Fairmont Rey Juan Carlos I

Stayed with my wife and two sons, aged 12 and 9. Booked a deluxe room with two good size double beds. Good points: - stunning hotel lobby - very good size pool that the kids loved - superb breakfast, great selection on offer. One of the best hotel breakfasts we've had. - 15-20 minute walk to Nou Camp which has a good selection of restaurants very close by (I recommend Tingle Authentic restaurant) - 7 or 8 minute walk to the metro station which gets you into central Barcelona in just over 15 minutes (for families recommend the T-familiar ticket) - bedroom cleaned/ tidied to a good standard - very good, large shower - lovely views from our bedroom of the Nou Camp and Olympic stadium in the distance Not such good points: - on one of our 6 days there wasn't any clean towels to use at the pool so we had to go back to our room to use our room towels - on one of the days our room hadn't been cleaned by 5pm which delayed us going back to our room to relax and start getting ready for the evening (though it was cleaned promptly and cleaned well when we asked for it to be cleaned asap) - restaurant food at the hotel was expensive which deterred us from eating there in the evenings - drinks were expensive but probably not much more than most 5 star hotels ( for example 6 euros for a small soft drink) - I should have paid the hotel bill in local currency (even though i would have incurred bank fees for doing so) as the exchange rate offered is not great at all. Silly mistake on my behalf.

I stayed here for 3 nights with my best friend, booking a premium room with two double beds, half board. On arrival, we were told only a king bed was available as the hotel was full. At no point during booking was it made clear that bed type was not guaranteed, which was frustrating as it was a key reason we booked that room. The hotel makes a stunning first impression and our room was lovely, quiet, and comfortable. However, several things let the stay down: Pool area: We never managed to use it as there were never any free loungers, and there was very little shade. Photos online show a beautiful pool with parasols, but this turned out to be the neighbouring private beach club, which costs €100 per day to use. Very misleading. In-room refreshments: Tea bags and milk were not replenished daily. Instead, you’re expected to pay €5 for tea bags and extra for a glass of milk — surprising and disappointing for a hotel of this rating. Yoga sessions: Complimentary yoga was advertised around the hotel, but when we asked, we were told it only ran in July. The signage stayed up all weekend, which felt like false advertising. Food: The half board menu was limited with no plant-based options at all. One day, all starters contained meat, and the only vegetarian alternative offered was a plain green leaf salad. Definitely not what I would expect from a 5-star property. Service: Staff often seemed disinterested, and at checkout, no one asked how our stay was. Overall, the hotel is beautiful but doesn’t deliver on the 5-star promise. Misleading advertising, lack of facilities, and poor food options mean I wouldn’t stay here again.

Not a 5 star hotel. Running water only sometimes works, the lights keep flickering. They don’t provide bottled water. They don’t pick up the phone whether it be reception or room service. Customer service at restaurants are bad, we ordered food and 3 different waiters mentioned the food was coming, 1 hour later another waiter says the kitchen is closed, we never received the food.

We stayed at this hotel during Members Fest in Barcelona, where it served as the host hotel. Unfortunately, the experience didn’t live up to the 5-star standard it claims. The most consistent issue throughout our stay was the poor housekeeping. Upon arrival, we found a bug on the ceiling in the bathroom, and dust on the nightstands, lamps, electrical outlets, and behind the door. Towels were inconsistently replaced—some days we were left without washcloths, hand towels, or even bath towels. Basic items like cotton pads and tips, which we use daily, were rarely replenished. The shower was not properly cleaned, as the same hair remained in place for several days. On our final night, the robe and slippers I had been using were removed and never replaced, and no turndown service was provided. We were also completely out of shower gel. Equally frustrating was the lack of responsiveness from reception. Whether it was regarding our malfunctioning AC unit on the first night, the missing robe, or requesting a bellman to assist with our luggage on departure day—no one answered the phone, and even when messages were left, no one followed up. We ended up hauling our own luggage down at 4 a.m. The most disappointing part, however, was the transportation arrangement tied to our Meliá membership. This is now the second time it has been mishandled. Our flight was scheduled for 6:20 a.m., and yet a note was left in our room saying transportation was arranged for 6:00 a.m.—completely unacceptable. When we tried to resolve it, there was no consistency in communication between the reception team, concierge, or the designated Circle representative. Despite multiple attempts to confirm and correct the issue, we never received a follow-up or resolution. To treat paying members this way is totally absurd—and to even suggest we should consider upgrading is ludicrous. Meliá should focus on delivering exceptional service to its loyal members first before asking for additional money. While the property itself is visually nice, service is what defines a luxury stay—and this fell far short. We’ve visited six countries in the past 30 days, and sadly, this was the worst housekeeping and service experience of them all. This may be labeled a 5-star hotel, but it operates more like a 4-star at best. Meliá seriously needs to reassess its standards if it wants to retain its members and earn genuine loyalty.

Brilliant stay at this hotel, great food, staff and rooms. We stayed in a suite on the 12th floor and it was beautiful, very comfortable, clean and spacious. The Red Level Lounge was very relaxing with a good choice of snacks and drinks. I was disappointed that there was no rose wine but the white was very nice. We enjoyed breakfast and the food at both restaurants was excellent. Although the hotel is a bit out of the city centre, we did not find this to be a problem as there was a Metro Station nearby with direct lines to both the airport and city centre. We loved the live music on the Friday night (11 July), it was very special and added to our stay.