Kimpton Vividora, Barcelona [Master thread]
Nov 1, 2021, 12:33 pm
#1
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Kimpton Vividora, Barcelona [Master thread]
Last edited by FLYGVA; Nov 2, 2021 at 8:00 am
Nov 4, 2021, 11:41 am
#2
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: DEN
Programs: UA Silver, whatever the Amex plat gets me and somehow still IHG Diamond after 3 years of no nights
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I've been meaning to start this thread for 2 months since we returned in August. Based on your executive suite pictures, we stayed in the junior suite right next door. We booked 4 nights here on points. I didn't want to take a chance on an upgrade I wouldn't have been entitled anyway so I contacted the hotel ahead of time about paid upgrades since it was a special trip that had been delayed a year due to Covid (also first real travel since March 2020). They offered me the following upgrade prices, which were a slight discount to the paid rates at the time. For reference, a random day next spring shows a 300 EUR gap between standard and junior suite.
Side note; we did a full 10-11 days on one piece of hand luggage and a small backpack each, so we needed to do laundry mid-trip. Laundry service was typical hotel laundry price (3 eur for a pair of underwear) so I found a great little spot a couple blocks away (Lavanderia Roca) that did a suitcase worth of wash/fold laundry for about 20 euro (cash) in only in 4-6 hours. She spoke enough english and I spoke enough spanish to make it a seamless experience.
- 190 EUR/night for Junior Suite
- 240 EUR/night for Executive Suite
- 290 EUR/nigh for Gothic Suite
Side note; we did a full 10-11 days on one piece of hand luggage and a small backpack each, so we needed to do laundry mid-trip. Laundry service was typical hotel laundry price (3 eur for a pair of underwear) so I found a great little spot a couple blocks away (Lavanderia Roca) that did a suitcase worth of wash/fold laundry for about 20 euro (cash) in only in 4-6 hours. She spoke enough english and I spoke enough spanish to make it a seamless experience.
Dec 20, 2021, 8:31 pm
#3
Join Date: Jun 2020
Location: NJ
Programs: UA Silver, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 499
I've been meaning to start this thread for 2 months since we returned in August. Based on your executive suite pictures, we stayed in the junior suite right next door. We booked 4 nights here on points. I didn't want to take a chance on an upgrade I wouldn't have been entitled anyway so I contacted the hotel ahead of time about paid upgrades since it was a special trip that had been delayed a year due to Covid (also first real travel since March 2020). They offered me the following upgrade prices, which were a slight discount to the paid rates at the time. For reference, a random day next spring shows a 300 EUR gap between standard and junior suite.
Side note; we did a full 10-11 days on one piece of hand luggage and a small backpack each, so we needed to do laundry mid-trip. Laundry service was typical hotel laundry price (3 eur for a pair of underwear) so I found a great little spot a couple blocks away (Lavanderia Roca) that did a suitcase worth of wash/fold laundry for about 20 euro (cash) in only in 4-6 hours. She spoke enough english and I spoke enough spanish to make it a seamless experience.
- 190 EUR/night for Junior Suite
- 240 EUR/night for Executive Suite
- 290 EUR/nigh for Gothic Suite
Side note; we did a full 10-11 days on one piece of hand luggage and a small backpack each, so we needed to do laundry mid-trip. Laundry service was typical hotel laundry price (3 eur for a pair of underwear) so I found a great little spot a couple blocks away (Lavanderia Roca) that did a suitcase worth of wash/fold laundry for about 20 euro (cash) in only in 4-6 hours. She spoke enough english and I spoke enough spanish to make it a seamless experience.
Jan 13, 2022, 3:01 am
#4
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Do all the rooms have those translucent panels between the bedroom and the shower? or just a certain category? are there at least privacy shades for it?
Jan 13, 2022, 6:40 am
#5
Join Date: Jun 2020
Location: NJ
Programs: UA Silver, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 499
We ended up shifting between a few rooms, our last one had a sliding door that separated the bathroom from bedroom (although the shower itself within the bathroom was translucent).
Jan 13, 2022, 11:07 am
#6
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: E14, LON
Programs: Virtuoso TA; SELECT TA; BAEC Gold; Hilton Honors Diamond; IHG Plantinum Amb
Posts: 237
I'm looking forward to trying this property - it looks great. Just booked a stay in late June, just before the end of the extended 3rd night free promotion via the Luxury & Lifestyle program, so came out as great value, especially with the added benefits
Jun 28, 2022, 9:30 am
#7
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: E14, LON
Programs: Virtuoso TA; SELECT TA; BAEC Gold; Hilton Honors Diamond; IHG Plantinum Amb
Posts: 237
Great stay at Kimpton Vividora
Kimpton Vividora
1 Review
|
100% Recommended
Kimpton Vividora
Carrer del Duc, 15 Barcelona, ES 08002
RecommendedLiked: LocationServiceFoodAmenitiesRoom
Great stay at Kimpton Vividora (3 Photos)
Kimpton Vividora
Check In
On arrival you enter into a coffee bar (by day) / cocktail bar (by night), nicely decorated. Greeted by helpful people at the door on every entrance / exit and escorted to the lifts on arrival to go to the check-in area on the first floor.
There were three check-in desks, all staffed, and two empty. Check-in was great - really friendly welcome, explained everything we needed to know, and mention elite status, upgrade, IHG Luxury & Lifestyle rate benefits without prompting.
Used the Kimpton current secret password "Stay Cool" and received a benefit of two drinks (one per guest) at the rooftop bar - they called up when we wanted to go up so they were ready for us, and we could have any drink from the menu including all cocktails etc. Definitely the best secret password gift I've had at a Kimpton to date!
The list of free stuff with a combination of the Luxury & Lifestyle rate, IHG Plantinum, and Secret Password felt a little OTT!:
- Double room upgrade
- Free 3rd night (on the specific rate booked)
- Free breakfast
- USD100 to spend on F&B (which was EUR95)
- EUR10 "Raid the Bar" to spend on F&B
- Two free drinks at the rooftop
- 25% off all food and drink and the hotel restaurant (Fauna)
- In-room welcome gifts
Room
We booked the cheapest room (1 King Bed Essential) but due to the combination of IHG Platinum and booking a Luxury & Lifestyle rate we were upgrade a couple of categories to 1 King Bed Premium Higher Floor.
Room was immaculate and well designed. I always request an end of corridor/corner room, and that's what we got - nice and quiet.
Air-con was very efficient, and very cool, which I appreciate.
Great welcome amenities for us of a bottle of chilled cava, some fruit, and some chocolate truffles as well as a notebook with the hotel's design and a personalised welcome note.
Lighting was good, and easy to use. Bathroom was spacious and the water pressue was good.
Turn-down service was nice, with extra water and chocolates left.
The room also had an umbrella and canvas tote bag to use during the stay, which was nice.
Also appreciated the colourful and thing cotton robes as an alternative to the towelling type.
Service
Absolutely loved the service at the hotel. Without exception every staff member we interacted with was really friendly, welcoming, and helpful. If things ever took more than a minute or two there was an apology (never needed!) and it all felt like perfect service.
Request for a bucket of ice to be delivered to the room was completed quicker than I've ever experienced before as well!
Service was also great at the rooftop bar area and restaurant.
Dining
We had some cocktails at the rooftop bar - very well prepared, but perhaps not as cold as they should have been.
We ate the first evening at the Fauna restaurant and the food was delicious, with an original take on Patatas Bravas.
Coffee was great too.
Location
Located in the Gothic Quarter the hotel was very convenient for all the sights (and not too far away from Pride, which we attended too).
Great area to wander around, and some nice tapas bars nearby.
Overall
Overall, a fantastic hotel and great use of the IHG Luxury & Lifestyle programme - I'll definitely be back!
Jul 10, 2022, 8:53 am
#8
Join Date: Apr 2015
Programs: Some
Posts: 5,231
Just checked out after a two night stay here and had what I’d describe as an OK stay, not terrible but not great either. This is my 4th Kimpton in the last few years and have reached the conclusion they are not for me. Aside from that, this is just not a 5 star hotel, it’s a very well designed 4 star hotel from both a service and hard product perspective, I suspect once the opening cool factor here fades prices will drop a lot.
At check in was asked what status I hold as their system doesn’t show it any more (I am Diamond). I booked a “junior suite” retailing for over €1,000 per night this weekend. Wonder if I got the smallest one in the hotel (612), but it was absolutely tiny and no way should be described as a suite - it was a deluxe room with a bathtub in it and a balcony. No armchair or sofa like the photos of the junior suite on the website. I had an entry level Deluxe Room after I checked out of a suite in Mallorca last weekend and it was probably 25% bigger than this “suite”. Whilst nicely designed, the finish is poor in places, like paint all over the tiles in the shower, cheap looking flooring, etc - it doesn’t really give a 5 star impression.
Service was sometimes very good and sometimes not, e.g. breakfast today was great, yesterday was overloaded with people and they couldn’t cope. Breakfast is also a very small buffet with a couple of low-ish quality made to order items (the Greek yoghurt with berries was some cheap Greek-style yoghurt with four berries in it). Room service forgot to leave cutlery with my order, food was fine but again not particularly high end.
Gym feels like a tiny afterthought. Rooftop pool is really cool and definitely the highlight here, service there was also great. If you aren’t going to use that, I see no reason to stay here.
The Barcelona EDITION where I would normally stay is on a very different planet in quality terms to this hotel, I think.
At check in was asked what status I hold as their system doesn’t show it any more (I am Diamond). I booked a “junior suite” retailing for over €1,000 per night this weekend. Wonder if I got the smallest one in the hotel (612), but it was absolutely tiny and no way should be described as a suite - it was a deluxe room with a bathtub in it and a balcony. No armchair or sofa like the photos of the junior suite on the website. I had an entry level Deluxe Room after I checked out of a suite in Mallorca last weekend and it was probably 25% bigger than this “suite”. Whilst nicely designed, the finish is poor in places, like paint all over the tiles in the shower, cheap looking flooring, etc - it doesn’t really give a 5 star impression.
Service was sometimes very good and sometimes not, e.g. breakfast today was great, yesterday was overloaded with people and they couldn’t cope. Breakfast is also a very small buffet with a couple of low-ish quality made to order items (the Greek yoghurt with berries was some cheap Greek-style yoghurt with four berries in it). Room service forgot to leave cutlery with my order, food was fine but again not particularly high end.
Gym feels like a tiny afterthought. Rooftop pool is really cool and definitely the highlight here, service there was also great. If you aren’t going to use that, I see no reason to stay here.
The Barcelona EDITION where I would normally stay is on a very different planet in quality terms to this hotel, I think.
Jul 10, 2022, 9:21 am
#9
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: DEN
Programs: UA Silver, whatever the Amex plat gets me and somehow still IHG Diamond after 3 years of no nights
Posts: 693
This seems to be a case of having poor expectations. Base rooms at this hotel go for 250 euro a night in the offseason and 400 euro a night in the high season for an incredibly high demand tourism city. I will agree that the pictures on the website of the junior suite that have the couch are misleading. The picture from the headboard is an accurate representation of the junior suite we stayed in (it might have been 612, actually) and doesn't show the couch, just the lounging chair and the desk. The size of the room, however, is massive by European standards in my opinion.
Kimptons are very nice, "boutiquey" hotels with a local vibe. They are not the four seasons and the Mandarin, hence the price. You appear to have paid a premium based on demand for the time you were in Barcelona. I booked the same room for 600 euro a night just last August.
The Edition is currently bookable for 3k euro a night for the next few weekends, by the way.
Kimptons are very nice, "boutiquey" hotels with a local vibe. They are not the four seasons and the Mandarin, hence the price. You appear to have paid a premium based on demand for the time you were in Barcelona. I booked the same room for 600 euro a night just last August.
The Edition is currently bookable for 3k euro a night for the next few weekends, by the way.
Jul 10, 2022, 12:28 pm
#10
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This is my 4th Kimpton in the last few years and have reached the conclusion they are not for me. Aside from that, this is just not a 5 star hotel, it’s a very well designed 4 star hotel from both a service and hard product perspective, I suspect once the opening cool factor here fades prices will drop a lot.
I must say that I like very much the last generation of Kimpton hotels (but not quite the Monaco or Palomar properties), and always had pleasant stays at Kimpton Vivodora (I will try Mallorca soon).
I booked a “junior suite” retailing for over €1,000 per night this weekend. Wonder if I got the smallest one in the hotel (612), but it was absolutely tiny and no way should be described as a suite - it was a deluxe room with a bathtub in it and a balcony. No armchair or sofa like the photos of the junior suite on the website.
Have you tried Alma Barcelona, Sir Victor Hotel (former Omm) or Cotton House hotel?
Jul 10, 2022, 12:38 pm
#11
Join Date: Apr 2015
Programs: Some
Posts: 5,231
This seems to be a case of having poor expectations. Base rooms at this hotel go for 250 euro a night in the offseason and 400 euro a night in the high season for an incredibly high demand tourism city. I will agree that the pictures on the website of the junior suite that have the couch are misleading. The picture from the headboard is an accurate representation of the junior suite we stayed in (it might have been 612, actually) and doesn't show the couch, just the lounging chair and the desk. The size of the room, however, is massive by European standards in my opinion.
Kimptons are very nice, "boutiquey" hotels with a local vibe. They are not the four seasons and the Mandarin, hence the price. You appear to have paid a premium based on demand for the time you were in Barcelona. I booked the same room for 600 euro a night just last August.
The Edition is currently bookable for 3k euro a night for the next few weekends, by the way.
Kimptons are very nice, "boutiquey" hotels with a local vibe. They are not the four seasons and the Mandarin, hence the price. You appear to have paid a premium based on demand for the time you were in Barcelona. I booked the same room for 600 euro a night just last August.
The Edition is currently bookable for 3k euro a night for the next few weekends, by the way.
Here is the junior suite I had - describing this as a suite is highly amusing. I’m well aware of room sizes in Europe, I live in London, my point is this room should clearly be branded some sort of upper room category, not a suite….
Jul 10, 2022, 12:52 pm
#12
Join Date: Apr 2015
Programs: Some
Posts: 5,231
I am not quite sure it is fair to compare the Edition hotel with the Kimpton Vividora, as they are not in the same price category (but if the Edition is a nice hotel, I'm not sure it justifies such price).
Have you tried Alma Barcelona, Sir Victor Hotel (former Omm) or Cotton House hotel?
Have you tried Alma Barcelona, Sir Victor Hotel (former Omm) or Cotton House hotel?
My point above is on some nights right now the Kimpton basically is in the EDITION price category but clearly not where it will settle.
Jul 11, 2022, 1:25 am
#13
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: ZRH
Programs: LH SEN, BA Gold, Bonvoy Plat, IHG Spire RA
Posts: 580
Erm, no, not a case of having poor expectations, I probably stay 100+ nights in five star hotels a year with a good proportion in European cities. I know exactly what to expect and benchmark to. Maybe I shouldn’t have chosen the EDITION as, yes that is slightly more expensive, but the price difference for entry level rooms was like €400 vs. €500 this weekend so clearly nowhere near as extreme as your example presumably skewed by sold out rooms / an event. I referenced it as similar vibe design wise.
Here is the junior suite I had - describing this as a suite is highly amusing. I’m well aware of room sizes in Europe, I live in London, my point is this room should clearly be branded some sort of upper room category, not a suite….
Here is the junior suite I had - describing this as a suite is highly amusing. I’m well aware of room sizes in Europe, I live in London, my point is this room should clearly be branded some sort of upper room category, not a suite….
Normally in Barcelona I prefer the IC when I don't need to be in the Placa Catalunya area in terms of rooms but also of service
Jul 11, 2022, 1:36 am
#14
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Nov 7, 2022, 1:19 am
#15
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Kimpton Vividora Barcelona [Detailed Review]
What is your IHG One Rewards status?
Diamond Royal Ambassador Inner Circle
Were you (or for multi-stayers are you generally) happy with the hotel/stay?
Yes, as always.
Which room did you book and which upgrade did you receive?
Booked cheapest advance rate, and received a Corner King Premium with Balcony.
How are the rooms?
Around 30 sqm
Elegant design
Very comfortable bed. usb and power sockets next to the bed.
Bathroom with separate walk-in shower.
toiletries.
Separate toilets.
Very pleasant balcony on both side of the room with view over the city.
Nespresso coffee machine with local excellent coffee, kettle,
Open dressing
Yoga mat
Large flatscreen television set with easy connection to your own devices.
Wireless Speaker System.
How was your complimentary welcome amenity?
Diet Coke.
Cheese and Spanish ham
Were you offered a Chef's Taste at Dinner, If so, what did you receive?
Yes, excellent full lunch menu.
Did you use the free spa credit / did the hotel participate? If so, was it a good value?
N/A
What was good and what was bad?
Good:
All the staff are smiling, and really do their utmost to ensure that guests have a good stay.
Special mention to Jordi, guest experience and quality manager, does everything to make your stay great, with special attention to Diamond Inner Circle members (he called me in advance to inform me that the hotel being full, I could not receive a suite, which was not a big deal as the Premium room with balcony was very nice; he made sure I have got my Diet Coke waiting in the room: he even arranged for me a bicycle from outside bike renter, as, for administrative reasons, the city of Barcelona now refuses that the hotel offers free bicycles to its guests without proper bike renter licence - the legal issue is supposed to be solved soon).
Unbeatable location.
Very good breakfast
Small but very pleasant outdoor pool
Excellent full lunch Chef’s taste.
Bad:
Nothing
Value for $ or IHG One Rewards Points? Would you return?
Yes, the hotel is great.
Exterior
Lobby
Reception
Corner Premium Room with Balcony
View from the room
Bathroom
Separate toilets
Coffee station and minibar
Welcome gift
Breakfast
Pool area
Chef’s Taste full lunch
Fitness centre
Diamond Royal Ambassador Inner Circle
Were you (or for multi-stayers are you generally) happy with the hotel/stay?
Yes, as always.
Which room did you book and which upgrade did you receive?
Booked cheapest advance rate, and received a Corner King Premium with Balcony.
How are the rooms?
Around 30 sqm
Elegant design
Very comfortable bed. usb and power sockets next to the bed.
Bathroom with separate walk-in shower.
toiletries.
Separate toilets.
Very pleasant balcony on both side of the room with view over the city.
Nespresso coffee machine with local excellent coffee, kettle,
Open dressing
Yoga mat
Large flatscreen television set with easy connection to your own devices.
Wireless Speaker System.
How was your complimentary welcome amenity?
Diet Coke.
Cheese and Spanish ham
Were you offered a Chef's Taste at Dinner, If so, what did you receive?
Yes, excellent full lunch menu.
Did you use the free spa credit / did the hotel participate? If so, was it a good value?
N/A
What was good and what was bad?
Good:
All the staff are smiling, and really do their utmost to ensure that guests have a good stay.
Special mention to Jordi, guest experience and quality manager, does everything to make your stay great, with special attention to Diamond Inner Circle members (he called me in advance to inform me that the hotel being full, I could not receive a suite, which was not a big deal as the Premium room with balcony was very nice; he made sure I have got my Diet Coke waiting in the room: he even arranged for me a bicycle from outside bike renter, as, for administrative reasons, the city of Barcelona now refuses that the hotel offers free bicycles to its guests without proper bike renter licence - the legal issue is supposed to be solved soon).
Unbeatable location.
Very good breakfast
Small but very pleasant outdoor pool
Excellent full lunch Chef’s taste.
Bad:
Nothing
Value for $ or IHG One Rewards Points? Would you return?
Yes, the hotel is great.
Exterior
Lobby
Reception
Corner Premium Room with Balcony
View from the room
Bathroom
Separate toilets
Coffee station and minibar
Welcome gift
Breakfast
Pool area
Chef’s Taste full lunch
Fitness centre
Last edited by nicolas75; Nov 7, 2022 at 4:45 am