http://www.hotelchatter.com/ Hotel Reviews, Hotel Ratings, Hotel Openings en-us Copyright 2008 - SFO Media 2012-02-14T12:12:36Z HotelChatter HotelChatter http://www.hotelchatter.com/images/hcwhite.jpg http://www.hotelchatter.com/tag/Sarah%20Wildman http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2007/7/2/62833/55333 <![CDATA[<img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/3873/Hotel_1898_Pool.jpg" class="imgborder"><p> <p>If you're staying in Barcelona, you've gotta be close to that frenetic pedestrian mall that is La Rambla. So from a location point of view, the year-old <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/HOTEL+1898/ian/233529"><b>Hotel 1898</b></a> fits the bill. Before you ask, the name comes from the year that Spain lost the Philippines to America during the Spanish-American war. Oops. Hopefully the link is mostly just due to the building, which is the old headquarters of Philippines Tobacco, and not some kind of vengeful thinking. </p><p>The <a href="http://travel.nytimes.com/2007/07/01/travel/01checkin.html?ref=travel">NY Times</a> checked it out recently and seemed pretty impressed. Big plus points, apart from the location, include a good atmosphere and well-evoked style of 1800s Spain, soundproof rooms (especially important on La Rambla), a decadent amandak 2007-07-02T10:49:09-05:00 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2007/5/6/23055/14018 <![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/admin/five_hotelNYT.jpg" class="imgborder"/><p>After <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2007/4/30/82754/4193/hotels/Embassy_Suites_Ft_Meyers_Reminds_NYT_of_The_Office_">last week's</a> low-budget hotel review, the New York Times sent Sarah Wildman to <b><a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/Five+Hotel/local/91">The Five Hotel</a></b> in Paris. The place has sort of an <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2007/2/21/101014/935/hotels/Nhow+Hotel+Keeps+Boutique+Trend+Alive">NHow Hotel</a> thing going on, with the planetarium-style lighting and sassy decor.<br> <p>You better like the scene too, since you probably won't be lounging around your room:<blockquote><p>To call room 203, in the lowest price category, small would be generous. The bed, pushed into a corner, almost entirely filled the space...The bathroom -- triangular and fitted as for a dollhouse -- was fine for a woman of about 5 ft 3 inches (me), but uncomfortable for anyone ganglier.</blockquote></p><p>Hmmm...sounds like the Times "sprung" for the cheapest room at the place. Other floors pbb 2007-05-07T09:58:02-05:00 Search HotelChatter string http://www.hotelchatter.com/search/