Grand Hotel Central, Small Luxury Hotels

I stayed at Grand Central Hotel Barcelona in the Master Suite. While the suite design was visually appealing and the location is great —within walking distance of many attractions and shopping—the overall experience was deeply disappointing due to poor service, lack of transparency, and unprofessional handling of charges.

Check-in & Service:
From the start, service and communication were inconsistent. Communication prior to arrival was difficult, as emails went unanswered and I had to make multiple international phone calls to finalize my booking. Some staff members were not welcoming and did not greet us when entering or leaving the hotel. Complimentary water was only offered after 6:00 PM; when requested earlier, we were told to pay for it or wait, which felt unusual for a hotel of this category.

Room & Bathroom:
The WC sliding door repeatedly got stuck and required force to open or close. Although the issue was fixed promptly after reporting it, the door never fully closes and always leaves a gap, which significantly affected privacy—especially for a suite intended for two guests.

Spa Experience:
The Master Suite included a complimentary massage, but it was limited to only one person, which felt inappropriate for a suite booked for two guests. The massage itself was below expectations, and the spa atmosphere was dominated by a strong candle scent rather than calming essential oils.

Breakfast:
The breakfast buffet was below standard; even the black coffee tasted unpleasant. Despite breakfast being included, I chose not to dine at the hotel due to the quality.

Checkout & Post-Departure Charge:
At checkout, I was initially presented with an incorrect invoice containing overcharges, which I had to identify myself. Although this was corrected at the time, I was later shocked to discover that my credit card was charged €68 after I had left Spain. This charge was a new, separate transaction and not part of any authorized security deposit, and it was applied without prior notice or authorization, nor was I contacted or sent an email regarding the charge.

When I contacted the hotel, I was told the charge was for a laundry bag I had taken from the room, which I assumed was complimentary for my dirty laundry, as is standard in five-star hotels. I explained that I did take the laundry bag and agreed to pay for it. However, I was also accused of taking a full-size cream that was never provided in the suite in the first place. After several back-and-forth emails, the hotel finally agreed to refund the €38 that had been charged for the cream I did not take.

Due to this incident—where my credit card details were copied and used without my authorization—I was forced to cancel my credit card and issue a new one.

What made this situation especially upsetting was being accused of taking something that was not provided, followed by a charge applied without any discussion. My credit card details were clearly copied and used post-departure without my consent, which I find unacceptable and deeply disappointing for a five-star hotel.

Based on my experience, the hotel positions itself as a five-star property; however, this did not align with luxury hospitality standards.

Accommodation for the MITJA MARATÓ BARCELONA. It was a perfect fit, offering maximum comfort and pleasant nights.

Fabulous hotel situlated in the best location you could ask for. We were minutes from the sq where the cathedral is and minutes from the gothic area. The roof top pool and bar gave us fantastic views across the city. We had a room with city view and a king-size bed we were on the 7th floor. We slept well here at night, the room was very nice with a lovely bathroom. Breakfast was OK however there was not too much choice fried eggs already cooked and scrambled eggs in a tray. However Breakfast was peaceful experience. I would definitely book this hotel again for future visits but I would eat breakfast outside the hotel the street the hotel is in has plenty of bar cafes. We did not like having to pay a 100 euros a night, which was put on our bank card, we were refunded the money once we checked out. It is a huge amount to pay out .

Across street from cathedral and a nice walk from a ton of good places. Concierges were super helpful in planning days

This beautifully maintained historic building is very well located, just a few steps away from the gothic quarter. The check in was not very friendly and they charged my credit card immediately for incidentals at the rate of 100 euros a night. So this is not a pre authorized amount which would be a normal practice, it's a charge that is reimbursed days after the check out. The room in itself was nicely decorated although the pillows were a bit lumpy and there were a few amenities missing for a 5 star hotel. If you are a light sleeper beware because the street noise is omnipresent. The corridors are painted in a very dark grey which doesn't make the place joyful... Many times when passing by the reception there is no acknowledgement, no hello...a bit strange... The rooftop is a great addition to the hotel but be prepared to wait a long time before someone comes to take your order, same comment goes for the food to arrive. The only truly friendly staff were the doormen.

Posizione fantastica, accoglienza eccellente, l’hotel é moderno e il buffet molto ricco

Konum cok iyi, teras guzel

I'm a lifetime diamond Hilton member and have been staying at Hilton's for over 35 years. I can honestly say this stay was in the top 5 of all Hilton stays. From the moment we enter the property everyone we encountered from the 1st to the last day was extremely pleasant and helpful. I would stay here again and would recommend to anyone I know to stay there as well.

Dette er ikke et 5-stjerners hotell. Fasilitetene er ikke på høyde med bilder på hverken hjemmeside og bildene som markedsføres på Booking.

Le personnel était très pro et accueillant, merci à eux !

Çalışanları konumu temizliği güzeldi

I expecte the best and that is what i got