W Barcelona

Extremely disappointing stay at W Barcelona. I stayed for three nights, and unfortunately the hotel is nowhere near the standard you would expect from the W brand or from a property charging these kinds of rates. The problems started immediately at check-in. The room we were given had an extremely unpleasant smell and was simply not acceptable. When I complained, rather than receiving an apologetic and prompt response, I found the staff rude and unhelpful. It then took an unreasonable amount of time to arrange another room. Unfortunately, the replacement room wasn’t much better. The entire property feels tired, dated and badly in need of refurbishment. The carpets are extremely old, the bathrooms feel worn, and even the rooms have a generally stale and unpleasant smell. We also noticed a persistent unpleasant smell in the lobby and several other areas of the hotel. The service throughout our stay was equally poor. Response times were slow, requests were not handled efficiently, and there seemed to be very little urgency or attention to guests. At this price point, the level of service was simply unacceptable. I have known this hotel over the years, which makes the experience even more disappointing. W Barcelona appears to have deteriorated considerably. While the location and views remain excellent, they cannot compensate for tired rooms, poor maintenance and disappointing service. For what W Barcelona currently charges, guests should expect a genuinely premium experience. Based on my three-night stay, the hotel simply does not deliver that anymore. It is definitely not worth the price, and I would not choose to stay here again unless the property undergoes a major refurbishment and significant improvement in service.

Beautiful hotel! Great location next to the beach, but away from most other things. Clean rooms.

The W Barcelona has plenty going for it, but overall it simply didn’t present as a five-star hotel. It’s enormous, with an impressive entrance and a spectacular setting, but our immediate impression was of faded glory. It feels frayed around the edges, and unfortunately that becomes apparent quite quickly. There are seven check-in/out desks, yet very few were manned when we arrived, and queues remained a theme throughout our stay. The staff were young and generally seemed willing, but there was remarkably little warmth: few smiles, lots of staring intently at screens as though the information were written in Sanskrit, and waits that simply weren’t acceptable for a hotel at this level. There were definite positives. Our room was huge, with an enormous walk-in rain shower, generous toiletries and plenty of space. But again, the details let it down: the large frosted-glass doors scraped across the floor and clanged, the décor looked tired, and the carpet was most definitely not entirely clean. The facilities looked excellent. The swimming pool overlooking the Balearic Sea is a fantastic setting, and the Sunday-evening DJ, open spaces and generally cool, relaxed atmosphere give the hotel a real sense of occasion. The porters and security staff outside were also the complete opposite of our check-in experience: professional, helpful and impressively efficient. Unfortunately, the lack of attention to detail kept intruding. Carpets were stained, and trays and food left outside guests’ rooms were still sitting there after midday. Overall, there’s still a lot to like about the W Barcelona: the location, scale, views, rooms and atmosphere are impressive. But the maintenance, cleanliness and service standards didn’t match the surroundings or a five-star rating. It felt like a hotel trading somewhat on past glory rather than consistently delivering at the level its name promises. We wouldn’t stay again.

The staff came across as pompous and unkind, making guests feel looked down upon rather than welcomed. The hotel seems more focused on creating an image of exclusivity than delivering genuine hospitality. As a seasoned traveler who has stayed in exceptional six-star hotels around the world, my advice is: Barcelona has many beautiful hotels and rooftops with stunning views, far better hospitality, and better value for your money. This hotel simply isn’t worth the hype.

Excellent deffo one of the best hotels in the world.