If you're looking for a place to stay that offers comfort and style, the Hilton Diagonal Mar is an excellent choice. With a summer pool club that's been named one of the best in the world, numerous services for business travellers, and shops, restaurants and the beach all in the vicinity, all tastes are catered for there.
This is the newer of Hilton’s two Barcelona hotels, and the worldwide reputation of the brand means you know you’re going to be staying in an above-average place when you book a room there. It’s a modern, practical accommodation with numerous appealing features such as the Purobeach club, open in the summer months around the outdoor pool and offering spa treatments, music and food, and a 15th-floor Executive Lounge and terrace exclusively accessible to those staying in Executive Rooms. The bedrooms are spacious and the Premium rooms have been recently refurbished. With a calm colour scheme, views of the sea, pool or city, and lots of light, all the rooms provide a haven of peace, style and comfort for your visit to Barcelona. For wining and dining, the Pistaccio Lobby Bar & Lounge is ideal for a business lunch, quiet dinner or cocktails with friends. And if you should be looking for a hotel to host a special occasion, it’s worth knowing that the Hilton Diagonal Mar has been voted among the Top 50 hotels in Europe for meetings and events; it has 22 rooms that can be used by groups of various sizes.
Location: Although you’re away from the centre, there is much to recommend the location of the Hilton Diagonal Mar. Just a few minutes from the beach, there is also a large commercial centre just opposite as well as the CCIB Convention Centre next door. What’s more, public transport options abound between metro, tram and bus, meaning you can reach anywhere in the city quickly and efficiently.
Nearby:
Museu Blau: Barcelona’s Natural Sciences museum is set in a striking modern building on the Fòrum complex, just a few steps away from the hotel. Its permanent exhibition is ‘Planet Life’, which explores the dynamics of the relationship between humans and their environment, while there are also regular temporary shows and family activities on offer.
Bambú: Head to the beach of Llevant and get ready to spend a few hours relaxing at this beach bar. What awaits you is modern style, international cuisine, a range of cocktails, fresh juices and other drinks, and chill-out music – all found just metres from the sea.
Els Pescadors: This is a classic and consistently popular Barcelona restaurant. Found in one of the city’s prettiest squares, which is lined with houses that used to belong to local fishermen, the food is an enticing mix of traditional Catalan and seasonal dishes with modern touches.
Bar Local: At the end of 2016, the family that runs Els Pescadors opened this simple bar in an effort to create a neighbourhood-focused eatery. With a well-priced daily lunchtime menu and the same suppliers as Els Pescadors, it’s worth overlooking the rather non-descript decor to enjoy tasty, down-to-earth dishes.
Good for: Thanks to its location and services such as the summer pool club, the Hilton Diagonal Mar is undoubtedly a hit with those who enjoy taking it easy, whether by the pool or at the beach. Having said that, it also makes a strong pitch to business travellers, with an array of facilities on offer that make life simpler for anyone visiting Barcelona for work. And families are also looked after with features such as a kids’ pool, special menus and a family package.
Amenities: Concierge, Laundry, Room service, Pool, Gym, Business facilities, Free WiFi in public areas, Bar, Restaurant, Minibar.
Time Out tip: It might seem a bit strange to suggest a trip to the local cemetery, but the Cementerio de Poblenou is an amazing place, with elaborate sculptures marking some of the tombs that can be considered works of art in their own right. A guided tour is offered on the first and third Sundays of the month (in Spanish and Catalan), or simply go and take the time to wander this peaceful and memorable final resting-place for many Barcelona residents.