The Arts is a really nice hotel, and 199€ is a good rate. As I've advised others here (who didn't listen ), I don't think I'd trade the somewhat nicer hotel for the much nicer location. But that's just me. One of Barcelona's nicest attributes is the pedestrian neighborhoods and casual pace - I think you'll miss out on that doing the back-and-forth from the Arts, which is kind of in the burbs, too far to walk. The Calderon, while a star lower than the Arts, is still a very nice hotel. You've also got a good rate there - I used to pay around 36000₧, so...about 270€. Their pool, with the views, tops the Arts, IMO.