Eixample, United States
Eixample location within a 10-minute walk of the Plaza de Catalynya and the Passeig de Gracia
Two metro stations within a
five-minute walk of the hotel
Rooftop pool with
adjacent Pool Up Gastro Bar with panoramic Eixample views
La Cupula Piano Bar off
of lobby with live music and cocktails
Breakfast buffet with hot
and cold choices included in certain room packages
Stylish rooms with
individually controlled heat and air-conditioning
In-room massage services
and laundry and dry cleaning services available
Four on-site meeting and
event rooms with a 24-hour business center
Free Wi-Fi throughout
Guest room furniture shows some wear and tear
No on-site fitness center
The 145-room upscale
Silken Gran Havana Hotel, housed in the historic Casa Fredera, is in Eixample, the newer part of the city built in the second half of the 19th century, and today best known for its Gaudi architectural masterpieces, including the Sagrada Familia, Casa Mila, and Casa Batilo, and high-end shopping. Located to the right of the Passeig de Gracia -- Eixample's dividing line -- the Silken Gran Hotel Havana features a rooftop
pool and bistro with panoramic views, as well as an atrium piano bar. Rooms have a simple elegance, but the furniture has begun to show some wear and tear since the hotel's renovation in 2009. Guests looking for similarly stylish rooms right on Las Ramblas may
want to consider the Hotel Espana Ramblas, which also has an outdoor pool.
Disclaimer: This content was accurate at the time the hotel was reviewed. Please check our partner sites when booking to verify that details are still correct.
Scene
19th-century setting with contemporary features and accents
Situated in the historic
19th-century L. Fradera House, the hotel is a beauty from the
outside, but as with so many Silken properties, that promise falls a little short
once guests reach the generic and boring lobby, which has lots of green marble, polished chrome,
and light-wood paneling. A few contemporary chairs in cream and brown shades are
gathered on either side of the front door, looking out onto the street. This
isn’t the kind of place to relax with a newspaper and a cup of coffee, though
immediately off the lobby is the stylish La Cupula bar in the stunning
atrium, with plenty of seating and a grand piano that is a perfectly lovely
place to unwind. Pool Up, the hotel’s poolside terrace, is another area for
guests to sip a cocktail, this time in the fresh air and with panoramic views
of Eixample. The hotel’s Le Bistrot Grand Place is a stylish venue
lined with abstract art, but it will be closed through September of 2015. Couples and families frequent the hotel, though with its four meeting rooms and 24-hour business center, business travelers find their way here too.
Location
Eixample location within a 10-minute walk of the Passeig de Gracia
On the corner of one of Barcelona’s major streets, Gran Via de los Corts Catalanes, the Silken Gran Hotel Havana sits at the southern edge of the Eixample, best known for Art Nouveau masterpieces, high-end shopping, and exquisite restaurants. The upscale shops lining Passeig de Gracia are a 10-minute
walk from the hotel. Casa Batilo and Casa Mila, two Gaudi masterworks, also on the Passeig de Gracia, can be reached in about 15 minutes on foot, There are plenty of
great tapas restaurants and shopping in almost every direction, and the Girona
or Tetuan Metro stations, both a five-minute walk from the hotel, provide easy access to the Sagrada Familia, Gaudi's still unfinished basilica and one of Barcelona's most popular sights, in about 12 minutes (it's about a 20-minute walk). The farther-flung Parc
Guell is about a 30-minute metro ride away. The Aerobus to El Prat International Airport leaves from
Plaza Catalunya, and trips take about 40 minutes, while a cab can make the same
journey in about 20 minutes, depending on traffic.
Rooms
Soft and sophisticated rooms, some with terraces
Rooms appear soft and
sophisticated, with burnished walnut laminate floors, simple furniture with
contemporary lines, and tan padded vinyl headboards. The neutral simplicity
contrasts with interesting design features, like a floating backlit wall panel
that holds the flat-screen TV and makes a dramatic visual statement even if it seems misplaced. All rooms include desks, electric safes, mini-fridges
with minibars, telephones, electric kettles with free coffee and tea, individually
controlled heat and air-conditioning, and audio entertainment systems. Beds are
comfortable, with duvets and gray bed runners, and all rooms have plush tan armchairs.
The dark, Ikea-style furniture shows some wear and tear, and the taupe
ceiling, meant to look elegant, makes the rooms feel cramped, even though guest
rooms start at 280 square feet and are spacious by
Barcelona norms. Striated green marble in the bathrooms will never
look cutting edge, but bathrooms come with large vanities, shower/tub combos, white marble
walls, modern hairdryers, and a full line of toiletries. Silken Club bookings
come with additional amenities (see below), while
higher-priced rooms have charming indoor and outdoor terraces. Suites feature separate sleeping areas and upgraded furniture that is
chic and contemporary, plus stylish shag carpets and sliding walnut doors with
retro hardware.
Features
Outdoor pool and rooftop terrace with panoramic Eixample views
The hotel has a small
rooftop pool with panoramic views of Eixample. It’s surrounded by a
wooden deck and adjacent to the Pool Up Gastro Bar, with cocktails and a full
food menu, including tapas served until late. The top floor of the hotel also
includes a sauna and solarium, and there are plenty of places to spread the
pool towels provided in every room. The hotel frequently hosts live music and
La Cupula Piano Bar, the atrium bar just off of the hotel’s lobby, is a great
place to sip a cocktail and experience an array of musical styles. A breakfast buffet
with a wide selection of hot and cold items is served every day, though it’s
only included with certain room packages. In-room massage services
are available, and though the hotel lacks its own fitness center, it has a
deal with a gym close by for guests to use its facilities. The Silken Club is
available to guests with Silken Club bookings, and serves all-day refreshments, and has a Nespresso
coffee machine, and is a place to unwind or refuel. There
are four meeting rooms on site, as well as a 24-hour business center. The 24-hour front desk provides concierge services. Wi-Fi is free throughout
the hotel, and laundry and dry cleaning services are also available. Guests should be aware that the hotel’s main restaurant, Le Bistrot Grand Place, is closed until September, 2015.
