Hotel Atlantis

Although it’s not the most original place we’ve ever visited, the family-run Hotel Atlantis is a nice and easy place to stay. With three well-polished stars, it’s efficient, organized and reliable.

The Atlantis is a great option for business travelers or student groups—it has all the amenities a working visitor to Barcelona might need, plus a very central location.

Quick read

Pros: Very central. Clean and convenient. Solid value.

Cons: Located in a tourist zone. Few nearby restaurants and bars. Rooms can pick up street noise. Feels a tad generic.

Rooms

Done up in navy blue, yellow and dark wood, the 50 guest rooms at the Hotel Atlantis, are of the “generic hotel chain” variety. All are well-equipped, with a desk, flat-screen TV, telephone, minibar, safe air conditioning and coffee and tea facilities.

Several rooms also have balconies, but the view of Carrer Pelai may not be the most desirable, as it is always bustling with foot traffic and motorists. Note that some of the quieter, interior rooms do not have windows facing outside, which means a dearth of natural light.

Bathrooms

Bathrooms are standard and spotless, and all are equipped with bathtubs. Expect toiletries, a hair dryer and fluffy towels. Like the rest of this hotel, bathrooms are uniform with no surprises (usually a good thing when it comes to showering).

Hotel

The Hotel Atlantis is not the most unique, but they do pride themselves on a nice art collection, which is displayed in the common areas.

On the first floor of the Hotel Atlantis there is an office work-center and a bar with snacks and drinks, open daily from 6:30 p.m. until 10:30 p.m. Each floor also has its own lounge area with fat white sofas and glass-top coffee tables.

Breakfast is included in the room rate, and Wi-Fi is free throughout.

Location

While we don’t adore the hotel’s location, it is incredibly convenient: The Atlantis is close to Plaça Catalunya, which means easy access to the airport bus, taxis, Metro and all city bus lines.

The Atlantis is also great for those in a shopping mood. It’s close to Portal del Angel, Barcelona’s popular retail district, as well as Passeig de Gracia’s upscale (think Prada) shopping options. On the hotel’s street, Pelai, there are more shoe shops than cafés! This is the place to find your Spanish leather boots.

Just down the street from the Atlantis you’ll find big Barcelona sights, such as La Boqueria Market, the city’s history museum (MUHBA) and the Cathedral. You’ll also be less than a 15-minute walk from many Gaudí buildings on Passeig de Gracia.

While you can shop til ya drop, getting a decent meal in this area may be tough. Luckily, El Raval is just behind the Atlantis. Try Betty Ford’s (Joaquin Costa, 56) for cocktails and nightlife, or the reasonably priced Tallers 76 (C/ Tallers, 76) for any meal. For something more posh, walk a bit to Cup and Cake (C/ Paris 205, Eixample) for delicious brunch and café items.

Transportation

Subway: The Hotel Atlantis is located near Plaça Catalunya (on the Green Line/L3) or Plaça Universtat (on the Purple Line/L2). The FCG (similar to the Metro and useful for going to uptown) train lines leave from Pelai and Plaça Universitat.

From the Airport: The Areobús departs from the airport every five minutes and gets you into Barcelona in 35 minutes. To reach the Atlantis, get off in Plaça Catalunya (the last stop) and walk up Pelai street to the hotel.