Holiday Inn Express Barcelona City 22@ — Hotel in Barcelona

The Holiday Inn Express Barcelona City 22@ is located in the quiet and peaceful location, approximately 2.7 kilometers northeast of Plaça de Catalunya, the heart of Barcelona. While not in the city center, the hotel offers convenient access to various parts of the city, with plenty of taxis readily available in front of the building. The surrounding area also features several good restaurants serving authentic Spanish dishes, as well as supermarkets—particularly helpful for families needing to pick up something urgently.

The rooms were clean and moderately spacious for a family of three, though they can feel a bit cramped when the sofa bed is in use. Toiletries were not provided upfront but were available upon request, as mentioned on a notice inside the room. There was no small refrigerator in the room with drinks or snacks, which would have been useful for keeping beverages cool or having light refreshments handy—especially to avoid going down to the vending machine or requesting them from the staff each time.

The breakfast was good, and it’s advisable to go before 9:30 AM to avoid the crowd. The room included a kettle, along with tea bags, coffee sachets, and sugar—perfect for those who enjoy a morning cup of tea or coffee.

Check-in and check-out processes were hassle-free and smooth. However, one significant drawback was the air conditioning. Although the unit was functional, it did not cool the room. Upon inquiry, the receptionist mentioned that AC is generally not provided in Spain during this season—a claim that seemed inaccurate, as we had functioning air conditioning in other Spanish hotels during our trip. We were advised to open the windows for ventilation, but due to safety concerns, especially with a child, we preferred not to. When we requested to activate the AC, the receptionist explained that it was part of a central system and any changes would require the manager’s approval, which was disappointing. Unfortunately, no action was taken during our stay, and the warm, uncomfortable nights affected our sleep.

On a positive note, other staff members were friendly and helpful throughout. The hotel also offers a one-hour late check-out option for members and facilities for luggage storage after check-out.

Overall, it was a pleasant stay in a calm neighborhood with helpful staff, convenient local amenities, and authentic dining options nearby. However, the unresolved AC issue was a noticeable drawback, otherwise...

The Holiday Inn Express Barcelona City 22@ is located in the quiet and peaceful location, approximately 2.7 kilometers northeast of Plaça de Catalunya, the heart of Barcelona. While not in the city center, the hotel offers convenient access to various parts of the city, with plenty of taxis readily available in front of the building. The surrounding area also features several good restaurants serving authentic Spanish dishes, as well as supermarkets—particularly helpful for families needing to pick up something urgently.

The rooms were clean and moderately spacious for a family of three, though they can feel a bit cramped when the sofa bed is in use. Toiletries were not provided upfront but were available upon request, as mentioned on a notice inside the room. There was no small refrigerator in the room with drinks or snacks, which would have been useful for keeping beverages cool or having light refreshments handy—especially to avoid going down to the vending machine or requesting them from the staff each time.

The breakfast was good, and it’s advisable to go before 9:30 AM to avoid the crowd. The room included a kettle, along with tea bags, coffee sachets, and sugar—perfect for those who enjoy a morning cup of tea or coffee.

Check-in and check-out processes were hassle-free and smooth. However, one significant drawback was the air conditioning. Although the unit was functional, it did not cool the room. Upon inquiry, the receptionist mentioned that AC is generally not provided in Spain during this season—a claim that seemed inaccurate, as we had functioning air conditioning in other Spanish hotels during our trip. We were advised to open the windows for ventilation, but due to safety concerns, especially with a child, we preferred not to. When we requested to activate the AC, the receptionist explained that it was part of a central system and any changes would require the manager’s approval, which was disappointing. Unfortunately, no action was taken during our stay, and the warm, uncomfortable nights affected our sleep.

On a positive note, other staff members were friendly and helpful throughout. The hotel also offers a one-hour late check-out option for members and facilities for luggage storage after check-out.

Overall, it was a pleasant stay in a calm neighborhood with helpful staff, convenient local amenities, and authentic dining options nearby. However, the unresolved AC issue was a drawback, otherwise a...

This hotel is below average for a Holiday Inn Express. I’ve stayed in much nicer IHG Holiday Inn Express hotels in the US.

The rooms are barebones. I received a “refurbished” room. It was pretty barebones and the interior was in bad shape. There were no USB plugs. No clocks. No dressers. A few small shelves for storage. Even my refurbished room had dents in the walls and doors, a sloppy paint job and scratches and marks all along the walls. The hallway carpeting had huge stains all over it. Considering the amount of points I paid for the room, I found it to be quite upsetting.

The bathroom design is strange. The tub is elevated and hard to get in/out of and then the shelf along the bathroom mirror is small and narrow. There’s no other cabinet space in the bathroom.

The toiletries were sub-standard. It was only Dove soap and then Dove combo body wash/shampoo/conditioner. No other products were offered.

The WiFi is unacceptably slow. It barely functioned.

The walls are super thin. I woke up several times during the evening. Hallway carpets are dirty and stained. Many dings on the hallway walls and in my interior room.

Housekeeping was adequate with a friendly staff.

The breakfast situation was a mess. The breakfast area and buffet line is too small for a hotel of this size. Many guests had to wait 10-15 minutes just to be seated. There wasn’t a single hot dish available and the breakfast was mainly carbs and pastries.

I wanted to grab a drink from the bar and oddly the check-in staff also serve as bartenders. Therefore if you want a drink, you are also battling a line of people checking in and out.

Check in was slow. I didn’t wait in line to check in (luckily) but the entire transaction probably took 5-6minutes. After traveling 2 hours from the airport, it was frustrating. I also requested a room with a king bed as I was with my partner, but was given a room with two doubles. As a LGBT traveler, I don't like to necessarily have to reconfirm my king bed room type and I feel a little discriminated against and it's awkward having to explain this.

On the bright side, the staff was very friendly. Housekeeping kept the room clean. The hotel is centrally located with quick access to metro as well as dining, shopping...