Hotel Review: Le Meridien Barcelona

Where I stay in Barcelona largely depends on my plans for the trip. When we were last in the city, we stayed at the W Barcelona because our plans were just a few days on the beach and that hotel is right there. For this trip in October 2022, we had my mother and mother-in-law with us. They had never been to Spain, so the Le Meridien‘s location on La Rambla made it the perfect home base for exploring the city. I had stayed several times before and enjoyed those so it was an easy decision.

Anthony’s Take: This modern hotel sits on La Rambla just a few blocks from La Boqueria and not far from most of the sites you’ll want to check out. The hotel is kept in great condition, the staff is cheerful and efficient, the location is perfect for sightseeing, upgrades are pretty easy, and the breakfast offered to Marriott Bonvoy elites (Platinum, Titanium, and Ambassador) is enough to fill you up for the start of the day.

Booking

I booked a King Premium Deluxe, Guest room directly from Marriott.com on a “Member Stay for Breakfast Rate” as it was only a few dollars more than the “Member Flexible Rate” that I would normally book. My welcome amenity was 1,000 points and I still got my breakfast. Platinum, Titanium, and Ambassador Elite guests can choose breakfast as a welcome amenity and get the full buffet each day of their stay. I applied Suite Night Awards (SNAs) to the reservation and was able to clear five days in advance as an Ambassador to a Prestige Suite (which was selling for around 500 euros per night while I was there). The Le Meridien Barcelona can also be booked with Bonvoy points (42,400-70,000 points per night) with rates varying since Marriott eliminated its award categories.

Transportation to/from the Hotel

We took an Uber van from Josep Tarradellas Barcelona–El Prat Airport to the hotel. It cost 40 euros and took around 39 minutes to drive the approximately 14.8 kilometers with some traffic. When we left the hotel, we headed back the same way to the airport for a similar cost and duration.

Location

The Le Meridien Barcelona is located on La Rambla and within easy walking distance of La Boqueria (2-minute walk), Plaça de Catalunya (5-minute walk), and lots of restaurants and shopping. La Sagrada Familia is a 30-minute walk but I advise you to take a taxi or Uber.

Check-in

We arrived at the hotel around 11:00 pm and our rooms were ready as expected at that hour. There were multiple employees at the front counter and no other guests. The process was speedy and efficient. Breakfast, elite benefits, and a brief overview of the hotel were given. A 4:00 pm checkout, as requested, was granted and we were in our suite within a few minutes.

Prestige Suite (444)

There are 231 rooms and suites at the Le Meridien Barcelona.

The Prestige Suite opened into the living room. It wasn’t huge, but fine for a city hotel with a couch and desk.

An Illy coffeemaker as well as a minibar and welcome amenity were found in the living room.

The welcome amenity from the Le Meridien was nothing to write home about, but better than nothing. I gave the nuts to my mother.

For some reason, each room had a metal crow bolted down near the desk.

Off of the living room was the bedroom. It was spacious and the bed was really comfortable. My only complaint was that the Wi-Fi did not work in here at all. It was fine in the living room, cross the threshold and dead zone.

Next to the bedroom was the bathroom. It was small but functional. For one of the hotel’s larger suites it would have been nice to have a double vanity.

Toiletries near the sink.

Additional toiletries including a dental kit, shaving kit, shower cap, and vanity kit.

Toiletries were the Le Meridien standard – Malin+Goetz. Wall-mounted pumps were in the shower for shampoo, conditioner, and body wash. I am always skeptical with pumps as I think a prior guest could tamper with them but they’re becoming the norm in more hotels globally.

Breakfast

CentOnze is the hotel’s restaurant. It serves an average breakfast buffet every morning. The buffet has a decent selection of options, but it was not kept up with enough by the staff for it to look its best. Trays remained half empty and food was dropped on several counters and not cleaned up.

Pastries, breads, and other baked goods.

More bread, jams, and juice.

Salad, meats, and cheeses.

Tapas and waffles.

There was a rather skimpy selection of fruit.

Breakfast meats, tomatoes, and eggs.

Cereal and water.

Amenities

The hotel has a small spa and pool on the roof with a sundeck, fitness center, and indoor lounge. We did not visit during our stay but the photos the hotel has on its site look pretty nice. (The photo above came from the Marriott site.)

Overall Impression:

The Le Meridien Barcelona offers a convenient location and comfortable rooms when visiting Barcelona. All of the major sights are easily accessible. The hotel offers good service and Marriott Bonvoy recognition.

Anthony’s Credit Card Pick: When I’m staying at a Marriott hotel, I want to maximize my points earned. My card of choice is the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® Card. With it, I earn six Marriott Bonvoy® points for each dollar spent at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy program. It also includes up to $300 statement credits per calendar year (up to $25 per month ) for dining in restaurants worldwide. Plus, a free night award that I can redeem at any Marriott hotel with a redemption level at or under 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy^® points. Rates & fees. Terms apply.