Convenient location near the Old City and the Eixample neighborhood
Impressive, artistic decor throughout the hotel
Stylish, modern rooms and large bathrooms with Grohe finishes
Rooftop terrace with plenty of shaded seating
Two meeting rooms that can seat up to 80 guests
Restaurant and cafe/bar with funky decor
Pleasant signature scent used throughout the hotel (con for some)
Free Wi-Fi
Some street noise, including from a nearby nightclub
Some rooms have a view of the bathroom from the bed
Frosted-glass bathroom doors can compromise privacy
The 78-room Vincci Gala Barcelona is an upscale boutique hotel housed in a 19th-century palace in the center of of the city. The modernist art themed hotel packs a graphic punch in the public spaces, but sleek, spacious rooms, some with terraces, are a bit more subdued. Its location is convenient to both Barcelona's Old City and the more modern Eixample neighborhood. While the property is pleasant overall, there have been some reports of street noise in rooms and a nearby nightclub means that noise can continue late into the night.
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Scene
Hip, Art-Deco themed property popular with tourists and business travelers alike
The hotel's lobby offers an eye-popping view of wall-sized black-and-white Salvador Dali prints, a spectacular marble staircase with a bright-red carpet, and a multi-level skylight that allows you to see straight through to all of the rooms' floors, as well as quirky tchotchkes and Art Deco touches. The color scheme is chocolate and coffee, with splashes of chrome and deep red. There's also a rooftop terrace lined with potted plants, with plenty of shaded seating. The hotel's funky but luxurious feel and its central location attracts a mix of businesspeople, tourists, and even couples on their honeymoon.
Location
A two-minute walk to Placa Catalunya, where Old City meets the modern Eixample neighborhood
The hotel is a 20-minute drive from the Barcelona-El Prat Airport and a two-minute walk to Placa Catalunya, where Old City meets the modern Eixample district. Some of Barcelona's most popular attractions are within a five-minute walk of the hotel, including the Passeig de Gracia -- a stunning shopping street dotted with works by Antoni Gaudi -- and the Picasso Museum. Within a half-hour walk is the tree-lined La Rambla, the Basilicia of the Sagrada Família (Gaudi's renowned Roman Catholic church), and Casa Batllo. The hotel is a 15-minute drive from the Barcelona Sants railway station (where the Metrolink stops) and a 12-minute bus ride to some of Barcelona's best beaches.
Rooms
Large rooms with an eclectic style, some with terraces or patios, but bathrooms lack privacy
The Vincci Gala has a variety of room types, all with a soft coffee-color scheme with hardwood floors, dark-wood walls, dove-gray bedspreads, and caramel-colored drapes and headboards with deep-red pillows and chairs. Standard Rooms are narrow and have two twin beds pushed together, wall-mounted flat-screen TVs, writing desks, funky pendant lamps, minibars, and eclectic framed photos on the walls. Soft recessed lighting can make these rooms feel dark, though the spaces are brighter on sunny days thanks to sliding glass doors that lead out to small furnished patios. Matrimonial Standard Rooms are slightly larger and have queen-sized beds, but they lack patios. The Superior and Executive Rooms are quite roomy and come with coffeemakers, more seating space, and bathrobes, but the unfurnished terraces are too narrow to sit on. Outfitted in shimmering gray tile, bathrooms are modern and have Grohe finishes, spacious vanity sinks, and shower/tub combos. Bathroom doors are made of frosted glass, however, and some bathrooms look right out onto rooms, giving them a lack of privacy.
Features
Lovely signature scent, Cafe Bar with funky seating, breakfast room, and meeting rooms
A lovely signature scent is pumped throughout the hotel (guests can also take home a bottle for a fee), but some past guests complaint that the aroma is merely an attempt to disguise the less-pleasant scent of drains throughout the hotel. With gorgeous retro-style lampshades and a mid-century modern style bookshelf right in the middle, the hotel's Cafe Bar has the appearance of the world's hippest library. It also has impressive view of the all-white outdoor terrace and serves a good selection of beer, wine, and signature cocktails. The on-site restaurant has an equally funky and modernist theme and serves up breakfast, lunch, and dinner. There are two on-site meeting rooms that can seat up to 80 guests. Other amenities include free Wi-Fi (available throughout the hotel), laundry and dry cleaning services, and daily newspapers.
