Clean and well-maintained rooms with comfortable pillow-top beds
Convenient location for public
transit; one-minute walk to the metro
Relatively quiet residential neighborhood away from crowds (con for some)
Hot breakfast buffet with meat and egg dishes (for a fee)
On-site bicycle rentals and parking facilities
Ninth-floor terrace with lovely views of the surrounding
neighborhood
Free Wi-Fi throughout, plus computer station with printer
Self-serve laundry facilities and valet dry
cleaning and laundry services
20 minutes outside of downtown Barcelona
Rooms are small and some use two twin beds for a double
Must pay extra for fridges and balconies
Room-to-room noise can be heard
No meals offered other than breakfast
The two-pearl Hotel Via Augusta offers good overall value for
budget-conscious travelers who don’t mind a 20-minute train ride to see
Barcelona’s attractions. Located near the Gracia Metro station and some restaurants, the
no frills hotel is quiet and comfortable. Its 80 rooms are clean and well
maintained, but they're small and sparsely decorated. Mini-fridges are available on request for an additional fee. The breakfast buffet
includes meat and egg dishes, but it’s not included in room rates. Parking and
bicycle rentals are available, and there are self-serve laundry facilities and
free Wi-Fi. The mid-range Aparthotel Bertran is also about 20 minutes outside
downtown Barcelona and has comparable rates, but offers spacious,
apartment-style rooms with kitchenettes.
Scene
Quiet and clean budget hotel with an impressive foyer
The original late 19th century foyer in this
modest, 10-story hotel is quite impressive, with a coffered ceiling and brown
marble walls and white columns leading to a winding staircase with white
marble steps and a brass railing. The reception desk is made of dark wood and rests across
from walls made of lighter wood paneling and a cozy corner with four armchairs
sitting below a piece of contemporary art. A gray upholstered sofa topped with throws
in bright colors sits adjacent to the desk and across from a bicycle rental rack.
It’s a small but cheerful enough space that leads to the dining room with
food-themed art, bright orange chairs, and laminate tables on stainless steel
pedestals. It’s a clean space, but looks a bit like a school cafeteria. This is
a quiet and clean hotel that caters to couples and other budget-conscious
tourists who don’t mind daily trips into downtown Barcelona via public transit.
Location
In Gracia near public transit stations, about 20 minutes northwest of downtown Barcelona
The Hotel Via Augusta is situated in Gracia, a busy
district with residential housing about 20 minutes northwest of Barcelona’s most popular tourist attractions. It’s on a major street that’s still relatively
quiet, with several restaurants, shops, and a grocery store within walks of one to
four minutes. It’s close to Metro stations at Gracia (a one-minute walk) and
Fontana (a five-minute walk), making connections into the heart of Barcelona
quick and easy. Plaça Catalunya is only five minutes away by train. The Cathedral Barcelona de la Seu takes 14 minutes by train. Many
major attractions can be reached in approximately 20 minutes by train,
including the Gothic Quarter, Las Ramblas, and La Sagrada Familia
church. Port Vell takes about 32 minutes. The Barcelona-El Prat
Airport is 50 to 60 minutes by public transit or about 20 minutes by car or taxi.
Rooms
Clean and well-maintained, but rather small and sparsely decorated
Hotel Via Augusta's 80 guest rooms are clean and well-maintained, but rather
small and sparsely decorated. Rooms come in Single, Double (two twins pushed together), and Triple (three twins) options, and have comfortable pillow-top mattresses. Standard room amenities include wall-mounted flat-screen TVs, electronic safes, free Wi-Fi, hairdryers, and toiletries. Mini-fridges and balconies are available for an additional fee. Most walls are painted white, but the walls
behind the beds are painted milk chocolate. Drapes and bedspreads are a darker
shade of brown and the matching wood furniture is a reddish brown and includes
headboards, nightstands, desks, desk chairs, and (in some rooms) armoires. The
nice hardwood floors are in a lighter shade. Contemporary art decorates some
walls. Bathrooms also are on the small side but have pleasing features
including walk-in rainfall showers with frosted glass doors, beige tile walls,
and brown tile floors. The white ceramic vanities offer enough space for some personal
items. Some rooms, like the Single we saw, have toilets in separate spaces. Some
rooms also have shower/tub combos, but most are walk-in showers of average
size. Views of the surrounding neighborhood and street below
are quite nice from some rooms, while others offer limited views. Guests report
that street noise is not a problem, but room-to-room noise can be readily
heard.
Features
Hot breakfast buffet, parking, free Wi-Fi, and bicycle rentals
This smaller, budget-oriented hotel offers an
amenities package many travelers will find attractive. The hot breakfast buffet
with meat and egg dishes (for a fee) is the only meal served at the hotel, but snacks
and sodas are available in the lobby for purchase. A computer with Internet
access and a printer in the lobby serves as the business center. Free
newspapers are available in the lobby, where there's a safe deposit box behind
the front desk that guests can use. Bicycles can be rented in the lobby, too,
and parking is available for a fee. Valet laundry and dry cleaning services are
available, and there are self-serve laundry facilities at the hotel, as well. Staff can assists guests with securing tickets to attractions and the front desk is staffed
24 hours. The small terrace on the ninth floor has tables and a few
chairs, and offers lovely views of the surrounding neighborhood. Free Wi-Fi is
accessible throughout this nonsmoking hotel.