W Barcelona

Barcelona


Designed by Barcelona-born architect Ricardo Bofill in 2009, this glinting, spinnaker-shaped glass tower is a coastal landmark. Inside are 473 contemporary-chic, tech-forward rooms, most with coastal panoramas. Guests can flit between the gym, spa, infinity pool (with bar) and beach loungers, before sipping cocktails at the 26th-floor Eclipse bar and a seafood dinner at star chef Carles Abellán's La Barra.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Barcelona attractions

1. Platja de Sant Sebastià

0.24 MILES

At the far southern end of the beach fronting La Barceloneta, this is a handy stretch of white-gold sand for a bit of sun and surf action when you need a…

2. Telefèric del Port

0.32 MILES

First built for the 1929 Expo, this cable car strung across the harbour between La Barceloneta and Montjuïc provides an eagle-eye view of the city. The…

3. Homenatge a la Natació

0.36 MILES

Designed by Alfredo Lanz in 2004, this steel sculpture depicts various graceful if abstract poses of swimmers taking to the sea.

4. Platja de Sant Miquel

0.43 MILES

Taking its name from the 18th-century church in nearby Barceloneta, this stretch of soft honey-gold sand fills with beachgoers when warm days arrive…

5. L'Estel Ferit

0.57 MILES

German artist Rebecca Horn's elegant The Wounded Shooting Star sculpture was commissioned for the 1992 Olympics and commemorates the old-fashioned shacks…

6. L’Aquàrium

0.62 MILES

It's hard not to shudder at the sight of a shark gliding above you, displaying its toothy, wide-mouthed grin – but this 80m shark tunnel is the highlight…

7. Rambla de Mar

0.68 MILES

The city’s authorities extended the world-famous La Rambla thoroughfare out into the sea in the early 2000s, connecting the city with the reclaimed port…

8. Moll d'Espanya

0.68 MILES

The heart of the redeveloped harbour is Moll d'Espanya, a former wharf linked to Moll de la Fusta by a wave-shaped footbridge, Rambla de Mar, which…