InterContinental Barcelona

On the morning of the last day of our stay, we discovered active leaking and flooding in our bathroom caused by an issue from an upstairs room. We promptly informed the concierge at approximately 7:30 AM. They told us that repairs would likely require us to be out of the room until the afternoon as the personnel with the expertise required for this degree of leaking won't be available until later that morning. Unfortunately, this issue rendered our room unusable for the majority of the day, forcing us to remain out of the hotel far longer than planned. When we returned at around 3:00 PM, we asked for an update on the status of the room. Instead, we encountered a lack of communication and ownership. When we asked the front desk for an update, we were told, “I’m not sure—did you go to your hotel room to check yet?” This response was both surprising and unacceptable, particularly at a hotel of this caliber. I brought this up to management and showed them both a video and a photograph documenting the situation. The video clearly showed the flooding in the bathroom with a pile of dirty towels left behind by the repair team, which had been used to clean what appeared to be sewage water. I was particularly shocked that these soiled towels were not removed and replaced after the incident, as this raised serious concerns about cleanliness and hygiene standards. To compound matters, the compensation offered did not reflect the severity of the disruption. We were offered one complimentary cocktail and an appetizer, which did not align with the extent of the inconvenience caused by losing access to our room for most of the day. Additionally, we were offered use of the spa; however, this was communicated to us late in the afternoon around 16:30, despite the spa operating on limited hours from 12:00 to 20:00 with the last entry noted at 18:00, making it impractical for us to take advantage of this offer on the last day of our stay. I communicated this to the IHG InterContinental Barcelona team and received a response from their Director of Rooms/Supervising Management Team. She suggested that I was already compensated by the offers described above. She even had the audacity to suggest that I should be grateful that the team agreed to give us two complimentary cocktails instead of one. To be clear, there was more than one guest on this reservation, so logically we asked for two cocktails instead of one, but the team felt this was response was above and beyond for what most would consider more than a minor inconvenience. Overall, the disruption/inability to use our room, lack of proactive communication, and insufficient recovery effort fell far short of what I would expect from a five-star property, especially as a loyal IHG Platinum member.

My recent stay fell far below reasonable InterContinental standards. For a brand that markets itself as a 5-star luxury experience, the overall stay was defined by late-night disruptions, troubling security oversights, and a complete lack of active management on site. 1. Severe Late-Night Disruptions & Security Risks Night 1: Past midnight, a group of adults and a child were making significant noise in the corridor. The same guests continued the disturbance the following morning, holding a loud video call on the lift lobby bench on the 6th floor—loud enough to be heard clearly inside my room. Night 2: Past midnight, an aggressive blonde guest created a major disturbance at the end of the hall. When I opened my door to politely request quiet, she screamed at me aggressively. I was forced to call the front desk, but the noise persisted for a considerable time afterward. Security Concern: Most concerning is that the hotel elevators have no access control. Anyone can walk up to the guest floors without scanning a keycard. Given the hostile interaction, I had no way of knowing whether this individual was even a registered guest. Open-access elevators are a major safety risk and completely unacceptable for a 5-star property today. 2. Secondhand Smoke at the Pool Area While sunbathing by the pool, a guest next to me was continuously smoking. Even if local regulations permit outdoor smoking, standard luxury hospitality dictates establishing designated smoking zones so non-smoking guests aren't subjected to constant secondhand smoke. 3. Unmanaged Traffic Congestion On my departure morning, two large buses completely blocked incoming traffic and cars trying to turn into the driveway pick-up lane. Multiple staff members were simply standing at the entrance watching the gridlock unfold, making zero effort to manage traffic flow or assist arriving/departing guests. 4. Complete Lack of Customer Service & Accountability After calling the front desk during my stay to report the noise, I expected some form of follow-up. Later, when I received the hotel’s standard post-stay feedback survey, I replied with all these details in full. I received no acknowledgment, no follow-up, and no apology. The hotel demonstrated a complete "simply don't care" attitude toward guest safety, comfort, and feedback. No wonder I saw a guest review claiming he had lost a big amount of cash from his room and the handling was not up to his satisfaction. This is not the InterContinental standard of service I have come to expect, and I cannot recommend this property in its current state.

Location was good easy to walk. Atmosphere was excellent: clean , friendly . Room was good /why is there no top sheet on the bedding? Why are there no washcloths provided ? Breakfast was very expensive especially for packaged back goods and fake eggs. AC ok but never cycled off once we got it fixed from maintenance.

An Unforgettable Diamond Wedding Anniversary Celebration!"My husband and I recently spent 4 wonderful days at the InterContinental Barcelona to celebrate our Diamond Wedding Anniversary, and it was an absolutely magical experience from start to finish.The hotel itself is stunning, and our room was incredibly comfortable, spacious, and immaculate. However, what truly made our stay unforgettable was the exceptional hospitality. The staff are among the most warm, kind, and genuinely helpful people we have ever encountered.Highlights of our stay:Tour Assistance: We hadn't pre-booked any excursions, but the team effortlessly took care of everything, securing last-minute tours for us with a helpful and bright attitude.Anniversary Celebrations: On our actual anniversary day, the staff made such a wonderful fuss over us. They surprised us with a beautiful special menu and a gorgeous sweet complete with candles. It brought us so much joy and made us feel incredibly celebrated.Every single staff member treated us with the utmost kindness and warmth. They turned a milestone trip into lifelong memories. We cannot thank the team enough, and we highly recommend this hotel to anyone looking for world-class service in Barcelona!"

Our room was spacious, comfortable and spotlessly clean, and housekeeping maintained it very well throughout our stay. Breakfast was excellent, with a very generous and varied selection. We arrived before the official 3:00 pm check-in time, but the hotel kindly allowed us to check in approximately one hour early at no additional charge. Until then, we were free to use the hotel’s facilities, while the porter stored our luggage securely. Secure luggage storage was also available after checkout. This was convenient and very much appreciated. The rooftop pool and bar are also an excellent feature. The bar offers a perfectly good selection, and the prices throughout the hotel—including the rooftop bar and restaurant—are in line with what one would normally expect from a five-star property. The spa, however, was disappointing. Complimentary spa access was advertised, but we were asked to pay an additional €45 per person to use the automated water-massage facilities, with a 90-minute time limit. This option appeared among the treatments and did not seem to be clearly available as a standalone service, only as an add-on to other treatments. Nevertheless, when we entered the spa without booking any treatment, the charge was presented almost as though it were required to use the facilities. At €90 for two people, this felt excessive and insufficiently transparent. When I asked the spa receptionist why this additional payment was necessary, communication was extremely difficult because the receptionist spoke very little English and did not appear to understand my question. I therefore wanted to raise the matter again at checkout, but communication at the main reception was similarly difficult. The staff struggled to explain even the deductions from the deposit and the tourist tax, and they did not understand my question regarding the spa charge. In an international five-star hotel, I would reasonably expect reception and spa staff to have a sufficiently strong command of English to explain charges and address guests’ concerns. It was also unusual that nobody asked how we had enjoyed our stay, either during checkout or afterwards by email. Most hotels we have visited actively request feedback, so the apparent lack of interest was surprising, particularly at a property of this standard. Overall, this is a very good hotel with excellent rooms, housekeeping and breakfast, as well as a pleasant rooftop pool and bar, helpful luggage storage and flexible early check-in. However, the unclear spa pricing, communication difficulties and lack of interest in guest feedback prevented it from being a true five-star experience for us.