Honest W Barcelona Review: Is It Worth The Money?

Are you looking for a review of the W Barcelona Hotel? Then you are in the right spot.

The W is one of the most iconic hotels in Barcelona, and for good reason. The stunning building has become somewhat of a landmark on Barceloneta Beach.

But staying in this hotel comes at a price tag. A big one. Since we went on our honeymoon to Barcelona, we decided to splurge a little and stay at the W.

If you are wondering now if it was worth all the money, I can tell you right away: it depends. It was one of the best hotels we ever stayed at, and it was awesome for sure. But probably still overpriced.

Keep on reading to find out more about our stay at the W Hotel Barcelona, and whether you should stay there too!

Let’s get to it!

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Is The W Hotel in Barcelona Worth The Money? My Take On It

We stayed for two nights in the “Fabulous Room With King-Sized Bed” on the 8th floor of the hotel. The hotel room cost about USD 800,00 per night in off-season.

Was the view of the city and the beach insane? YES!

Was it the coolest room we ever stayed in? Probably also YES!

Would we have paid so much money if it was just a random trip? Probably not!

Overall, the hotel blew me away. We loved every minute we spent there. If money was no issue, we would come back 100 %. But let’s be honest, USD 800,00 is still pretty steep for a hotel room.

The breakfast was insane and the pool area was extremely nice. They also have some awesome restaurants in the hotel, as well as a sky-bar and a spa.

They also have cheaper rooms and good deals, but then you’ll have a bit less of a view. I think if you go for a special occasion, it is definitely worth the splurge.

W Barcelona – Room Review

Our room in the W Barcelona was located on the 8th floor and we had an awesome view over the entire city and Barceloneta Beach.

You can also book your room on the other side of the hotel with a view of the marina. It is a little cheaper. Of course, the higher you go the better the view.

The room was like nothing I had ever seen before. The centerpiece was a huge, fluffy bed overlooking the ocean.

In the room, there was any amenity you could possibly think of. There was a minibar, a vodka tray, and of course fluffy robes and house shoes. There were fantastic bath products and even a sex toy kit (you heard right).

It was an awesome room with an awesome view – there was no downside I could think of.

The Pools at W Barcelona

The W Hotel in Barcelona has two different outdoor pool areas. There is one (quieter) infinity pool and a main deck with a big pool, a bar and lots of lounge chairs.

Both of the pools have an awesome view over Barceloneta Beach. The pool furniture was top-notch and relaxing there was amazing!

Admittedly, the area around the big pool feels a lot like a beach club. If that is not your vibe, I am not sure you’ll love it as much. It did not seem super child-friendly either, which I don’t mind).

The Spa at W Barcelona Hotel

Use of the spa area was included with the room charge. So of course we had to try it out. There was an indoor pool, a hot tub, and different saunas to choose from.

There was also a small room with relaxing beds and water pitchers. We got some robes and really enjoyed the experience.

What we thought was a bit insane were the prices for massages and treatments. Massages were around USD 200,00 (which is absolutely overpriced for the area). We were a bit disappointed that hotel guests that already pay a fortune for the room could not get spa treatments any cheaper.

Breakfast at the W Hotel in Barcelona – Review

For breakfast, we were allowed to choose from two different restaurant options. One of them was right on the beach, so we opted for that one. Breakfast was included with our room charge (luckily).

No kidding, this was one of the best hotel breakfasts we have tried so far. Not only was there an amazing buffet with local specialties, but we could also order main dishes from the restaurant free of charge.

We had eggs benedict, an Açai bowl and of course mimosas. And the view was definitely next level.

Absolutely nothing bad to say about the breakfast at the W Barcelona.

The Location

The W Barcelona is located right on the beachfront in the Barceloneta district. You can spot it easily, it is famous for its sail-like structure. Because of the location, you’ll have awesome views of the ocean and the city.

Here is how you get there:

• From the cruise port: It’s about 5 km away, which is roughly a 10-15 minute drive, depending on traffic.
• From the airport (Barcelona-El Prat): It’s around 16 km away. By car, it would take approximately 20-30 minutes to get there.
• From major sights: The W Barcelona is quite close to some of the city’s top attractions. For instance, the Gothic Quarter and La Rambla are about 3 km away, a 10-minute drive or a lovely 30-minute walk along the waterfront. The iconic Sagrada Familia is around 5 km away, which is about a 15-20 minute drive.

Overall, the W Barcelona offers a great location with easy access to both the beach and the city’s major sights!

We could have not been happier ( I mean, look at that view below)!

Other Services at the W Barcelona We Did Not Try

Apart from the things I mentioned, there were lots of other amenities and services at the W Hotel that we did not try and therefor can’t review.

Here are a couple of things that will be awaiting you:

• Hairdresser
• Fine dining Japanese restaurant
• Bars & Lounges (we had a beer, super expensive)
• Peruvian specialty restaurant
• Shop

Things We Did Not Like at the W Barcelona

Sadly, no hotel is perfect and there were a couple of things we did not like as much during our stay.

😞 The crowd! For some reason, this hotel attracts lots of pretentious and snobby people (probably because of the price range). People (not the staff, mind you) were unfriendly, shouty and clearly trying to show off. We did not feel right at home to be honest.

😞 Long line for check-in! The Marriott Elite Members counter was simply never open, so we could not make use of that benefit. That was a bit disappointing.

😞 Prices for spa services, drinks and food! Additionally to the already hefty room prices, everything else in the hotel was incredibly overpriced. We did not make use of any of the services offered, because they were simply outrageous compared to city standards.

Conclusion: W Hotel Barcelona Honest Review

To sum it up, splurging on the W Hotel Barcelona is well worth it. The hotel has awesome rooms with a view, the restaurants are top notch and the location is amazing. Of course the pools and the spa are next level.

Admittedly, the hotel is a bit overpriced and we did not book any spa treatments for that reason. We think it is worth the money for a special occasion, but we would not stay there for a random trip because of the price range.

Get a room with a view of the city and Barcleoneta beach (at least on level 7) for an amazing view. Of course, the hotel is also great if you are planning on heading to the cruise port in Barcelona.

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