987 Barcelona Hotel - Barcelona, Spain     

I stayed in the 987 for one night on business - real shame I couldn't stay there longer. Hotel was immaculate as were the rooms. I stayed in a corner room with floor to ceiling balcony doors. The room and bathroom were super modern, tidy, clean. The hotel staff were helpful and breakfast was fine. It was really fun staying in this hotel and the decor was so intruiging and very cool! In addition the location was central and easy to get to and from places.

This was my second stay at this hotel. I first visited in September 2007, with ‘the lads’ to see The Police gig at the Olympic Stadium. The fact that I returned, with the wife, (apart from my credit card), obviously reveals my positive experience staying at 987 Barcelona. First off, the location. Situated in the affluent Eiample area (guys, with wives/girlfriends beware), all the major sights are easily reachable from the excellent and easy to use Metro. Turn right out of the hotel door and you are only a few blocks away from The Temple de la Sagrada Familia. Turn left out of the door and you are a short walk from the Passeig de Gracia, which leads to the Plaza Catalunya. Reaching the hotel from the airport via public transport is very easy. Directions are available from some of the other reviewers, so I won’t repeat them here. The hotel itself is very clean, stylish and on both occasions I have found the staff both very friendly and helpful, with a good standard of English. The rooms are well appointed, in keeping with the hotel style. Everything you’d expect from a hotel of this grade. The cleaning staff could be a little overenthusiastic at times with their vacuuming in the corridors, but they redeemed themselves with the excellently turned-down rooms. A nice touch (including the obligatory the chocolate mint) was the little card indicating the weather forecast for the next day! Some reviewers have commented on the glass door leading to the en-suite bathroom being a tad indiscrete. There was no lock in both the rooms I’ve used, and there was a small gap around the glass door. Frankly, I can’t see the problem. Get the fan going from the aircon – it’s noisy and, um, does the trick. I could see this as a very minor grumble for those of a more private nature! But apart from that, everything else was fine. The rooms have air-conditioning which I found to be effective in both the rooms I used. Mini bar has water, if arriving late, and not too extortionate. The bar now opens to midnight. Also, very useful – the hotel has a free left luggage facility. Reception provides a free city map, which is actually very good, if you don’t already have one. Breakfast is optional. If you want breakfast at the hotel, simply turn up, give the attentive staff your room number and help yourself to an excellent range of hot and cold options, drinks, cereals, fruits and pastries. You can even make up yourself a full, um, ‘British’, if you know what I mean! It’s in the laid back dining area that you actually see other guests…the place is an oasis from the city hubbub; clientele tends to be usually Europeans, from business to families. JUST ARRIVED? Tips for Barcelona virgins…for orientation from hotel; Where to eat on arrival; take a left out of the hotel, a few blocks on takes you to the Passeig de Gracia (the busy road, 5 mins walk away). Head one block more and you’ll be on La Rambla Catalunya; up or down you’ll be spoilt for choice. For all budgets, any time of day. Eat outside, or inside. Recommended to get you started. Metro; get yourself a 10 hop ticket, available from the machines (cash and credit cards), and go! Once you’ve fed a card through a barrier, the trip is printed o the back of the card, so you know how many are left. NOTE: the airport train is also covered by this ticket (excellent) so hop on at the metro, Paseo de Gracia, but as this is a real ‘train’ it’s not as frequent as metro…about every 40 mins, from my experience. Still bloody good! Note: the airport train at Paseo de Gracia has a good half metre gap from carriage to platform…less enabled be aware. First trip; Parc de Montjunic: From hotel start at the Paseo de Gracia metro, get off at Paral-lel. Follow the signs within the station. Take the funicular (free); arrive. Turn right, up ramp and take cable car – highly recommended, or left, Olympic stadium – free view inside. I’ll leave the rest to your discretion, as by now you’ll know how easy it is to get around! I hope this helps. Barcelona is a great city, and I’ve had two excellent trips there, no problems and very relaxing. The hotel, for me, was just right.