Barcelona currently has a total of three Hilton hotels. This summer I stayed 5 nights at the Hilton Diagonal Mar Barcelona, a large and family friendly hotel that is perfect for both business and leisure travelers. The hotel is located in the northeastern part of the city near the popular beach Barceloneta. The Hilton Diagonal Mar Barcelona is about half an hour away by taxi from the airport El Prat and there are various ways of transportation to get around like metro, tram and bus.
Check-in
I got to the Hilton Diagonal Mar on a Sunday evening in late July, at about 7pm. When approaching the hotel by taxi from Sants station, I already could recognize the tall building. The lobby looks nice and spacious and features a business center, lounging area and bar.
At the reception, I was warmly welcomed and recognized as a Diamond member by the staff. I immediately noticed that the hotel is not only for business travelers, but also for families and leisure travelers. After I gave my passport and some small talk, I was happy to hear that I was upgraded to a Junior Suite!
Junior Suite
I took the elevator to the 13th floor and walked all the way to the end of the corridor. My room number was 1320 and this a corner suite! So when opening the door, the first thing I saw was the seating area. Next to the seating area, I found a television and furniture with coffee and tea facilities. Right next to the television is the door to the bedroom. In front of the seating area is a desk with a reading light and phone. What I really loved about this place was the wonderful view over both the swimming pool and the beach.
Bedroom
The bedroom is spacious and looks modern. I found a comfortable kingsize bed with a nice light decoration and painting on the wall. Reading lights can be found on each side of the bed. Right next to the bed is a sofa. Although the room has no balcony, the view from this corner suite is wonderful. Every morning I woke up with this view over the pool area and the Barceloneta Beach. Also the sunset can be seen from this side of the hotel.
On the other side of the bed, I found a wardrobe with iron, a safe and additional space for clothes. Next to the wardrobe was the minibar and bottled water, with snacks and wine. The minibar itself was filled with various types of beverages like apple juice, orange juice and extra bottles of water. I also found alcoholic drinks like wine and beer as well as some chocolates. The minibar features a detector which detects if a product is taken by the guests which then bills it to the room.
Bathroom
Next to the bedroom is the bathroom which disappointed me a bit to be honest. The area looked a bit small and wasn’t really modern. On the single sink, I found the standard amenities like washcloths, soap and shampoo. The toilet is right next to the bathtub. Although the bathroom in this Junior Suite features a bathtub, there was no rain shower. Moreover, the shower wasn’t working as it should be and the temperature changed all the time…
Also check out my video on my YouTube channel to see the Junior Suite more in detail.
Executive Lounge
The executive lounge is located on the 15th floor. If you are granted access to the lounge, you can open the door with your key card from 6am until 10pm. The lounge looks nice and modern and is divided into a seating area and a buffet area. Continental breakfast is served in the morning here. I’ve been here for breakfast a few times and certainly liked the buffet. In between you can come here for snacks and coffee, tea and cold drinks. However, this buffet disappointed me bit. In the evening from 6pm until 8pm, there is a pre dinner buffet where you can enjoy hot snacks, spirits and Cava. During this time it can get quite busy in the lounge. I liked this buffet more and noticed that different types of snacks were served from day to day.
What I also really loved about this Executive Lounge was the roof terrance with view over the city and beach. Keep in mind that this roof terrace can get very busy between 6pm and 8pm. At some point, I felt more of being at an all inclusive resort, rather than in a business lounge. However, it is a nice and enjoyable place to enjoy the views and to meet other travelers.
Purobeach Barcelona
I love hotels with pools and this one didn’t disappoint me. The pool area is located on the second floor and is part of the Purobeach Barcelona. Between the pool and the sunbeds is a bar with juices, cocktails and a nice tasting menu. Next to the swimming pool, I found a fitness and business center. The Purobeach restaurant is one of the three restaurants in the hotel. There is wide selection of Spanish and traditional Mediterranean specialties here. I went for the salmon with meat which tasted delicious.
Ma’i and Aürt Restaurant
Apart from the Purobeach restaurant, the Hilton Diagonal Mar Barcelona offers yet two other restaurants. The Ma’i restaurant is located on the first floor. Here is where the breakfast buffet is served every morning. You have the choice to eat either inside or at the terrance outside. The buffet offers a wide variety of food and I found everything I would expect from a good breakfast buffet. A friendly waitress came to me sometime to ask if I wanted to have yet another cappuccino or juice.
Also in the Aürt Restaurant, I experienced an excellent service. Apart from the standard dishes, the menu also showed some traditional snacks like Tapas. I decided to take a local red wine with meat.
In the lobby is a concierge service which has helped me planning my days in Barcelona. You can buy entrance tickets for most tourist attractions like Park Guëll here as well. You also can find an ATM machine, currency exchange and a business center in the hotel.
Hilton Diagonal Mar Barcelona Bottom Line
I certainly had an enjoyable stay at the Hilton Diagonal Mar Barcelona. Although the hotel is a bit far away from most tourist attractions, the location near Barceloneta beach makes it all good. I absolutely loved my upgrade to a corner Junior Suite with great views over the pool area and beach. Although this bathroom features a bathtub, there was no rain shower. Moreover, the shower wasn’t working as it should be and the temperature changed all the time… Apart from that, everything in my suite was perfect.
The Executive Lounge offers a decent buffet, both for breakfast and evening snacks. I loved the roof terrance with views over city and beach. The Purobeach Club is definitely an enjoyable place to spend the day, although it can be quite busy at the pool. The Purobeach restaurant offers various types of Mediterranean and international dishes. The breakfast buffet in the Ma’i restaurant is excellent and more than complete. I certainly can recommend Hilton Diagonal Barcelona and will definitely think about staying here again during a future visit to Barcelona.
General Hilton Honors Tips
- Always check and register for the latest Hilton Honors promotions
- Check the complete guide for Hilton Honors to get the most out of the program.
Have you ever stayed at the Hilton Diagonal Mar Barcelona or are you planning to stay here? Let me know your thoughts and questions in the comments below.
