Park Hotel

The large, three-star Park Hotel offers 91 rooms and a fresh, contemporary style. In addition to being near a myriad of cafés and restaurants, the Park is located just a few blocks from the port and beach, making it ideal in the summer months.

The Park Hotel’s guest rooms are large by Barcelona standards, and they come with all the necessities plus cushy beds with oversized pillows. Decorated in beiges, browns and tans, they are tastefully adorned with minimal frill and low-key sophistication.

All rooms have a flat-screen television, desk, telephone, air conditioning, safe and minibar. Windows are soundproof, important given the traffic that cruises down Avda. Marqués de L'Argentera.

Tip: Some of the best rooms on the sixth floor have large balconies (ask ahead).

The private bathrooms are small and basic, but they’re also new, sparkling and outfitted with the usual amenities (soap, shampoo, towels, water glasses, hair dryer). Some have windows and tubs.

The Park Hotel was built in the 1950s in a modern post-war style that was very unique at the time. Its psychedelic spiral staircase is still of interest to many European architecture students, who occasionally visit to snap a photo or make some sketches of the dizzying red flight of steps. The Park’s owner also runs Hotel CRAM, one of Barcelona’s most luxurious design hotels, located in the Eixample.

The 1950s-style bar/café in the hotel sports large windows perfect for people-watching over a café con leche. The hotel also has a paid parking lot (a hard thing to find in Barcelona) near the premises.

Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel. A buffet breakfast is sometimes included in the room rate (check when booking). Otherwise, it costs an additional €17, which we think is steep even though it includes bacon, eggs, OJ and “the works.” The hotel has an elevator, which is not all that common in Barcelona budget hotels.

Location

This is the area we most often recommend to friends who are visiting Barcelona. La Ribera, or El Born, has the best of the metropolis: It’s central, but not too touristy, and it boasts old-town charm, excellent restaurants and a fun nightlife scene. It’s also close to the Picasso Museum, History of Catalunya Museum, Park Ciutadella (and the zoo), and a shell’s throw from the beach.

Across the street, you’ll find the Estació de França train station, which can get you to the airport (with several station changes) and directly to Sitges and Tarragona, both top options for day-trips out of the city.

It’s easy to eat out around the Park, too. We recommend Bodega La Tinaja (c/ Esparteria #9) for tapas and La Candela (Pl Sant Pere #12).

Transportation

Subway: The Park Hotel is located about a 10-minute walk from the Barcelonta Metro stop on the Yellow Line/L4.

From the Airport: To reach the Park from the airport, your easiest bet is to pick up the RENFE Cercanías train in T2, and take it to the Sants Estació stop, where you can catch a train to Estació de França, right across the street from the hotel.