La Rambla 40, Barcelona, Spain | (251) 219-4428
Central location in Las Ramblas neighborhood
Rooms have large closets and many have city views
In-room amenities include AC, safes, flat-screen TVs
Buffet breakfast included in room rates
Historic ambience, with a number of famous past guests
24 hour front desk with luggage storage and concierge service
Conference room and computer station
Free Wi-Fi throughout
Breakfast is reportedly mediocre
Rooms lack tea- and coffee-making facilities
Grout in tub/showers is sometimes stained
Rooms can be noisy on lower floors
Hotel Cuatro Naciones is a mid-range property in an 18th-century building in the centrally located Las Ramblas neighborhood. The hotel's 54 rooms are plain, but they come with big closets, and some have views of the city. Though the location is the hotel's biggest draw, it does come with some additional perks such as free Wi-Fi and a basic buffet breakfast. It's also historic, and in the past two centuries it's housed the likes of Einstein, Stendahl, Chopin, and Buffalo Bill. For a more stylish option, travelers may prefer the Generator Barcelona, a swanky hostel that includes private rooms.
Scene
Historic, affordable property attracting European tourists
The Hotel Cuatro Naciones is housed in a beige 18th-century building on a pretty tree-lined street. Its curved wood reception desk sits under yellow pendant lights in a lobby with marble floors and fluted, polished-wood columns. The family-owned property has a wall of photos and other memorabilia commemorating the stays of some of its more famous guests. Its common room, with club chairs and a fireplace under an elaborately painted ceiling, is named after Chopin, who reportedly once stayed here. But the vending machine in the corner brings the vibe down a notch. The property has high ceilings with crown molding and ornate wrought-iron work, including, most prominently, a split marble staircase with a window at the landing. The breakfast room has a checkerboard floor, peach walls, and windows to the street. Guests are primarily tourists in search of affordable lodging with easy access to city center attractions.
Location
In the Las Ramblas neighborhood, walking distance to several attractions
Hotel Cuatro Naciones is in the Las Ramblas neighborhood of Barcelona, within walking distance of many significant attractions as well as bars, restaurants, and shops. The hotel is a one-minute walk to Teatre Principal and two minutes on foot to Gran Teatre. It takes three minutes to reach Liceu metro station, and it's an 11-minute walk to Plaza Catalunya. The Picasso Museum is a 12-minute walk away, and L'Aquarium and the waterfront are 15 minutes away on foot. The Paseo de Gracia is an 11-minute drive or 12 minutes on public transportation. Gaudi's Sagrada Familia is an 18-minute drive or 29 minutes by train. Gaudi's other major landmark, Park Guell, is a 25 minutes by car and 34 minutes on public transportation. Barcelona Airport can be reached in a half-hour drive or 37 minutes on public transportation.
Rooms
Plain rooms with some vintage charm and flat-screen TVs
Rooms at the Hotel Cuatro Naciones are plain, but with a retro feel that includes herringbone-patterned bedspreads and old-fashioned lamps and armoires. Of its 54 rooms, 14 have broad views of Las Ramblas. Others may look onto a gloomy alley or a courtyard with a frosted-glass roof. Walls in the rooms tend to be pale pink or cream, with long drapes, shiny wood headboards, armoires, and desks, all of decent, but not luxurious, materials. Room sizes are average and can accommodate families of three or four people, but single rooms are tiny and feel a bit bleak. All rooms have air-conditioning, safes, flat-screen TVs, and free Wi-Fi. Irons and ironing boards are available from the front desk. The bathrooms are unstylish, with beige fixtures and curtained shower/tub combos, some with grout in need of a good scrubbing. Toiletries and hair dryers are provided. Accessible rooms are available.
Features
Free breakfast and Wi-Fi, computer station, basic meeting space, and books to borrow
As a budget property, the Hotel Cuatros Naciones doesn't offer a ton of amenities, but they do have a free buffet breakfast and hotel-wide Wi-Fi. There are also a few books to borrow from the "Chopin Room." The front desk offers basic concierge services and luggage storage. There's also a computer station in the lobby and a basic meeting room in addition to free hotel-wide Wi-Fi.