

2) Casa Battlò – L3 L4 Passeig de Gracia, (Address: #43 Passeig de Gracia, (+34) 93 216 03 06, infovisites@casabatllo.cat, 16.50€ with 20% discount for students)

3) La Pedrera – L2 L3 L4 Passeig de Gracia (Address: Provenca, 261-265, 08008, 9.50€ entrance)

4) Parc Guell – L3 Vallcarca then follow street signs

5) La Rambla – L1 L3 Catalunya or L3 Liceu (further down la Rambla)

6) Port Vell/Barceloneta – L4 Barceloneta

7) Parc de la Ciutadella – L4 Ciutadella Via Olympica

Plaza Espana – L1 L3 Espanya

9) Montjuïc – L3 L2 Para-lel, then take the vernicular up to the top, then a further ski car upto the castle.

10) Picasso Museum – L1 Arc de Triomf, L3 Liceu, L4 Jaume I (Address: Montcada 15-23 08003, (+34) 93 256 30 00, museupicasso@bcn.cat)

Once you’ve got that sorted, you can sleep easy in your Barcelona accommodation, enjoy a cracking paella at Barceloneta and be inspired by the amazing works of Gaudí!

]]> http://romeapartmentsforrentlp.wordpress.com/2008/09/16/dont-miss-the-festival-of-la-merce/ Tue, 16 Sep 2008 11:18:59 +0000 romeapartmentsforrentlp http://romeapartmentsforrentlp.wordpress.com/2008/09/16/dont-miss-the-festival-of-la-merce/

This festival takes places during 19^th til 28^th September in the centre of this fantastic city at various sites. A festival not only dedicated to the cultural aspect of Barcelona, but the fun aspect, this festival has been running since 1902 and is definitely worth a visit! Don’t miss out on this amazing festival, Barcelona apartments and Barcelona hotels get booked up quickly around this time.

This street party is held in honour of held in honour of Mare de Deu de la Merce, the Patron Saint of Barcelona. Perhaps my favourite part of the festival is the Giants Parade (23rd to 24^th). These giants with effigies of kings, queens and nobles march through the streets of Barcelona. These huge figures tower above the crowds and spin around and around so the crowds can see them in all their glory. The Parade is often accompanied by small percussion groups that beat out a rhythm on drums as the Giants go by.

Don’t miss out on the festivities, book your Barcelona accommodation in time and in particular, make sure you visit Montjuïc castle, as lots and lots will be taking place there, see: http://www.bcn.es/cgi-bin/cllista_ag.pl?v=merce&tema=0012004011003010009&lang=catala (although the timetable is only in Catalan, you will see the times and places). The circus will be the main attraction at Montjuïc Castle, another new festival site. Magic, gesture theatre, acrobatics and workshops will all feature at the castle, which was recently returned to the city and is now a public amenity. Some of the performances taking place at the castle include titles such as; “Espectacle ‘Les Enfants’, a càrrec de la Cia. Traüt Espectacles” “Electrikmim’, a càrrec de Manolo Carambolas”and “Freaks’, a càrrec de la Cia. Cikaros & TinCanCompany”, so I think it is safe to say there will be a huge variety of performances to see. This year marks the 800^th birthday of the Catalan King Jaume I and as a result, another new site for this year will be the Moll de Barcelona wharf as the Jaume I Tower is there.

The poster for this year’s festival is bigger and brighter than ever. Designed by Peret, the 1998 National Design Award winner, the designer has tried to reflect the festive, naughty side of a smile to create the image of La Mercè this year. Singer-songwriter Jaume Sisa will give the opening speech at the festival, which starts on Friday19 September and continues to Wednesday 24 September. He will also be the star of a galactic night in Plaça Catalunya.

]]> http://romeapartmentsforrentlp.wordpress.com/2008/09/16/the-festival-of-la-merce-in-barcelona-this-september/ Tue, 16 Sep 2008 11:17:05 +0000 romeapartmentsforrentlp http://romeapartmentsforrentlp.wordpress.com/2008/09/16/the-festival-of-la-merce-in-barcelona-this-september/

This festival takes places during 19^th til 28^th September in the centre of this fantastic city at various sites. A festival not only dedicated to the cultural aspect of Barcelona, but the fun aspect, this festival has been running since 1902 and is definitely worth a visit! Don’t miss out on this amazing festival, Barcelona apartments and Barcelona hotels get booked up quickly around this time.

This street party is held in honour of held in honour of Mare de Deu de la Merce, the Patron Saint of Barcelona. Perhaps my favourite part of the festival is the Giants Parade (23rd to 24^th). These giants with effigies of kings, queens and nobles march through the streets of Barcelona. These huge figures tower above the crowds and spin around and around so the crowds can see them in all their glory. The Parade is often accompanied by small percussion groups that beat out a rhythm on drums as the Giants go by.

Be sure not to miss the night of dragons, eagles and devils that breathe fire on 20^th September at 20:30 to 22:30 at Porta Cambó, av. Francesc Cambó, pl. Antoni Maura, Via Laietana, pl. Antoni López i Consolat del Mar. Be careful, because often fireworks and sparklers are sprayed onto the crowd, so it’s best to wear protective clothing. There are two types of “correfoc” (running fire) and this activity is thus known due to the people who dress up as devils and chase the crowds up and down the streets with bangers and hand held fireworks. The first correfoc is for children and is not as chaotic, but the second is for adults which is a lot wilder and happens later on in the evening.

On 21^st Sep, the castellers takes place. This is the formation of a human tower, (which takes a lot of planning and practice), where a child is then invited to climb to the top, a skilled and slightly dangerous act, I can tell you! However, the suspense is wonderful and the crowds go crazy for this festival gem which normally takes place in Plaza Jaume.

Festivities aren’t just kept on the ground either, La Mercè also celebrates the sky with static hot air balloon flights, kite displays and other aerial exhibitions taking place throughout the festival on the city’s beaches. Keep your eyes peeled for discounts on Barcelona accommodation and free entrance to many of the city’s museums, including; the Picasso museum, the Museum of History of Catalonia, the Maritime Museum and many more. For other exciting features of the festival, check out the Centro de Cultura Contemperanea de Barcelona where you can view street theatre, Moll de la Fusta which will be giving centre stage to numerous circus acts and Plaza St Rei where various dance troupes and performing artists will be performing.

Rekord Hotel Barcelona is a hotel for a family getaway to Barcelona. Like most cities, it’s not easy to find a hotel with a family room but the Rekord offered 2 choices, a family room or an apartment a few doors away. Hotel combines comfort and efficiency with charm and friendliness. All the staff, whether at reception or serving at breakfast, were extremely welcoming and helpful at all times. The room was huge and very well appointed – great bed, big modern bathroom, everything immaculately clean, including new white bathrobes and slippers laid out on the beds. Parking is a bit of a problem in Barcelona but the Rekord has an underground car park at extra cost. You can also use the lounge area during the day and help yourself to tea, coffee and cakes up to 9 at night. On our first night, staff brought a plate of fresh sliced tropical fruit to the room. Barcelona is not a cheap place to stay and I think the Rekord was about average in terms of cost so quite good value considering. I found Hotel Rekord Barcelona reviews for this hotel on this website and that is why I can recommend following Barcelona hotels for a stay in Barcelona

Recommended Barcelona hotels by travelers reviews on TripTake.com

Acevi Villarroel Hotel Barcelona

Comfortable and spacious rooms decorated in a minimalist style with wooden floors and elegant bathrooms.

Hotel Condado Barcelona

Hesperia Presidente Hotel Barcelona Hotel with an exceptional emplacement between Diagonal Avenue and Muntaner street, in the heart of finances, commercial and business area of the city and about 15 minutes walking distance from Plaza Catalunya and Ramblas

Park Hotel Barcelona – hotel located in the most exciting area of Barcelona, full of art, fashion and gastronomy

Vincci Maritimo Hotel Barcelona – Modern hotel offers stylish, contemporary, designer accommodation

Hotel Zenit Barcelona

hotel is conveniently located in mid-town Barcelona in the commercial and business district

Vincci Hotel Arena

New Boutique Hotel, a few metres away from the fairground and the city’s tourist and commercial district

Alimara Hotel Barcelona

Alimara is a first class hotel and is situated in the upper area of the city.

I booked my Barcelona hotel here

I have just returned from seeing Vicky Christina Barcelona. I am pretty obsessive about Woody Allen and I have to say , this film does not disappoint. Besides having an engaging and humorous story, the locations in and around Spain are enough to make anyone want to jump on a plane immediately and head across the Atlantic. Lucky for me, I already have plans to hit Barcelona. Next Thursday actually, with my BF Lewis. Hence Jennifer Lewis Barcelona. This movie only served to raise my excitement level to a near fever pitch. 

Despite having nine days to explore Spain, I am limiting my travels to two places; Barcelona and nearby Girona on the Costa Brava. I make it a priority to relax on vacation and jumping from place to place in frantic hope that I will see as much as possible has never been my travel style.

What I have discovered is that Barcelona is a city with many beautiful and stylish hotels. Unfortunately, that pesky dollar is just not co-operating against the Euro so it was a bit challenging to find a place in my price range (about 200 -250 a night). After literally weeks of research, I decided on a small hotel in the El Born district of Barcelona called Banys Orientals. As far as I can tell, El Born is home to many of the most fashionable shops in Barcelona and it is very central to many of the attractions the city is known for. There are actually two separate areas which make up the Hotel; the first being the actual hotel and the second being a building of suites located across the street from the main building. This is where we are staying and from what I can tell, it will be more like staying in an apartment rather than a hotel. This is fine by me because I like that kind of independence. I am not really a needy traveller so having a front desk close by is not really a big priority. Here are some pics from the place:

As you can see, it looks clean, simple and stylish. While I am there I will take some photographs of my own and post them upon return. Those above should do for now. The rates at Banys are pretty fantastic. I was able to book a suite for five nights for 130 Euros (translation, 200 American dollars).

In between hitting up Parc Guell and drinking copious amounts of wine, I plan on checking out a few other hotels that have garnered a pretty great reputation over the years. There were a couple of standouts during my research and I would like to share them with my fellow readers. The first is Hotel Pulitzer. This was my number one pick for Barcelona but no matter how many ways I did the math, I just couldn’t make it work financially this time. The hotel has received many accolades and it is actually not ludicrous in terms of price. If you lived in Europe or in England, this hotel would be downright affordable. At last check, the going rate there for a double room is around 188 Euros.

A lot has been said about the hotels interiors, which were designed by Lazaro Rosa Violan with the intended goal of creating a hotel which was decidedly un-hotel like. The result is is a winning combination of chic, but accessible comfort bathed in black, white and gold tones. Check out some pics:

It is worth noting that if you can’t make it to Barcelona, there are Hotel Pulitzers in both Rome and Paris.

Finally, there is one other place which seems really cool in Barcelona that I would like to check out. It is basically an apartment you can rent – but maid service is included. It is called The Third Floor and it seems like a sophisticated alternative to staying in a hotel. There is not a ton of info on their website but I managed to find some pics courtesy of Conciege.com.

My travels will also take me to Girona, where I will be staying in a restored castle called Castell d’Emporda. More on this hotel and Banys Orientals when I return. For now, I will leave you with some visuals to tide you over:

Incidentally, in the NY Times travel section this week, there is a big article on The Costa Brava! I guess my timing could not be better. You can check it out here.

Barcelona is a Cosmopolitan city known with its tantalizing beauty and great atmosphere. The city has a unique charm that attracts a lot of visitors and tourist. Barcelona is recognized as the 2nd largest city of Spain from which the city has become the business core of Catalonia. With lots of Hoteles de Negocios Barcelona, the place has become the meeting point of big businessmen. Barcelona has a lot of attractions to offer with their visitors. Perhaps, you can’t see even a single corner or area in Barcelona that is disgusting. It has a lot of beautiful town squares and museums. Aside from their impressive town squares, the place is also bounded with artistic and beautiful Centre Barcelona Hotels from which tourists wouldn’t have to be in troubled upon looking for a desired hotel accommodation and lodging in Barcelona. With all the good things Barcelona has to offer with its visitors, one of the many reasons why Barcelona has become a top listed place for tourism is due to the city’s regard on Festivals and some cultural events. The city is prosperous, vibrant and very captivating. Anyone who wishes for an enchanting trip should have lead their way to Barcelona and plot over their calendars all the events and festivals that they may enjoy upon staying in the place. The following are the events and popular festivals in Barcelona:

• Procession of the 3 Kings (January 5)

Is a procession from port Vell wherein the “Magos” is being marched around the town tossing candies to the young children and the old.

• Carnaval, Mardi Gras, Fat teusday (February 3)

Is a very fun event in Barcelona with a warm heart and party mood. The city is covered by masked balls and a procession full of creativity. The people made this event offering their heart and soul to the kingdom of Carnestoltes.

• Semana Santa/ Holy week Marathon (March 20-27)

An event that gives honor to the sacrifices of Jesus Christ from which during Easter Sunday, children are having fun hunting for eggs and the people were all having fun in beach.

• Sant Jordi (April 23)

The most beautiful Holiday in Barcelona, which is the Anniversary of St. Goerge, the Patron Saint of Catalonia.

• Sant Ponc (May 11)

Barcelona Hospitals is lined with stallselling honey, herbs, candied fruits, perfumes, herbal wines and other natural products.

• Corpus Christi (June)

• Fiesta Major (August 15-21)

Is celebrated with live music performance and street events.

• La Merce (September 19-24)

Is celebrated in the honor of La Merce, Patroness of Barcelona.

• St. Stephen’s Day (December 26)

A prolonged celebration for Christmas from which is celebrated by a family lunch.

We know very well there are various ways to do this, but let’s tackle only the fundamentals. One should not rely on everything a travel brochure conveys or merely through the information in the search engine. Most of these only list the hotels that personally opted for advertisement, or only the hotels that are close enough to the city. The tendency is that this leaves you seeing only the number of options that these sources want to show. There are just as many hotels that are located not in the city center but nearer to the beach, or to a certain attraction landmark that hid away. The good thing about this is that, these unlisted or unadvertised accommodations may give you a good deal on cost, offering prices that are reduced affordably and yet giving you the kind of quality that differs slightly. These kinds of hoteles de negocios Barcelona make you save a good deal. I know it is not fun at all to think about money matters when you are traveling, but there is a soothing feeling you get when you know you have been able to save good amount of cash from what you could have spent had you relied solely on what you see in your searches and what you read in travel guide booklets. Anyway, a cheap hotel Barcelona does not always mean it is substandard and poor in quality, as anyone understands. There are many center Barcelona hotels that are convenient and yet affordable, but not necessarily cheap. In fact, I don’t believe something still comes cheap nowadays especially if it belongs to a chain of a competitive business. Although there is such thing as affordable but not cheap, otherwise there will be no fair bargain on the other side of the coin, right?
Nevertheless, think positive. Being close to the city center is not the only resort to where all the fun is happening. If your hotel is located in the quiet part of town yet closer to nature and other relaxing treats, then maximize use of it. Make fun out of it. You can have a nice walk in the fresh air thus relieving your self from all the stress that made you come up with taking a vacation. Many of us consider “having a vacation” as a way of “having fun” in a different place and also relieving ourselves, that don’t always mean that. For many still, taking a vacation means getting a good dose of relaxation. So go on and smell the sea breeze and engross in the solemnity and extraordinary joy it brings.

Different Settings of Spain Hotels

When talking about great and prestigious hotels, the very first thing that counts a lot of consideration with the people’s mind is the hotel settings. It seems that people consider much with how the hotel is being set up as to answer the vacationers needs or to give the comfort that a certain vacationer seeks for. Well, it all deals with the convenience that a certain hotel could offer to their valued guest and customers.

When you got to Barcelona, you will be attracted with the nice and distinctive designs of their Barcelona hotels. Every hotel in the city has its own character that may reflect to their culture. Some of their hotels were having a home-ground design that gives a convenient stay to vacationers. Some hotels were also having modern designs intended to those vacationers having views of formality or to those with plain interest excluding art matters.

A good hotel design could attract guest to stay over but hotel setting takes big value rather than the design since convenience matters most with the customers. Every hotel has its own setting in a way that they could give their guest a comfortable stay while staying in their hotel. In Spain, you could find different hotels situated in the heart of each cities. Each has different setting. Some hotels in the city were having luxurious setting from which provides air-conditioned rooms, mini bars, satellite TVs, internet connections and some other quality amenities for a luxurious accommodation. Some hotels of the city also have a pocket-friendly setting but definitely an efficient one, a simple but a convenient room with enough facilities at your comfort. Some hotels in the city also give free services to their guest, perhaps, a 24-hour hour room service in order to respond what their guest needs. In fact, most hotels in the city of Spain give food services where they serve best and ideal cuisines and some of their specialties. In Barcelona, you could also find hotels having a peaceful setting that is intended for business travelers in a way that they would be able to think and rest in a silent place away from distraction. Well, most of this hotels have plain and somehow a modernize design which would fit for a businessman’s personality and character.

Every hotel has its own setting and ways of giving comfort to guest. Whatever it may be, everything goes for customer satisfaction and certainly, Barcelona has the best hotels in the world that gives customers a 100% satisfaction.