Granvia - Barcelona, Spain     

Clearly a once grand, now sadly faded hotel with indifferent staff and grubby furnishings. There is an imposing marble-floored entryway and opulent salon, featured prominently on the hotel website, but once you get in your room the luxury ceases. (I would have settled for comfort.)The safe in our room was broken. The bed was very uncomfortable, the coverlet dirty, and the pillows in poor condition. The room faced a busy street and was quite loud at all times. There were no blackout curtains, so light was also a problem at night. The shower was extremely small with a thin curtain that billowed in and stuck to the skin, and there was no place to set a bottle of shampoo or soap except on the floor. In trying to reach down to grab the soap, I stood up and caught a shoulder on the water handle, inadvertently scalding myself! The breakfast room seems to have been renovated most recently so is a bit more cheery, but the food was indifferent, with stale pastries (I even spotted a bit of moldy bread) and a sign stating that clients are requested not to remove food from the breakfast room. (Three cheers, however, for the automatic espresso machine!) On the plus side, the hotel is very easy to get to from the airport via the aerobus and very centrally located, but then, so are a number of better hotels nearby.

We selected Hotel Granvia based on good reviews in a popular travel guide and reasonable price. I was a bit wary as to how busy the street Granvia would be so I requested a room on the back overlooking the terrace. The hotel replied that I would definitely get a quiet room on the back. I foolishly neglected to print this reply out and attach it to the usual confirmations. So we arrive ridiculously jetlagged and are assigned a room right on the front overlooking Granvia which has to be one of the busiest streets in Barcelona. Sleep was difficult to say the least. The hotel staff at Granvia are extremely unfriendly and almost unpleasant. I would not stay there again.