We booked this hotel way back in September based on previous TA reviews and importantly a really good price for a 4 star hotel. We stayed at the Universal for 5 days as a birthday treat, and were not disappointed with the trip, or the hotel. On arrival we were allocated an excellent 9th floor corner room, (thank you Daniel) with a huge terrace, at the front of the hotel, which afforded good views of Montjuic. The room was superb, tasteful decor, clean, plus a really good size bathroom, and the only niggle was as is the case in many hotel rooms, low lighting, but we had panoramic balcony windows/doors, so this wasn’t an issue.

The hotel is on a busy city road, yards from the Paral. Lel metro stop, so as some reviewers have stated, there is traffic noise, but it’s not intrusive; if you do not want any noise don't stay in a city hotel!

We found our own way around Barcelona purchasing T10 Metro tickets, so apart from check in and out, we did not bother the reception staff during our stay, but they had provided us with all necessary information. We found all the hotel staff to be very courteous and professional, the doormen always willing to help with cases, taxis etc.

Breakfast was the usual buffet fare; juices, fresh fruit, cold cuts, cheeses, hot food, pastries etc, and there were always sufficient, adequate choices. There is a small lobby bar, which also offers bar snacks, meals, we did not encounter any of the previous complaints over bar staffing, and enjoyed excellent service from the barman Josef, who despite being busy, was unstintingly friendly, (and a brave soul, being a Real Madrid supporter in Barcelona) and he was a credit to the hotel.

The hotel is in an excellent location, so close to the Metro and Funicular to Montjuic. You can also easily walk to Las Ramblas, Gothic, the Harbour areas and other sites. We were wary of the area based on previous reviews, but did not find this to be an issue when walking around even at night. There are numerous restaurants, cafes, and tapas bars close to the hotel, we tried a couple with mixed results, i.e. the August restaurant, (really good meal and service), and Los Cachitos, (very poor service, tapas), both were yards from the hotel.

Overall this four star hotel provided an excellent base for an enjoyable city break, the staff were all courteous and helpful, I would recommend this hotel for Barcelona visits and would stay there again. We stayed at this hotel for slightly more than we recently paid for a 3 star Rome hotel, which was 4km from the city centre so for us the Hotel Barcelona provided excellent value as well as a quality experience.