We have just returned from my daughters hen party weekend. This hotel was recommended by the travel agent, so the staff knew well in advance thet seventeen females would be staying for two nights. On arrival, we were greated by two lovely members of staff who made us all feel very welcome. They showed us a map of the area and places of interest as we all wanted to see and experience the beautiful culture of Barcelona. Our rooms were clean, modern and comfortable and the amenities fine for a short break holiday. We all decided to relax and chat by the rooftop pool and this is where we were all made to feel like we just were not welcome. Some staff spoke to us very rudely without any obvious reason. On several occasions I was told to be quiet which I found extremely unreasonable as I am 50 years old and have never in my life been made to feel so unwelcome and very embarrassed. Other visitors did comment to us on how rude they thought the staff were towards us and with no obvious reasons as to why. So, if you are thinking of making a group booking, I would advise you to seek elsewhere and this is a real shame because the hotel itself is ideal for those lovely short city breaks.

We had a short break in Barcelona and wanted a good hotel away from the Ramblas. The Hotel America is an ideal location in that respect. It is not too far from the subway and is within walking distance (well for me, it's about 2km) of the Sagrada Familia . There are a number of Gaudi buildings and the top end of the Ramblas within 500-600m. The Parc Guell is about 3km. The room was a good size with furnishings that are quite chic. The hotel has a small roof top pool and a small gym and sauna. There is a good Tapas bar just around the corner that is a fraction of the price of those on the Ramblas.

I was very disappointed in the Hotel America. The rooftop pool looks like it hasn't been cleaned or filtered in ages. The water was full of floating slime and organisms. Absolutely disgusting. Additionally, the hotel stuck me in a windowless room and tried to charge me extra because my husband was with me; apparently the reservation was only for one person. The last straw was when the staff asked me to not drink my own bottle of water by the pool. They wanted me to instead order water through room service, which I refused. If you like being looked down upon, this is the place for you.

My teenage daughter and I stayed at the America in February for a long weekend. I'd read reviews before booking and, while the breakfast wasn't worth the money, we really enjoyed our stay so would side with the good reviews rather than the bad. The hotel was very clean, looked "trendy" enough for a teenage daughter, staff were very helpful and just friendly enough, the free internet was a boon and the rooftop area was lovely (although February wasn't the time to get the best from it). The situation of the hotel was great for sightseeing and we always felt safe in that area. Could walk to Ramblas etc, was cheap to get a taxi to and from Nou Camp (which is a great visit, even if you're not a fan). The pickpockets were out in force in the old town but they didn't approach us, i think because we made sure we had a tight grip of our bags (which were slung across our bodies) - much easier pickings elsewhere i suspect. You could see the same suspects moving from one tourist area to another - loitering and watching for unattended bags outside cafe's etc. Would recommend the bar/cafe across the street for a cheap meal - we ate late, like the locals, and the atmosphere was far better than in the more expensive restaurants...and watched Barca win on the TV! You could hear noise from the street from our room but it was just folk going about their business, more a bustle of activity than intimidating and troublesome like it might be in the UK. Just added to the atmosphere more than anything. Did have a slight problem with hearing folk in the next bathroom via the vents - we just whistled when in the loo and it was Ok really! I'd go back there but would probably look for a bigger, more luxurious, hotel if the stay was going to be longer than a weekend. Be aware of the added tax on bills for hotels and food which may affect your budget.