Marteen, a great idea and work, thank you very much.
WOW, after two happy and disconnected holiday weeks, I see as the list has grown, I am deep moved. The Cohen's concert in Barcelona will be historical.
Sometimes very delayed, I will try to comment with my limited experience some things:
Womanfromaroom wrote: ... I think I will stay in the Hotel Condado, Aribau 201 instead ...
I am sorry, it's difficult to me to help in the choice of hotels, I have no experience in hotels of my city. The zone of the Hotel Condado have no so much tourist uproar, there is a long and magnificent walk up to Les Rambles. Normally it is advisable public transport; bus.
MaryB wrote: ... don't know if the 'true original' forum members have picked their hotel because of the proximity to the venue or because of the 'party atmosphere' of Las Ramblas ...
Yes, the "party atmosphere" of Les Rambles... it is only for tourism and the relation with my city is very poor. Just I hope that you could know something more real.
Jarkko wrote: ...Many members coming to Barcelona booked to Onyx Liceo...
Onyx Liceo is the middle of el Raval - the former called Chinatown. Well, I do not believe that this is an inconvenience for the courageous travellers able of following Cohen to any place of the world. Speaking seriously, there are no reasons of worry, the safety is good, only it is necessary to take the habitual precautions, seemed to any city. Palau Güell of Gaudí is in this street.
Margaret wrote: ... I am staying at this place, which was recommended by a friend.
http://www.hoteltoledano.com/english.htm It is a smaller family run hotel and also has cheaper more basic rooms in their "pension" or hostale in the same building...
This is the meeting point of the city there is no more centric place. In Les Rambles, near the Plaça Catalunya, in front the Canaletes fountain, where the victories of the Barça are celebrated.
MaryB wrote: ... Seems like I need to move pretty quickly on this since it looks like so many places already have limited availability. Is this time still considered their tourist season? ...
Margaret wrote: ...Barcelona is a popular city break destination for Brits and Europeans most of the year. September still has warm and sunny weather but is just outside the really peak season as most schools and colleges will restart around then ...
Yes, the weather is still good and the activity returns to the normality, but always there is tourism. The main problem is the coincidence with some trade fair or congress. On September 19 to 21 there will celebrate Expohogar in a different site of the Fira de Barcelona in Montjuïc. This can concern the hotel occupation but not the access to the Palau Sant Jordi. (Already we will speak hereinafter on the Palau Sant Jordi). Anyway the great event of Barcelona will be Leonard Cohen's concert.
From 1992 with the Olympic Games, when Barcelona became fashionable, there appeared a heap of new hotels that raise their prices especially in times of big congresses, one abuse. I hope that with the supposed crisis they control prices.
This summer we have another inconvenience, up to 300 public works in the city's streets. Many of them for the construction of one tunnel for the AVE (high-speed train) that crosses Barcelona to join it towards the north. It will pass close to the Sagrada Familia, remembering experiences, let's be useful to visit quick the monument, for if the cake falls.
September 24th is les Festes de la Merçé, the main festival of Barcelona. If you can stay a bit more, I recommend it specially. It is the real party of the citizens of Barcelona.
Vicomte wrote: ... I also managed to get a double room in the Hotel Oasis for the 21st, so all booked up now also ready for the lunch and meeting fellow "fans"...
Jarkko wrote: ... Some other have reserved rooms at Hotel Oasis - it has very reasonable prices. Both are located near Las Ramblas ...
Oasis: a green spot in a desert. This hotel is not "deep in the desert", though if it was you might not complain. The place is interesting in the middle of many sites: close to the harbour, the Palau del Mar (Museum D'Història de Catalunya, good restaurants), Estació de França (former rail station), the Barceloneta (it was a modest fishermen's neighbourhood, more popular restaurants), el Born (historical zone indispensable and of advisable bars), the park of the Ciudadella (one of the most beautiful places, there is a Zoo), the maritime walk towards the monument to Colon and Les Rambles...
. We are studying the possibility of someone near Plaça d'Espanya, this raises very much its valuation. I would like to spend that evening walking around Montjuïc, together with the fans. Maybe we would hear the soundcheck, or we would see someone with hat, one limousine with smoked glass. Are you yeye fans? This of running, screaming hiiiiiiiii!