Where to stay in Lleida - the best hotel

Let’s start with how I ended up in Lledia, in August. I went to visit a friend in Barcelona, but then, for whatever reason, didn’t plan the next stage of my trip (pretty on brand for me).

My friend was leaving Barcelona, so I had to find somewhere else to stay. I looked at prices for Barcelona hotels and sweet baby Jesus, they were insane. So, I got to thinking, and figured my best bet was to book a stay for a few days, where I could have more time to think about where to go next. Genius.

I looked around, and Lleida seemed to be the most affordable (probably because it was 40 degrees or so and most sane people leave the city, not travel towards it). So I booked my stay at the Ibis Lleida, booked a car share journey via BlaBlaCar and headed to Lleida.

Lleida is beautiful, just in case you were wondering.

Just a quick word on BlaBlaCar. If you’re not aware of what it is, basically people who are driving to a particular destination offer seats in their car. 

You can get to where you need for typically much cheaper this way, and the cost of my BlaBlaCar journey was less than half of what it would have cost via public transport. I also met some great people, and we had a cat joining us for the journey, naturally.  

It’s super popular in Spain, so I recommend it as a cheap option to get around the country. 

Anyway, if you're looking for the best place to stay in Lleida, the Ibis Lleida gets my vote as the best hotel. FYI, the main Ibis hotel, and the Ibis Budget Lleida are at the same location, with the building connected. You check in at the same desk, share the same restaurant and facilities etc. The only difference is in the rooms.

I stayed at the Ibis Lleida, and not the Ibis Budget Lleida, so the review will focus on those rooms. 

Cost:

I paid just over €260 for four nights stay at the Ibis Lleida, which compared to other prices in the city, was very reasonable.

Location:

It’s on the outskirts of the city centre, and it takes maybe 15 minutes to walk into the main areas. The walk was nice, despite the heat, and you get some great views over the river as you cross the bridge.

Lleida itself is very cute, and they even offer a Tourist Bus trip, which I took (it’s so cheap by the way!), and wrote about here.

If you’re new to the city, I recommend joining the bus tour, as they run multiple times a day. 

You can also just wander around Lleida’s centre which is what I did during my stay as it’s pretty small. 

What are the rooms like?

They were nice! Bed was super comfortable, and as someone who uses my laptop a lot, they had a desk and chair at the window which was useful. Everything was very clean upon entering the room as well, always a positive sign. 

The bed was massive, and as mentioned, extremely comfortable. I’d had a busy time of it this summer, so it was nice to sink into the bed, and relax. The air conditioning was strong, and actually very simple to use. A lot of them these days are overly complicated, with switches and buttons galore, so to have one where you just needed to move one slider and you were set, sold.

Here's my lived in room

I alluded to it, but Lleida in the summer is insanely hot. I’ve been to Zaragoza previously in August, and it was the same vibe. If you’re away from the coast in Spain in the summer, just prepare yourself. So anyway, having a functioning air conditioning unit was most welcome.

The view wasn’t great, as I was on the back of the hotel, so this is what I saw upon opening my curtains. The good thing is, they were hardly working on the site, probably due to the aforementioned weather. 

My view from the Ibis Lleida

The shower and bathroom were as you’d expect, with good water pressure in the shower, and if you want your towels changed, you can just leave a sign on the door and they’ll sort you out. 

There were five clothes hangers I believe, and loads of storage space, so I was all sorted which was welcome, as I bring a lot with me whilst travelling. 

There were no plug sockets directly next to the bed which wasn’t ideal, but nothing too major to deal with as there were two near the desk. There was also a TV which I didn’t really use. 

Overall, it was a very comfortable stay, and here's what a non-lived in room looks like!

Photo from the Ibis Lleida website

What are the staff like?

Super sweet! Everyone was very helpful, and they had good English which was of course extremely helpful as your boy doesn’t speak Spanish. 

Everyone I dealt with was very kind, professional, and able to help out when I needed it. 

What was the food like? Was the on-site restaurant worth it?

I don’t want to keep talking about it, but Lleida in August is HOT. There were times I just didn’t have the energy to leave the hotel, so most nights I ate on site, and let me tell you, the restaurant (Restaurant name is Oopen just FYI) is amazing. 

They offer a very reasonable menu, where you can get three courses for 16 euros (I think that was the price), which for western Europe is incredible.

Some of the dishes have extra supplements as you can see (click the images below and they will expand), but when I did pay extra it was worth it. I had the Calamari and the Lamb one night, which both cost a bit extra, but no regrets here, they were lovely. 

Here’s a look at the starter I had one night:

This starter was incredible

And here’s a look at one of the mains:

A chicken main course at the Ibis Hotel Lleida

The desserts were pretty simple, but also very nice. You also get bread with the meal, as well as a choice of wine or water. That means if you do order a separate drink, you have to pay for it, but I think the most I paid for a meal was 20 euros.

Just to reiterate, you get three courses, the food is of an exceptional standard, and you don’t have to leave the hotel? All the wins. 

As a result of being brilliant, the restaurant is very popular with locals, but I never had to wait as it was just me eating. I did see on a number of occasions bigger groups having to wait, so if you are a family staying at the hotel, it might be worth booking a table a few hours ahead. 

I can’t recommend this hotel restaurant enough, one of the best I’ve been to on my travels. 

During the day they offer sandwiches etc, as well as pinchos (small sandwiches/snacks etc) for just 1 euro which is brilliant value. I’d often just get a few of these as my lunch.

Even if you don’t stay at the hotel, I’d recommend checking the restaurant out if you’re ever in the area.

Do they have a gym?

They do! Just a small one with a few bits of equipment. I probably should have used it after spending so much time in the restaurant. 

What’s the Ibis Lleida parking situation?

I wasn’t driving, but they have parking available on site, and they also have underground parking, so you should be fine if you’re driving to the hotel. 

Would you stay here again?

If for whatever reason, I found myself in Lledia again, I’d have no problem staying at the Ibis. Staff were super friendly, prices reasonable, bed extremely comfortable, and the restaurant, wow. 

Check it out if you get the chance, and if you do, let me know your thoughts! 

You can book your Ibis Lleida stay through Booking.com which is what I did to secure the best rates :)