Hotel España, Barcelona

Hotel España is a two star hotel within a few minutes of Las Ramblas, the Teatre Liceu, Plaça Catalunya and the Gothic Quarter of Barcelona and the Metro station at Liceu.

The building itself, constructed in the 1860s and awarded a design prize when converted into a hotel at the beginning of the 20th century, was the creation of the leading Catalan architect, Lluís Domènech I Montaner, whose work can be seen across the city, especially in L’Eixample. This has resulted in a building that could be said to epitomise Barcelona modernism, and the charm of it has been well-preserved in its ornate richness. The interior, with its art nouveau murals, intricate woodwork, and the ubiquitous ceramic tile mosaics, is simply stunning.

Undoubtedly the jewel of the hotel, however, is the restaurant, the design of which was carried out by well-known modernist Ramón Casas. With walls decorated with nude water nymphs, sea horses, jelly fish and other exotic sea creatures in a room illuminated by natural light from the glass ceiling, diners can enjoy reasonably priced meals, served using fresh produce from the nearby market of La Boquería.

Additionally, guests can relax in the delightful garden in the inner patio, resplendent with leather sofas.

There are 80 rooms in the Hotel España which, despite the two star rating, do all have air conditioning, satellite television and telephones. Some of the rooms have balconies overlooking the Calle Sant Pau and a few overlook the inner patio. Some guests have commented that it is best to request a room at the front of the hotel as these, as well as having balconies, tend to be slightly larger. There have also been some comments that the inner rooms are rather noisy because of the thinness of the connecting walls. One of the most usual comments from former guests, though, is the friendliness and helpfulness of the hotel staff, many of whom have a good standard of English.

If you are looking for a reasonably priced hotel in a central location, near to the bars and hubbub of Barcelona’s old town, then Hotel España offers not only that but also a little of the city’s modernist charm as well.

Previous: Grand Hotel, Barcelona

Next: Barcelona Port Hotels – city accommodation with a sea view