W Barcelona, with its streamlined glass exterior reflecting the sparkling water of Sant Sebastià beach, looks like an elegant sailboat gliding past Port Vell. Over the years, W Barcelona, or commonly known as hotel vela to the locals, has gained a reputation of being a beautiful hotel and guests flock to this property for its gorgeous views and energetic vibes. I was so impressed with this property during my last stay that I returned to stay with them again.

My partner and I arrived at the hotel around 10am and were pleasantly surprised to know that the previous guest had checked out from our suite and we should be in our suite in no time. The front desk staff offered us two complimentary drinks at W Lounge while we waited for our suite to be cleaned. Three hours later, we were still sitting at the lounge waiting for our suite while the other guests had checked into their rooms. It was only then when we found out that the engineering department has to rectify some faults and they couldn’t let us have the suite. Frustrated with the wait and lack of updates (and false hopes of checking in early), I made a complaint with the front desk. Sensing our frustration, Patricia, the front desk who was attending us, quickly made some arrangements for us to check into another suite. Without him, the wait could have been longer. Thank you Patricia.

Despite the wait, all our anger melted away and our jaws dropped when we saw our suite. The Cool Corner Suite has an average area of 65m². It took us a while to get used to the amount of open space in the suite. Everything in the suite is upsized – the bed, bathtub and Bliss toiletries.

Depending on the configuration, one side of the room overlooks the port while the other overlooks the beach. I particularly like the cozy chaise lounge located near the window. It is so therapeutic to sit there and watch the sailboats sailing under the dusk’s orange and purple light.

Unlike my first stay, breakfast was included this time. Guests can choose to have breakfast at its Wave Restaurant located on the ground floor or Bravo, which is located on the mezzanine level. I had mine at Wave thorough my stay. Not only was the breakfast spread impressive, the service was impeccable too.

The gym, Sweat, is probably one of the biggest among all the W hotels that I’ve stayed. The cardio machines are strategically placed so that guests can have a good view of the stunning stretch of Sant Sebastià Beach. The pool was closed due to the winter season. But come summer, I’m sure that the pool will be packed with people.

Over the last couple of years, W Barcelona has added a few more restaurants within its property. I didn’t have the opportunity to try any of the new restaurants. I went up to the Eclipse bar located at the top floor of the hotel two years ago. This bar is very popular with the locals and tourists for its amazing views. There is always a line of people waiting to go up. Thank goodness, W guests get priority.

I count W Barcelona as one of my favourite W hotels in the world. Its staff is probably one of the friendliest that I’ve dealt with. Love this property and I wouldn’t hesitate to return.

W Barcelona
Plaça de la Rosa del Vents, 1 · Barcelona 08039 · Spain
Phone: +34 93 295 28 00
www.w-barcelona.com