StarwoodGuy

Sunday, September 17, 2017

W Hotel Barcelona

     After three great days in Mallorca at an AirBNB and the arrival of some friends from the US, we all took the short 45 minute flight from Palma to Barcelona. Arrival and getting a taxi was all simple and thirty minutes later we arrived at one of my favorite hotels, the W Barcelona.
     Situated at the end of the beach, the W Barcelona rises like a large sail. The hotel is trendy and busy, even in the shoulder season. We had a brief wait before we checked into our rooms, one standard room and one suite. The suite had amazing views, a large living area and bar, and two bathrooms. The gym, pools and the private beach area and beach bar are all impressive, though getting a lounger at the pool can be difficult when it gets busy.
     On our first afternoon we did the long walk along the beach before coming back and taking a taxi into downtown, a 10 minute trip by car or 45 minute walk, to Las Ramblas. We walked around and had a great dinner at one of the outdoor restaurants.
     The next morning I was up early for a work out and then a great breakfast at the lobby restaurant, before heading down to the pool. Later we had a delicious lunch at the beach cafe, before heading out on a private tour of some of Barcelona's key sites including the Sagrada Família.   That night we had drinks up at the hotel's roof bar before walking into town for dinner.
     I was up the next day bright and early for a run on the beach before we packed up and made our way to the airport heading for a quick 18 hour layover in London.
     As always the W Barcelona was an amazing property. The staff went out of their way to make sure we were looked after, and the hotel amenities are outstanding. While not right in the city like the Meridien property on Las Ramblas, it is a great beach getaway while still being in the city and just a beautiful walk to town.

PMI Lounge

W Barcelona Lobby Bar

W Barcelona Pool

W Barcelona Beach

W Barcelona Lobby Bar

W Barcelona Lobby

W Barcelona Standard Room

W Barcelona Room View

W Barcelona Standard Room

W Barcelona Exterior

W Barcelona Suite Bedroom

W Barcelona Suite Living Room

W Barcelona Suite Bathroom

W Barcelona Suite Closet

W Barcelona Suite Guest Bathroom

W Barcelona Suite View

W Barcelona Suite Living Room

W Barcelona Gym

Barcelona

W Barcelona View

W Barcelona Upper Pool

Barcelona Market

Saturday, May 27, 2017

Westin Valencia Spain

The cab ride from the Hotel Alfonso XIII in Seville at 4:15 pm was quick and easy. I had a Touriste Plus ticket, so Economy Plus but in the First Class car but without food?! The website and fare classes are insanely confusing for RENFE in Spain. So I attempted to enter the Sala Lounge, but was denied again even though this was a full fare flexible ticket and no Comfort or First seats were available for purchase at any rate so I had the highest fare but without the benefits. Oh well, pints of beer were 3 Euros at the neighboring bar so no huge loss. The train ride was a longish 4 hours but I worked and watched some previously downloaded movies before our arrival into Valencia. It was a quick fifteen minutes to the Westin Valencia at 10:25 pm. Check-in was easy and I went right to my room, a standard room with a street view but at an incredibly low rate I could hardly complain, and I had a beer while I caught up on work for an hour.

The next morning I was up at 7:30 am, had coffee in the room, and then headed out to explore the city. There is a large park with bridges crossing over it that circles much of the inner city, the Westin lying right on the outside of this park ring. It was an easy walk over one of the bridges, and from there into the winding streets, passing many Cathedrals, sections of the city's old walls, the main market, and many parks.

     After my two hour walk I showered and had breakfast in the restaurant's terrace, then went back out for the fifty minute walk out to the beach. The walk is not a must but it takes you through some standard neighborhoods before arriving at the beautiful beach. A taxi or public transit would have been just as easy. The beach seems to stretch out for quite a distance. I walked out the long pier and then made my way along the boardwalk, passing a large beach hotel. You can rent beds on the beach or just sit in the sand, and there is also an impressive beach club on the pier with bar, ample seating, and a large pool all with stunning views over the beach. There are a dozen or so various restaurants along the boardwalk for lunch or a drink as well. I then walked back to the hotel, went to the gym for an hour, and then made my way to the Military Museum located next to the hotel. It is open from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm and again from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm except on Mondays when it is closed, and it is free!
      I had a quick bite to eat and a short walk back through town before heading to bed early so I could do the gym in the morning ahead of my flight to Mallorca to meet up with friends where we would be doing three nights at an AirBNB instead of a Starwood property since it was too difficult to get rooms for everyone at one property.
      The Westin Valencia was a good hotel, somewhat business focused, but efficient and though not located in the center of town, an easy walk to most of the sights.