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AC Marriott Forum Barcelona Review via Chase Ultimate Rewards® and Connexions Loyalty

René by René
April 22, 2018
in Travel Related
2

Advertiser Disclosure: Eye of the Flyer, a division of Chatterbox Entertainment, Inc., is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites, such as CreditCards.com. Some or all of the card offers that appear on the website are from advertisers. Compensation may impact how and where card products appear on the site. This site does not include all card companies or all available card offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities. Some of the links on this page are affiliate or referral links. We may receive a commission or referral bonus for purchases or successful applications made during shopping sessions or signups initiated from clicking those links.

a tall building with a clock tower

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a group of tall buildings
Click any photo for full screen slideshow

This past November, before our simply amazing transatlantic Norwegian Epic cruse (review up soon) we had a chance to spend a few days in Barcelona before the getting on the ship. After all, you never ever want to show up in town the same day the ship departs and when talking international flights you want to arrive days before just in case flights go really wrong (since the ship will not wait for you).

a group of people walking in a park

We chose the AC Hotel by Marriott Barcelona Forum for a number of reasons. It looked amazing and the area up the coast from downtown was trendy, vibrant and a quick walk to the metro. We booked using my Chase Sapphire Reserve® card using Ultimate Rewards points via their booking partner Connexions Loyalty.

a dark blue door in a hallway

The latter really matters because, despite trying to have our loyalty number inserted into the reservation, and presenting it at check-in, no elite status perks at all were extended thus no upgrade chance etc. (nor any points after the fact either).

a card slot on a wall

Someone before me had left the paper sleeve in the “keep the lights on” slot and I may just copy this smart idea for my next hotel stay that requires this. Smart! On to our room.

a room with a bed and a table

a room with a bed and a table

Our room, with a view toward the water, was small. While the bed was comfortable, many of the other features were really lacking.

a bed with white sheets and a wood floor

a bed with white pillows and a closet

Storage was ample but you had to work your way around the bed to gain access to closets. The result was we really did not use them and just lived out of our bags for the two days in town.

a table and chairs in a room

a table in a room

The real issue for me, who likes to be able to work on my laptop a few hours each day, could not. The chairs weight a TON, literally, and were somewhat comfortable for lounging but not at all for either sitting at the odd shaped table or at the built in work desk area. This room may be artistically pleasing but functionally it is bereft. On to the bathroom.

a bathroom with a sink and bathtub

Once again we have visually an amazing space. Modern and impressive right? How about a half door so you freeze when you shower and splash water everywhere?

a bathroom with a bathtub and a sink

a toilet and bidet in a bathroom

a bathroom with a mirror and sink

I really hate half shower doors but the rest of the setup was functional, neat and clean. Let’s move on to the breakfast included in my rate (nothing free as a Marriott Gold here).

a sign next to a table

This was an expensive breakfast option so I was hoping it would be impressive and it was. Nice to start with still water, sparkling water and champagne for your cold beverage choices.

a table with food on it

a buffet table with food on it

a buffet table with different types of food

a coffee machine on a counter

My wife and I, when traveling abroad, tend to have a hearty breakfast then skip lunch. This was perfect for that as the choices were fantastic and fresh.

a plate of food and drinks on a table

This part of our hotel experience did not disappoint and despite the cost I would highly recommend this option. Another stunning part of this hotel is the pool deck – many floors above street level. Take a look.

a pool with chairs on a deck

Oh my. Talk about a pool deck with a view. My oh my was this amazing (when we could use it).

a deck with chairs on it

a deck with chairs on it

My wife and I were wanting to get some sun before spending so many days in the sun on the Epic and despite the cooler temps this was a great space to get some rays.

a building with a roof and a body of water

a city with many buildings

The city views and the sea views were equally stunning from this almost roof top pool space.

a building next to a pool

Had we not wanted to spend time in the city seeing sights I could have lived up here for most of my stay. But there was one issue. Smoking!

a patio with tables and plants

There was a designated smoking area but depending on how many guests were smoking the smell would pour out and if you are sensitive it will impact you. Worse was the fact that many guests smoked where they wanted to anywhere on the deck and the staff did not seem to care. Total FAIL Marriott.

One night we wrapped up in the pool towels and enjoyed an amazing light show over the sea. Just stunning.

a room with a table and chairs

a room with tables and chairs

Just inside the pool is a very nice bar area and we did enjoy some quiet time here with a glass of wine before bed. The city views at night are spectacular from this bar.

a city street with cars and buildings

Lastly on the topic of protests about the Catalan region’s independence. There was one outside our hotel one day that blocked the street as you can see. Without in any way taking sides or making any kind of political comment – it was the cutest protest ever. The protesters came out, clapped and sang for about half an hour, then went back to work. Everyone was patient around them and the police blocked the street at both ends. I never felt unsafe during my days in Barcelona is my point.

Overall I like the hotel itself but was disappointed over the booking with Chase Ultimate Rewards® and Connexions Loyalty. I have had any number of issues with the subcontract provider with my Chase credit card over the years and wish they would do their booking in-house, but clearly that is not going to happen. I get why most simply choose to transfer UR points rather that use them to book travel or hotel stays via the portal.

Have you ever stayed at the AC Hotel by Marriott Barcelona? Did you enjoy your visit and the area? – René

 

Advertiser Disclosure: Eye of the Flyer, a division of Chatterbox Entertainment, Inc., is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites, such as CreditCards.com. Some or all of the card offers that appear on the website are from advertisers. Compensation may impact how and where card products appear on the site. This site does not include all card companies or all available card offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities. Some of the links on this page are affiliate or referral links. We may receive a commission or referral bonus for purchases or successful applications made during shopping sessions or signups initiated from clicking those links.

Responses are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.

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René

René de Lambert is a contributing writer for EyeoftheFlyer.com - He is an avid Delta and SkyTeam flyer who has held Delta’s top Diamond Medallion status for many years and flown millions of miles.

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Comments 2

  1. Anna says:
    7 years ago

    We opted for the Cotton House by Marriott last October when we were in Barcelona after reading so many good reviews on it. It was nice but the price we paid in Marriott points wasn’t worth it. It would have been much more economical to stay where you did.

    Reply
  2. Jessica Adza says:
    7 years ago

    The room looks very similar to the other AC Hotels I have stayed at in Europe (Bologna, Firenze, and Torino). Even when I’ve been “upgraded” in AC Hotels, the room was essentially the same. It’s not my favorite hotel brand, but for a comfortable night’s sleep it does the job.
    For our recent cruise out of Barcelona, we stayed at the Renaissance Barcelona Fira. Fantastic breakfast, and in between the airport and town – so it worked out well for us.

    Reply

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