This hotel was booked by a friend for a trip to the Spanish GP. So basically, we didn’t spend much time in the Hotel. The Hotel is very convenient for the Ramblas (south end near the harbour). On arrival, I used the airport bus (4.05 Euros) which takes you to the Place Cataluna – it is then about 10/15 minutes (depending on the number of tourists) walk down the Ramblas and then a right turn. It is a very modern hotel and the room was reasonably furnished (twin beds). However, there was no dressing mirror in the bedroom – not a problem for me, by myself, but my wife would not have been happy. Clean Bathroom - Lots of toiletries. No safe in the room, which I found disappointing in a modern hotel. Our rooms faced the street and whilst I had no problem, my friends were woken up during the night by noise from the street – so if you are a light sleeper go for a room at the rear. I did not hear anything from other rooms. The hotel has a Patio/Lounge area, where there is free coffee and tea making facilities, plus bottles of water (but these disappear fast) and apples. There is no bar, which was a disappointment and I think the hotel misses a trick here – it would be so nice to sit outside with a beer after a long day of sight-seeing or, in our case, walking round the GP. My rate did not include Breakfast, so I did not try it. We had breakfast in the caf? at end of the road on the corner of Ramblas, which was quick and easy. For food for the days at the GP we used the Subway store (up to the Ramblas and turn right – just a block away). There are two small Spar supermarkets on the street for essentials (e.g. water); and there is a Carrefour on the Ramblas – although this is half up the Ramblas on the way to Place Cataluna. The hotel is just a short distance to Ramblas – the street is not the cleanest in the world, but we had no problems with any-one (as other reviewers have mentioned). There was one beggar once. The street is constantly busy so we always felt safe. A tip for getting about on the Metro: We did discover that a ten journey ticket can be used for several people – so on a ten-journey ticket the three of us had three trips and one journey left. (Make sure you are all in a line as you go through the barrier and then you just have to hand the ticket back to the person behind, once the ticket has been processed through the machine.) A very cheap way to travel

I booked a 3 night stay at this hotel as a surprise for my husbands 40th birthday. We were originally checked into a smallish double on the 5th floor with a good sized balcony. I read a recent review stating that the walls were really thin and boy were they!! it felt like the people in the next room were staying with us. The most disapointing thing about our stay was the poor or lack of air conditioniong. The first night was unbearable so the next night i asked the night porter how this could be resolved, he fobbed me off with a suggstion that the air con has to be set at 22 degrees (no less or no more) for it to work. That night i ended up in reception at 3.30 am nearly in tears i was that hot, to which his reply was for me to turn it off and open the door!!!! and he muffled something about the system not kicking in for another month he knew this all along and it turns out i't had been hot air being blown into the room. The next morning i went back to reception and was told the very same thing, i was offered a room on the 2nd floor at the front which would have been noiser but eventually got a room at the back of the hotel which was bigger cooler and less noisy when i had to leave the window open as the only form of ventilation. I did receive a rose and basket of fruit as a means of apology but this did not make up for the inconvience of surviving on approx 3 hours sleep due to the discomfort. That said the hotel is very smart, clean and pleasing on the eye.

Ignore the negative reviews. This is a great hotel- reasonably priced, a location which couldn't really get any more central and a beautiful, unusual building. The nearby El Raval neighbourhood (what use to be the slums) is easily avoided- walk 100 metres down the street the hotel is on and you'll be on Las Ramblas. We did take a wander through El Raval, and whilst it is not as picturesque and beautiful as the rest of the city, we didn 't feel threatened. I'd probably compare the street life in Ev Raval to Amsterdam- there are a few people trying to sell you drugs and some tramps but they are easily avoided and won't give you any hassle. The hotel is excellently located for the Metro and for the main streets. The room was clean and decorated in minimalist chic. The free coffee, water and apples in the beautiful downstairs lounge were also appreciated. We weren't offered breakfast but we didn't care- there is a great bakery about four doors down selling croissants and pain au chocolat for under a Euro each. We ate them sat on a monument on Las Ramblas watching the world go by and thinking how lucky we were to be in such a beautiful and colourful city for the New Year.

This was a great steal! I read about the Hotel Onix Liceo in Conde Nast Magazine - a quick little write up. This hotel was more than $100.00 less per night than other hotels in the area. The area is fine although they "alley" that it is down looks a little shady. WIth that said - if anyone has traveled around Europe you see the metal coverings to shops that have grafitti on them. When the shops open all of this is gone. The staff of this hotel is excellent. All of them spoke great English - although if you know a little Spanish it goes a long way! Talk to Oscer for restaurant recommendations...Origens 99% was the BEST for authetic Catalonian food! Yum! The hotel is only 6 months old (I traveled in September) although classy, offers free interenet, unlimited free bottled water, free coffee/americanos/capps (you have to know how to work the machine - push a button or two). Enjoy!!!