Occidental Barcelona 1929 Review: Espanya Square Location

Barcelona Hotels Near Plaça d'Espanya

Occidental Barcelona 1929

Hola! I'm Melissa, your Spanish travel blogger.

I'm excited to share my review of Occidental Barcelona 1929,

a fantastic hotel near Barcelona's Plaça d'Espanya.

The area around Plaça d'Espanya is also a place I'd highly recommend for your accommodation when you're exploring Barcelona.

While the area near Plaça de Catalunya might be slightly preferable,

this location is certainly just as great!

I'll break down the pros and cons of both locations and then dive into a detailed review of the hotel.

1. Choosing Your Base in Barcelona: A Location Comparison

When planning your **Barcelona trip**, you're probably wondering about the best place to stay, and my top recommendation is near Plaça de Catalunya. You can easily walk to major attractions, and there's a bustling commercial area, making it incredibly convenient. Plus, you can take the airport bus directly there.

Next up on my recommendation list is the area around Plaça d'Espanya.

It's the first stop for the airport bus, meaning you can get to your accommodation faster, and its proximity to Sants Station makes it super convenient for train travel. From Sants Station, you can catch trains to nearby cities like Girona and Sitges. What's more, you can take a train to Montserrat directly from Plaça d'Espanya station, which is perfect if you're exploring independently without a tour.

I've already covered the Plaça de Catalunya area and my previous accommodations there in detail, so today, let's focus on Plaça d'Espanya. Ready to check out the map below?

The **airport bus** stops right in front of Plaça d'Espanya, and you can spot Sants Station in the upper left. According to the map, Montjuïc Fountain is in the bottom right.

If you're planning to catch the fountain show, you might be worried about traveling late at night, but if your accommodation is near Plaça d'Espanya, you can relax! No worries there, right?

Just a heads-up, the Montjuïc Fountain is currently temporarily suspended, but it's expected to resume around this autumn (September).

Both Plaça de Catalunya and Plaça d'Espanya have distinct pros and cons as hotel locations. Here's a quick comparison:

Hotels around Plaça d'Espanya tend to be a bit more affordable than those near Plaça de Catalunya, assuming similar star ratings.

If you're looking for a comfortable stay but find the prices near Plaça de Catalunya a bit steep, definitely check out the Plaça d'Espanya area. Especially when traveling with parents, the hotel's condition is a top priority, and I think Plaça d'Espanya offers some excellent options.

Additionally, it's generally less crowded and the streets are quite spacious, making it a more pleasant place to stay overall. While you can't walk to all the main attractions, Barcelona has an excellent public transport system, including buses and subways. You'll reach most major sights within 2-3 subway stops, so it won't take much time at all.

I usually stay near Plaça de Catalunya, but this time I chose a hotel near Plaça d'Espanya.

That's because the Montserrat & Sitges tour I booked departed from Montjuïc, and I was planning a trip to Girona, which meant I needed to go to Sants Station.

I also had plans to visit Casa Milà and Casa Batlló, but getting there by bus or subway was easy enough, so I didn't find it inconvenient at all.

2. My Recommended Hotel Near Plaça d'Espanya: Occidental Barcelona 1929

I'm not sure if the building exterior was also remodeled, but it's housed in a rare, modern building in Europe.

If you look at the photo on the right, there's a bus stop right in front of the hotel, and you can even see Plaça d'Espanya at the far end. It's practically on the square!

At the entrance, you'll find umbrellas readily available for rainy days, along with some drinks and snacks you can grab while waiting. The area behind it serves as both a relaxation space and the breakfast dining area.

The check-in counter wasn't huge, and there were about two staff members, so we waited a little bit before checking in.

The card key is made of wood, and it's such a small detail, but it's surprisingly beautiful, isn't it?

I stayed in the Superior Double Room, which is their standard room, but honestly, the room itself is a bit on the smaller side.

There was space on both sides of the bed, so we could open up one suitcase each, but it was a tight fit. There's a small table with a large wall-mounted TV, a capsule coffee machine, and an electric kettle.

Next to the bed, there's a safe and a small refrigerator, and a dedicated space that acts as a wardrobe.

It's not a separate piece of furniture, but rather a section of the wall designed for hanging clothes, perfect for a few days, and the space below is great for standing up suitcases.

The bathroom was also very clean, and the shower booth space was quite spacious.

As expected, the shower amenities came in large bottles mounted on the wall.

Shower caps, combs, shaving kits, and dental kits were separately provided beneath the sink.

Behind them was the hairdryer.

The view from the room was just of the street, nothing extraordinary.

To sum it up, this was generally an impeccable hotel.

Both the room and bathroom were clean, and although I didn't use them, the facilities like the swimming pool and gym were also well-maintained. Being right in front of a subway station makes it super convenient for getting around, and you can catch the airport bus right outside.

Oh, I had breakfast one day, but it wasn't particularly lavish.

It was more of a basic, "just enough" kind of spread. I'll continue with the breakfast review next time. Anyway, the Occidental Barcelona 1929 Hotel is a commendable option for anyone looking for accommodation near Plaça d'Espanya.

The price for a one-night stay will vary depending on when you search, but it typically shows up around ~$204-219.

Since I was initially only looking for accommodations near Plaça d'Espanya, I'd like to share a few other hotels in that area that I considered until the very end.

There weren't many, just two other places I compared.

✔️Hotel Indigo Barcelona Pl.España

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This is a place I also considered when I was looking for accommodations near Plaça de Catalunya previously.

It's a global chain and was recently renovated, yet the price feels quite reasonable in comparison, which is why it always makes my shortlist whenever I go to Barcelona.

Since I had plans to go to Sants Station, it was just a tiny bit further away than Occidental, so it didn't make the cut this time.

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>Check Hotel Indigo Details<

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✔️Ofelias Hotel

Even though I haven't uploaded many photos, don't you think it's incredibly pretty?! The interior of this hotel really captured my heart. I loved everything, from the lobby to the room decor.

The price was a bit higher compared to the place I chose (and the hotel's rating is also higher), so I didn't pick it this time, but it's definitely somewhere I'd love to visit if I get the chance!

>Check out more details on Ophelias Hotel<

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I've poured my heart into writing this review for Occidental Barcelona 1929, a truly fantastic hotel with an excellent location that I'd love to recommend for your Barcelona trip.

If you're looking for somewhere a bit different than the usual spots near Plaça de Catalunya, then definitely keep this place in mind! :)

Wishing you all a wonderful trip to Spain!

Buen Viaje!