Le Méridien, a hotel brand originally from Paris, is currently represented by 100 properties in 50 countries and was acquired by Starwood Hotels & Resorts in November 2005.
We this weekend have had the luxury of knowing firsthand Le Méridien Barcelona, located in the heart of Barcelona, on the Ramblas being one of the most prestigious hotels in the city.
With a 5-star category, it has 231 rooms and suites distributed in its 9 floors.
From floor 1 to 5, most rooms are Deluxe, and from floor 6 to 9, suites and junior suites.
Mediterranean Suite Le Méridien
In Le Méridien Barcelona we can also find Family Suites, and this hotel gives great importance to family trips and they understand that traveling as a family is important for many clients, many of whom, even staying for work reasons, are sometimes accompanied by their family. For them, these types of rooms are perfect, since they can accommodate 4 people at the same time, without having to book two rooms, as in almost all hotels.
Another of the Le Méridien Barcelona's strengths is sustainability, something to which they give a lot of importance, counting today with the BREEAM certification, for being the first hotel in Spain for sustainable building in use.
In Le Méridien Barcelona we find sustainable details at every step that we take, from the furniture, for example in the rooms we find blackboards to welcome customers instead of letter-paper, to the use of sustainable suppliers in all deliveries and local products, Km0 and seasonal.
Sustainable furniture in the rooms
UNICEF and Illy are global hotel partners, maintaining its commitment to social responsibility. Illy, for example, is a coffee that meets all the requirements of production, collection and sustainability processes.
One of the things that caught our attention was the "cultural air"that you breathe in the hotel and is that for Le Méridien Barcelona Culture is something very important. Sample of them is for example, the invitation that all customers receive to enjoy a free visit to MACBA.
Inside the hotel we can find a work of the artist Joan Fontcuberta at the front door, which all guests or visitors must go through to access the hotel.
Entrance of the hotel Le Mèridien Barcelona
At the reception they have 3 original chairs of the Gaudí Foundation, for use by customers who are a true wonder.
Original chairs of the Gaudí Foundation
Other art shows at Le Méridien Barcelona it comes from the hand of Jaume Amigó, as it can be “Gaudí soup”, Located in the main stairwell of the hotel.
Gaudí soup by Jaume Amigó
Leaving a little aside the more general aspects about the hotel, we want to highlight some of the services offered by the hotel for free to your guests
Spa:
Located on the 6th floor, last floor of the building, it offers a solarium terrace, incredible views of the city, which all customers can enjoy from here, not only those staying in the suites on the top floors, a " Vitality Bath ", sauna and two steam baths that delight anyone to end a tiring day in the city or start a day full of energy.
The Spa also has 2 treatment rooms, this with extra cost.
Spa of Le Méridien Barcelona
Another view of the Le Méridien Spa
Fitness Center:
Located on the -1 floor, it is open 24 hours a day and is accessible with the same room key without paying any extra cost.
Gym
Free Wi-Fi in public areas and rooms:
Something very important today is that few hotels in this category offer free Wi-Fi in the rooms. Le Méridien Barcelona wanted to get rid of this "rule"and offers this service included in the price of the room.
Business Center:
On the -1 floor of the hotel gives us the opportunity to consult on any of your computers, for free, anything we need.
Views of the city from Le Méridien Barcelona
For Le Méridien Barcelona gastronomy is also something very important and that is why they pay special attention.
The hotel has several areas where gastronomy is present, in one way or another.
Longitude Bar: Located in the HUB is the place where his Barista Master acts and the place to enjoy from a rich éclair to a coffee at any time of the day.
Longitude Bar in the HUB of Le Méridien Barcelona
Master Barista It is a new role within the F&B Department that energizes the hotel HUB area and the Longitude Bar, main points where customers gather to enjoy a moment of tranquility, inspiration, work or relaxation.
Master Barista
Le Pop Cocktail Bar: Open until 1 am it offers you the opportunity to enjoy a good cocktail, including the LM Sparkling letter, as an appetizer, mid afternoon or evening.
CentOnze Restaurant: This is the center of the gastronomic offer of Le Méridien Barcelona, devised by Eugeni Cortés, his chef. The style of its cuisine is Mediterranean, with selected seasonal products.
CentOnze Restaurant
Selection of desserts in CentOnze
In CentOnze you have a menu of the day, from 17.50 euros and a letter in which you can enjoy dinner for about 30 euros per person on average.
Breakfast costs 27.50 euros and is also made at CentOnze, being open, like the restaurant, not only to hotel guests, but to anyone who wants to enjoy a buffet with an incredible selection of products , ranging from the most select pastries to fruit, including sausages, breads of different kinds, cereals, selection of hot dishes, including products for customers of different nationalities, such as their exquisite Halal chicken sausages, delicious for all international customers .
Other services that we will find in Le Méridien Barcelona are their banquet halls that offer the possibility of both a private event and business (meetings, presentations ...) or private (weddings, celebrations ...).
Despite being in such a central area, the hotel offers parking service in the same building upon payment.
Le Méridien Barcelona
Everything we have explained so far, is important enough to be emphasized in this article, but we want to record our experience, at a more personal level, leaving a series of sensations, which usually do not stand out in the reviews of the hotels, after staying at Le Méridien Barcelona.
- The hotel has an optimal temperature, both in the common areas and in the rooms, something that increases the sensation that we mentioned in the travel diary to Barcelona, of being like at home.
- The carpet of the rooms gives it that homemade touch that we liked so much.
- Le Méridien Barcelona's bed has entered the ranking of the most comfortable beds We have tried.
- The wifi signal, so important to us, is ideal, both in the common areas, as in the room and on the terrace of the same. Something to keep in mind when we have to work. - The detail of having a shower on the terrace, something very useful in summer.
- With all the details they have achieved a very classic, chic and cozy atmosphere that blends perfectly.
- Include in the room details like a complimentary Illy coffee maker with all kinds of coffees and teas is a success, there is nothing like enjoying the sunrise over Barcelona with a cup of good coffee in hand. If you stay at Le Méridien we tell you a secret: the power button is on the back of the coffee maker, next to the plug 🙂 We were looking for it for a while.
- Other details included in the room, which we believe are a detail are bathrobes and hair straighteners, something unusual in hotels and that for women with long hair is a luxury.
- If we have to look for a but to the rooms, this would be the bathroom light, a bit weak for my liking (Vanessa), and a woman needs a somewhat stronger light to put on makeup 🙂
- One of the things that have caught our attention is that despite having such a central location, full Rambla de Cataluña, it is not noisy, so that tranquility, both day and night, is assured.
- Enjoy a sunrise over Barcelona from the terrace of our room, a unique experience.
- Preserving details of the old Manila Hotel make Le Méridien a very special place.
According to our experience, without a doubt, Le Méridien Barcelona is a totally recommended hotel If you want to discover Barcelona, not only because of its location, but also because of everything it represents in general.
We do not want to close this article without thanking all the staff of Le Méridien, who treated us perfectly and in a very special way to Ana Miquel, who not only attended us upon our arrival, but also explained so many things and so good of Le Méridien Barcelona, which made us feel at home as soon as we arrived.
* During our getaway to Barcelona on a Weekend we stayed at Le Méridien Barcelona through a collaboration with this chain. This has not influenced the opinions that are reported here, which are all a summary of our experience and feelings during the stay.
