Affordable boutique hotel in up-and-coming Poble Sec neighborhood
Walking distance to public transportation and the waterfront
Bright, streamlined rooms, some with terraces
In-room amenities include flat-screen TVs, safes, and minibars
Comprehensive breakfast buffet for a fee
Free Wi-Fi throughout hotel
Lobby offers free newspapers and guest computer
Small pets welcome
Noise travels between rooms
No in-room kettles, coffeemakers or blackout drapes
No on-site bar or full restaurant
Hotel Paral.lel, is a two-pearl boutique hotel in the once gritty but now hip enclave of Poble Sec, a neighborhood located between the bustling Avenida del Para-lel and Montjuic. It is a two-minute walk to the metro and funicular and 10 minutes to the waterfront. The sleek, contemporary, property has 64 rooms, some with terraces and good natural light. While guests report wishing the walls were thicker and the rooms had blackout drapes and kettles, they praise the design and tidiness of the hotel. A generous buffet breakfast is served for a fee, and the lobby provides free newspapers. For a property off Las Ramblas, travelers might want to check out the budget Hotel Curious, which also has an on-site massage treatment room.
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Scene
Streamlined, contemporary budget hotel with flair
The Hotel Paral.lel is a clean, contemporary hotel with design flair in a hip and up-and-coming Barcelona neighborhood. Sliding glass doors lead from the street to a lobby designed with an attention to details. The walls are matte gray or brown with thick white trim. The floors are honed, variegated wood planks, and windows are covered with white linen drapes. Near the rustic wood reception desk are a pair of pod-like leather chairs and a reading lamp. Farther down the corridor is a seating niche with tailored charcoal linen sofas and boxy glass coffee and end tables. Soft light falls from contemporary fixtures. There is an attractive breakfast room with contemporary black and white tables and chairs. And some hallways have wallpaper of vintage postmarks. But the prettiest aspect of the hotel is its thoughtfully chosen collection of framed lithographs, pencil drawings, and photos, primarily of local sights and history.
Location
In the Poble Sec neighborhood, a short walk to the metro
The neighborhood surrounding Hotel Paral.lel has many shops and restaurants, and is a two-minute walk to an area with theaters and cabaret sights, such as the club El Molino. It is also a two-minute walk to the funicular and metro stop Paral-lel, about a 10-minute walk to the sea, and about a 15-minute walk to Las Ramblas. Carlos Buigas's Magic Fountain is about a 20-minute walk from the hotel. The Barcelona Trade Fair is a five-minute drive or a 15-minute trip on public transportation. The Placa Catalunya is an 11-minute trip via metro. The hotel is a 20-minute trip via metro to Montjuic castle -- Montjuic is home to the Miro Foundation, and the Teatre Grec, where the famous Festival Grec of music, theater, and dance takes place in July. The Sagrada Familia is 19 minutes away by metro. Port Vell is 22 minutes away via metro. The Barcelona Airport is a 21-minute drive or 35 minutes on public transportation.
Rooms
Clean and spare with crisp, contemporary design and modern amenities
The 64 rooms at the Hotel Paral.lel have a crisp, contemporary design, with gray or brown matte walls and traditional white trim and bleached-wood floors. Windows are large, and offer views of an interior courtyard or Poeta Cabanyes Street, but the white-linen drapes do not block the bright sunlight. Good quality white bed linens and duvets sit atop black platform beds, though some guests complain they're too hard. Basic and Twin/Double Rooms can sleep up to two people; larger parties should opt for Family Junior Suites, which include sofa beds, terraces with slatted wood tables and chairs, and a free bottle of wine. All rooms include free Wi-Fi, individual climate control, flat-screen TVs, safes, and minibars, but there are no coffee- or tea-making facilities. Bathroom walls are tiled in shiny black, and shower stalls or tub/shower combos have glass doors. The chrome fittings pair well with white porcelain sinks. Toiletries and hairdryers are provided.
Features
Free Wi-Fi and buffet breakfast for a fee
Though it's a simple budget property, Hotel Paral.lel does offer a few extras. The hotel provides free Wi-Fi throughout the property, free newspapers, and a computer for guests' use in the lobby. A buffet breakfast, including regional meats, cheeses, pastries, and fruits is available for a fee. The front desk, staffed 24 hours, offers luggage storage and dry cleaning and laundry services for a fee. The hotel is ADA approved and allows small pets.
