Barcelona Edition

I was so excited to join my husband on a trip to Barcelona, Spain, to celebrate our 19^th wedding anniversary, even if we would only be there for a few days. Since we had such little time, I knew location was going to be super important.  I also knew I wanted to stay in the Gothic Quarters, where we could explore the maze of cobblestone streets.  The Barcelona Edition, which only opened a year ago, was the perfect hotel, and I’m thrilled I chose it for our stay.

While we were there, protests were going on in the city.  In fact, one day there were 525,000 people involved in the protests.  Although it was organized and safe throughout the day, at night there were cars burning in the street and fights between police and protesters.  The hotel did a wonderful job caring about the safety of their guests.  They placed extra security at the front door, and several times they placed notes in our room keeping us updated about what was going on. I am so thankful to the staff for making me feel completely safe during our time there.

Let me give you a peek at the outside of the hotel.  It has a mirrored façade, that reflects the gothic surroundings of the buildings around it.

It is located right next to the Mercat Santa Caterina, a bustling marketplace filled with fresh fruit, local vegetables, cheese, prosciutto, fish, and tapas.  You’ll have to check it out!  It’s easy to spot with its multicolored mosaic roof. 

I was immediately impressed with the lobby of the hotel when I saw the spectacular bar of Bar Veraz, that reached far up to the ceiling. 

Bar Veraz serves food throughout the day, and at night there was live entertainment.  Just look at how good breakfast looked!

There are gathering areas to sit an enjoy a cocktail from the bar

Or to relax before you head out to explore the city.

The Barcelona Edition has 10 floors, with 89 rooms and 11 suites.  We stayed in room 701, a King Superior room that overlooked the city.  Our 258 square-foot room had an amazingly comfortable bed with luxurious bedding and a fabulous leather headboard. I loved that our nightstands had built-in USB outlets, so I didn’t have to worry about using an adapter.

Our room also had a beautiful window seat.  The curtains are operated by a remote control.

The seat overlooked a gorgeous view of the city.  Check out this lovely sunset…even if it’s over the protesters belong…lol.

I am not kidding when I tell you the windows were completely soundproof.  There were literally people shouting and chanting in the street below us and we couldn’t hear a thing.  It even blocked out the sound of helicopters circling above.

Colorful fresh flowers were a beautiful personal touch.

Our bathroom had marble floors and one of the most beautiful gold mirrors I’ve ever seen in a hotel. 

The shower was a walk-in rainforest shower.  It was interesting that it had shutters that opened into the bedroom. The hotel offered plush robes and slippers for guests.

Let me show you one of my favorite spots of the hotel…their breathtaking rooftop bar! From up here you can order cocktails and small plates while enjoying unforgettable panoramic views of the city. You can even see the Mediterranean in the distance. 

We came up here during our first afternoon to have some mojitos before heading out to dinner.

 The hotel has a small pool on the roof, that offers spectacular views of the city.  It would be a great plunge pool during summer months.

One of our most memorable evenings was spent at the Cabaret dinner at the hotel. 

The Cabaret room is hidden in the basement floor, and feels like no other restaurant I’ve ever been in.  Low lighting set the mood and dark red velvet curtains hung throughout the room and draped around the bar.

We had the Chef’s Tasting Menu (100 EUR per person) that consisted of about a 10-course meal (I lost count after a while…lol).

It contained the following:

CHICKPEA PANISSE

TRUFFLE MAYONNAISE

CHEF’S SHELLFISH SELECTION

OYSTER, CAVIAR, LOBSTER, PRAWNS, MUSSELS

MARINATED SALMON

ROASTED BEETROOT, SMOKED YOGURT, DILL

HOKKAIDO PUMPKIN RAVIOLI WITH MINT

ROMAN PECORINO SAUCE

WATERCRESS AND PINENUT PESTO

RED MULLET

DUCK CONFIT WITH SPICES AND LAPSAN SOUCHONG TEA

PARSNIP PURÉE, CELERY, APPLE, PECAN

GRILLED DRY-AGED RIBEYE

HANDCUT FRIES, BEARNAISE SAUCE

CHEF’S SURPRISE DESSERT BITES

 It was an amazing meal that just kept coming and coming.  We also had a fabulous bottle of Cava.

The most unforgettable part of our meal was the entertainment that would pop up at unexpected moments.  The front desk described it as “Cirque de Soleil meets Chicago.” Everything about it was impressive and it had a cool, eccentric vibe.  Although there was nothing indecent about it, I don’t think I’d feel comfortable with my kids seeing the performances, but it was wonderful for adults!

After the Cabaret, we went up to the Punch Room for one last drink before we called it a night, and I’m so glad we did! This cocktail lounge has a cool concept where they serve a large variety of punch.  We had the Cold Ruby Punch, and I love that it was served in a vintage silver bowl that you would ladle into your glass of ice.

 The room has a billiard table and leather armchairs that you can sit back and relax in.  It has the feel of a speakeasy and is a perfect way to end the night.

The hotel also has a fitness room that has cardio machines as well as free weights. The gym actually has a meditation nook, which is a great thing to do when you are fighting off jetlag.

What can you do in the area?

Picasso Museum 0.2 miles away

La Rambla 0.4 miles away

Cathedral of Barcelona 0.3 miles away

Basilica of Sagrada Familia 1.6 miles away

Parc Güell 3.1 miles away

The hotel was so much fun and would make the perfect setting for a couple’s getaway or girls’ weekend.  Although it is casual and welcoming and I would be completely comfortable bringing my kids with me, I wouldn’t have been able to go to the Cabaret show or the Punch Club.  It was the perfect choice for a romantic weekend away with my husband.

Tips for Planning your Stay

The Hotel is part of the Marriott family, so you can use your points there.

Parking? Offsite parking for 25 EUR daily.

Valet parking for 25 EUR daily.

Check-in: 3:00  Check-out: 11:00

Room choice? I would recommend a room on one of the higher floors for a better view.

Breakfast is not complimentary but can be purchased at check-in for a lower price.

There is complimentary high speed WiFi in all rooms and it worked really well.

The hotel has room service.

There are twice-daily housekeeping services.

The Cabaret is from Wednesday- Saturday.

Avinguda de Francesc Cambo 14

 Barcelona  08003 Spain

+34 936 26 33 30

https://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/bcneb-the-barcelona-edition/