Colon Barcelona Luxury Hotel

Detailed Review

Straight across from the main facade of the 13th century cathedral, Hotel Colon is an open door to the Gothic Quarter, Barcelona’s most traditional distinctive neighbourhood. The main museums and monuments, as Picasso Museum, may be found after a short and pleasant stroll. The Hotel features 145 rooms, a great number of them enjoying of a nice view of the cathedral. All rooms are eqquiped with complete bathroom, hair dryer, bathrobe, slippers, mini bar and secured high speed internet access. The Hotel’s restaurant "Carabela", offers Mediterranean and international cuisine, with an accurate selection of fresh products, chosen daily by our Chef at the popular market called “La Boqueria”. The Colon Hotel Barcelona belongs to Lamaro Real Estate Group, of Italian origin, founded by Don Antonio Lamaro on 1.920, who was responsible for the construction of the Colon Hotel in 1951 and the Regencia Colon Hotel in 1957, since at that time there was an important lack of hotels in Barcelona. He had the chance to acquire a very well placed ground parcel in front of the Cathedral of the city, just a few steps away from Las Ramblas and the Port of Barcelona, and make his personal initiative come true, that some people say, was product of his annoyance when in one occasion he could not find a room in his usual hotel in Barcelona.

Independent Reviews

Hotel Colon
By Jamie Dunford Wood

This is a hotel with plenty of character in a great position, but you need to choose your room carefully. Right across from the Cathedral in Barcelona’s atmospheric Gothic barrio (‘quarter’), the reception and public areas downstairs are old fashioned in feel, furnished in wood and pink/coral marble, 50s style, with a parqueted salon dotted with traditional Spanish dark oak pieces and a collection of china dogs and military figurines framing the bar. A magnificent antique Spanish grandfather clock completes the look. Upstairs, the 175 rooms are for the most part simply furnished in an unremarkable way, rather dated, with small old fashioned bathrooms, wall mounted showers and slightly stained carpets, but furniture seems in good repair. Standard rooms have no view, so superiors should be chosen. The hotel is on a corner, so you ask for views over the cathedral – all outside rooms have small balconies and old fashioned Spanish shutters. Don’t expect luxury, but for those who yearn for the traditional, if sometimes eccentric, hotels of Europe of 50 years ago, when the word glitz had not been invented, then the Colon may fit the bill.

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• Hotel Colón
  By Jenny Pidgeon

  The main draw of the Colón is, of course, it’s location. Bang opposite Barcelona’s imposing cathedral in the centre of the Gothic quarter, tourists visiting the historic city can’t get much more in the centre of things (although it is less convenient for business travellers and shopoholics, who might prefer to lodge further up the Passeig de Gracia). The cathedral square is lively and bustling, and guests sitting at the shaded tables running along the hotel’s front or leaning out of their balconied windows can enjoy a bird’s eye view of goings on. As well as the ubiquitous buskers, beggars and drunks, these often include the more agreeable sights and sounds of brass bands accompanying the middle-aged folk of Barcelona engaging in a spot of traditional circle-dancing. Visitors to Barcelona in Summer 2004, please note that the cathedral is entirely boarded up in scaffolding (quite an architectural marvel in itself but probably not worth flying halfway round the world for) at least until the Autumn. The enviable location means that room rates are high, although prices are somewhat more justified since the 2002 renovations improved standards of both guestrooms and public areas. The spacious salons and café/bar on the ground floor are quite grand with well-stuffed sofas, period artwork and decorative furniture pieces. The space feels rather unused though, with most guests preferring to seek the sunshine outside in the square where they can quaff their drinks al fresco. In the morning, guests are led downstairs to a large subterranean breakfast room which enjoys very little natural light (although bright yellow walls and plenty of green plants do their best to make up for this). There is an impressive hot & cold buffet on offer, only let down by pre-brewed coffee which stands, mulling, waiting to be brought to your table with a flourish. Upstairs, pleasant corridors featuring painted antiques and well-chosen art, lead to the 145 bedrooms. Best (and most expensive) are the newly-renovated rooms facing the cathedral, nine of which have private terraces. Rooms on the 6th floor are particularly recommended and guests should pay for the highest room category possible, as side-views and standards tend to be rather bland. Matching fabrics are taken to a new level with bedcovers, chairs, walls and curtains all co-ordinating. Bathrooms are large and amenities include a/c, satelite tv and modem. Whilst the staff in general is friendly and eager to help, too-many oversights included a half-used bottle of shampoo in the bathroom on our arrival, a butt-laden ash-tray (not ours) lingering on our balcony throughout the 2-night stay and a mysterious mini-bar charge on check out, which was only semi-courteously waived upon questioning. Whilst the predominantly middle-aged American and English clientele seemed happy, readers might consider staying at the much more reasonably priced sister hotel Regencia Colón which is located just behind the Colón. Whilst it doesn’t offer the same views or a 24hour service, accommodation standards are only slightly below those next door and represent better value for money at the present time.

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• "Nostalgic hotel, opposite the Cathedral - front rooms are essential"