Hotels met Pools in Catalonia, Spain

On arrival the holiday centre was as photographed on the website, fresh, bright, airy and modernised. Apartments are spacious with 2 wide single beds pushed together in the main room which leads off on to an exceptionally generous size balcony. Plenty of room for kids to play, loungers and table and chairs etc. the bed in the hallway (pull down from wall) was comfy and great for my 9 year old son. The livingroom couches were also single beds and of good quality and wide enough, seem some very slim, thin ones before - these were very comfy although never slept in by us as my daughter had a cot.  Check in and out was seamless but be aware a deposit is taken (around £10 per night and given back at end of apartment is left satisfactory) so factor this in to your spends needed initially.  The thing that stood out for us as a family was the lovely man and his assistants who ran the kids club, entertainment, pool games and really engaged with the children despite his obviously long days. They are a credit to the hotel and I don’t think it would attract as many families if this small but important team weren’t on board - my son Jacob loved kids club and made some great friends for the week. Now is still recommend this hotel with given some recommendations to change things. The hotel caters to very large, roudy crowds of preteens/teens on school holiday stays. They are chaotic and woke our toddler several times, running through corridors screaming, taking up lift where pushchairs and wheelchair users should have priority and teens/groups managed more carefully as they would be if from anywhere else. Called to reception to complain and inform but was pretty much brushed off as they’re excited. Just not great for the rest of us also wanting to enjoy our apartment, sleep and have children. We waited an incredibly long time with 20-30 teens in front of us. I called down to reception one evening as they were shouting, banging and screaming in the halls. Some hotels do not cater to exceptionally large groups for this reason, especially when catering to family holidays also - I’d only stay again if I knew there was no large groups such as this booked to stay. We only ate breakfast the last morning as we preferred to go out to dinners etc as a social thing in the evenings with the children as we don’t drink alcohol much when have young children with us. Food was as expected in hotels, nothing bad to note and plenty of options which are the norm.  If you like quiet this hotel might not be for you. Po. Kew is loud due to entertainment although this didn’t bother us with it stopping at 11pm but the ‘quieter’ side facing out to the road/side was filled with already mentioned large groups of teens shouting back and forth to each other continually. Highly recommend checking if these school trips are on when booking if you like a quiet, relaxed family holiday (most of us do when we have young children). All in all the hotel is great location, good sized rooms and entertainment for much younger children but would be put off returning due to the issues mentioned.

Onix Fira seems like a junior hotel in that it has a great deal of potential, but consistently falls short and seems to be having some crisis of identity and growing pains as a hotel. TLDR: I would not stay here again at the rate I paid at booking. It is a decent hotel, but one should only pay $105-$120/night for what it offers. Here’s what’s going right for it: - very clean facilities and room - located across from a mall that also has a grocery store , which is great for grabbing anything you forgot to pack or raw veggies - a nice 2nd floor reading area - a nice rooftop terrace for doing yoga if you bring a mat I have 3 years of experience working for major brand hotels. Here’s where I think Onix Fira can stand to improve: - greeting guests at reception (did a guest have a long journey? Express curiosity, compassion and enthusiasm for the effort they’ve already made. No one wants to be on a 14 hour flight and be received by someone in a bad mood who looks like they have better things to do). - common sense fixes: a) put hooks on the bathroom doors so guests can hang wet towels, b) have a soap dish for your soap, c) the consequence of imitation stainless steel buttons for the toilet.. they leave fingerprint stains that look gross, d) have a blanket or bedspread available in the room and not just the top sheet even though it’s hot out, e) add hair dryers in bathroom, f) have a complimentary bottle of water ready for guests when they enter tthieir room, especially if it’s 90 degree weather in the summer. That’s humane. And no one charging $200/night+ has any business offering less - more pool lounge chairs during the summer - advertise with photos that don’t use a fishbowl lens, be honest that the pool is small - advertise honestly that one must climb 1.5 slights of stairs to reach pool. That’s an accessibility issue for disabled guests - have replenished towels available for guests - have the pool hours actually open during posted hours - offer activities for solo travelers to socialize; you have a whole beautiful 2nd floor level that could be a great space for games, wine tasting, a silly interaction of your choice. I never saw anyone use this space and activities could make the stay more worthwhile. - offer concierge services and recommendations - have a manager on duty available to talk to guests 7 days/week -consider different hallway lighting than red light; red light feels like a ******* Some specific stuff that went wrong in my stay: - key card for room stopped working after one night - power/electricity/AC went out 3x in one night - no one advertised there was construction in front of the hotel .. a total eyesore and noisy during weekdays - drunk guy wandering my floor thst no one stopped at reception and/or no one accompanied him to his room to make sure he wasn’t upsetting - no manager or person with decision making power was available to answer questions - no complimentary services offered for various inconveniences, not even empathy offered Hope things get better!

A short stay for of 2 days was booked with Triip.com for one adult and 2 children under 10, to join us who were booked in a day earlier for three days. Our three day booking was direct with the hotel, half board. The hotel is marked 'adults recommended' and they sure discourage children, by seeking to charge per occupancy rather than simply on a cost per room. The Trip site quite fairly offered the room at the rate for two adults, with children under 12 free, so this is what was paid. Half board was added but at the rate for two adults, which would be greater than the actual hotel rate for one adult and two children, but I was happy to have reserved restaurant secured. Things got messy at check in, the hotel insisting that the room was occupied by three 'persons' as they put it and should therefore be 50% extra, though the room was the same type as the twin we had for two adults. The Hotel also insisted that only breakfast was provided, and tried to argue that the B2B rate from the third party (Trip) was insufficient. I politely pointed out that the discounts provided to third party agents was no concern of the customer, and referred to my booking voucher which clearly stated I had booked a twin room, into which was going 1 adult, two very small children, and that breakfast and dinner was paid for, with the rate for 1 adult being greater than twice the local charge for a child. They were impossible to deal with, and I left the reception angry and upset. I contacted the Trip representative and by that evening it was sorted. Full marks to Trip, zero to the hotel. As for our stay, the hotel is excellent, but with room to improve. Dinner in the Buffet only commences at 8.00, resulting in quite the bunfight if the restaurant is busy. It was on that Thursday, a national holiday, and it was impossible to order wine and beverages after we seated, with a single service person taking orders. We ate our food dry, and finally placed an order for wine and water while eating dessert, some 40 minutes after seating. The same bottleneck occurred the next morning at breakfast, with the four snail paced Nespresso machines totally incapable of dealing with the coffee demands. Worse, all 4 machines overheated and went into 'service mode'. Worse again, these obviously unsuitable barista machines were the only source of hot water for Tea or infusions, but with no seperate hot water dispenser faucet. You had to stand for almost 2 minutes while the machine slowly dispensed through the coffee outlet, a single mug of hot water, to the frustration of the queue behind. This needs sorting, it took ages to get a breakfast beverage every morning, and on the second day I had to return 4 floors to my room and fill my cup from the in room Nespresso maker. I'd advise to bring a travel kettle with you. Otherwise, a fine hotel, but the restaurant problems and discriminatory pricing for children are an issue, so not a hotel for children.

Absolutely loved my stay there, the staff was so nice and welcoming. My room was small but I didn't need more space - the bed was double and very comfy and I had my own bathroom (pretty big in comparison) with lots of towels, fresh soap and tubes of showering gel (I travelled lightly so it was welcomed) so what else can one need. I loved the included breakfasts and the breakfast timeslot (from 8 to 12 - take notes all you other hotels out there!). There was a lot of variety for the price so IMO the food should satisfy most of the folks - I liked chorizo and cured ham, the wide selection of vegetables, the bread and croissants, and last but not least, the coffee was, pardon my expression, pretty damn good for a two star hotel. Tea was very ordinary in comparison but still okay. Having a kettle and a fridge in my room was super convenient. Wifi and tv quality was great. The walls aren't thick so when there's more guests it can get noisy - which didn't happen often to me but I can imagine how it can be during the high season - but that's a problem in most hotels all over the world. People are noisy animals, most of them. So if you are easily irritated etc consider taking & using earplugs, I guess. There were only two real downsides, let's say one and a half because only one was serious. My room was a bit too warm for my taste and when I realized that opening the window doesn't help, I tried using the air conditioning - which didn't work. I tried all the options, and the cooling mode made the room warmer instead of cooler. Which was a bummer. I didn't report that to the staff, since it wasn't a big issue for me at the moment - I spent most of my time outside the hotel anyway and came back at night when it was much cooler. But I can imagine it becoming a serious problem during the regular season in the summer or later in the spring. Air conditioning in a place like Tossa is essential, so yeah, better fix that ASAP, Turissa. Another thing, very minor this time, was that the cleaning lady who goes in to your room every day has a habit of straightening out the sheets on the bed every time. Yeah, like she did that every single day, lol. I mean I'm not that picky... Are you guys that picky (whoever reads this) ? Just leave it be and save yourself the work, lady, because you know it's gonna be a mess the next day, and the next, and the next - so it's like fighting windmills - unless your name is Donna Quixote, this is something uncalled for. But you know guys, if that's the only complaint one can make about the hotel, then you know Turissa is more than alright. Amiright or amiright guys;) Wish I could stay longer. PS: Oh and there's a pool for the guests, too. I didn't really have time to use (we were more excited dipping our toes in the sea anyway) it but I could watch it every day from the cantina when having my breakfast. Nice!

Hotel Ohla Barcelona boasts an excellent location in the heart of downtown Barcelona, just a few minutes' walk from Plaça de Catalunya, Palau de la Música Catalana, Casa Batlló, and Passeig de Gràcia, making it incredibly convenient for sightseeing. The hotel's hygiene is impeccable, and its decor is luxurious, with a highly artistic design evident in both the restaurant and the lobby. The staff are attentive and enthusiastic, very proactive, and pay great attention to detail. Upon arrival, we were greeted with complimentary champagne, tea, and iced drinks. The breakfast is high-class, offering champagne, salmon, premium jamón, as well as Chinese pan-fried and steamed dumplings, and miso soup, all of which are delicious. The rooftop outdoor pool provides a spectacular view of the city skyline – truly a luxurious vista! The only drawback in the room was that the shower's temperature control was sluggish, and the water temperature adjustment seemed slightly faulty. Nevertheless, this is an outstanding five-star hotel!

There was a welcome drink, and I was given a Caba. The room was clean, and above all, the location was excellent. The shower water pressure was a little weak. I was charged for the minibar I didn't use, but the refund was smooth. It's a good idea to check beforehand.

I had high hopes for this ”4star hotel” From the pictures and the previous reviews everything seemed like it was too good to be true... Arrival was average, had to ask which way to go to get to my allocated room (normally you are directed by a member of reception atleast) Arrived at my room (104) 1st floor. Opened the door to a bright airy room..my first thoughts were this is lovely. Dropped my bags and took a shower and that's where things started to go downhill...let me explain... Now I am aware this is not 5 star but if im being totally honest I have stayed in cleaner 2 star hotels... The attention to detail from the cleaners is just way below par for a 4 star establishment. Shower door covered in limescale (easy to put right with a bit of Elbow grease) Mold and nasties around the outer edge of the shower door (see pics) Splash marks all over the tiles at the side of the sink (like old toothpaste marks) Sink wouldn't drain properly (seemed to be blocked) Skirting boards definitely hadn't been given a wipe for a good few weeks/months All standard/basic stuff that you would expect from any hotel and certainly from a 4 star one or am I being picky? Then there was the call to reception to ask for some milk so I could make a coffee (kettle is provided in room) Receptionist said they don't have fresh milk only 'powdered sachets' of the most vile tasting milk I've ever had (think baby milk/gone off normal milk) Apparently the restaurant was closed so they could not access it to get some fresh milk? Receptionist advised me to go to the supermarket..which is a 25 minute walk from the hotel 🤦♀️ As it happens there is a coffee machine outside the reception entrance so I found myself nipping downstairs to buy one from there. (Not the most convenient but we move forward) I had read that there was a rooftop restaurant in the flyer as advertised but when I asked about it apparently it is no longer there? The restaurant is only open at breakfast times so no food is available not even snacks? However they advertise room service so unsure how that works? Outdoor pools closed which is fine but you couldn't even sit on the loungers hence....nowhere to sit outside the hotel itself. Such a shame that all these little things build and in turn let it down as a 4 star advertised hotel. Now for the positives... The view from the room of the sea is beautiful It is literally across the road from miles of sandy beaches There are a couple of lovely restaurants nearby that are open from 12 noon for brunch/dinner and reasonably priced. The area itself is super quiet and feels safe enough as a solo traveller.

The hotel is quite simple and the rooms are just for a 4-star hotel. It's true you're in the park almost. The hotel is very comfortable and very comfortable. The hotel is very comfortable and very comfortable.

The check in experience was so horrible. After I presented my passport to the receptionists (3 guys) in hotel front desk, they kept requesting me to show the boarding pass of my cancelled flight. If i could not show it, they don’t allow me to check in. I argued with them why I have to show my boarding pass and how can I have boarding pass if my flight is cancelled. They insisted I have to show, otherwise I could not check in. Their attitudes were so rude and I spent almost 40 min to show all documents I have on-hand, then they gave me my room key. The room assigned to me is not so comfortable because it is on ground floor without window facing outside streets. I don’t think it is tourist friendly at all.

The room equip everything you need, but it's a bit small. The location is very good, can walk 15 minutes to the beach and 30 minutes to the main spots