Nobu Barcelona hotel review: a trendy pad with a spa near Sants station
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Score 9/10Nobu Barcelona may not have the most handsome exterior, but once you get over the drab, 1970s office-block façade you're in for a treat. Rooms on the higher floors have been blessed with the best views in town, whether they face the city, the sea, Placa d'Espanya or Mount Tibidabo. If you don't want to choose, book a corner or Sake suite. These 65 sq m sanctuaries, located from the 15th floor up, are filled with Japanese-inspired design details, from silky kimono-style robes to brushwork art pieces. If you're fortunate enough to have windows facing northeast, you can watch the sunrise from your bed, before enjoying a leisurely soak in the gorgeous, cedar-wood, onsen-style bath tub with the Sagrada Familia in the background. All bathrooms are tastefully finished in marble, with walk-in rainfall showers and luxurious toiletries. On the lower floors, the 30 sq m Deluxe and Deluxe City options mostly overlook the greyness of Sants station and the surrounding streets but present more affordable accommodation for business travellers or families who plan to not spend much time in their room.
Score 8/10For most people the word 'Nobu' conjures images of the Japanese chef Nobu Matsuhisa's lip-smacking concoctions. If the idea of his toro tuna belly tartare with caviar or legendary miso-glazed black cod makes you go all googly eyed, you'll be delighted to learn that the crowning glories of Nobu Barcelona are the Nobu Restaurant, which occupies the 23rd floor, with cityscapes to match, and the Nobu Bar, serving bites and cocktails on the same floor. The breakfast buffet — a more standard affair with fruit, pastries, local cheese and charcuteries — and food from an à la carte menu including eggs made to order are also available here.
One floor up, a simpler menu of tasty bites — such as salt-and-pepper squid, wagyu beef sliders and a life-altering spin on Caesar salad with truffle wasabi aioli — are served at the city's highest rooftop bar, where the only thing more mouthwatering than the food and cocktails are the 360-degree views that extend from the Sagrada Familia to Montjuic and down to the sea. Sip a Yukata — a spicy and refreshing blend of tequila, shisho, lime and ginger ale — as you gawk.
• Best luxury hotels in Barcelona• Great family hotels in Barcelona
Score 8/10Nobu's sun-drenched rooftop, with its photogenic plunge pool and knockout views, is a great spot to while away an afternoon. If you're lucky enough to snag a lounger, even better (note: these are in short supply). The rooftop also hosts regular events and parties featuring DJs that are open to guests and the public. The sensuous subterranean Nobu Spa has three treatment rooms offering an impressive range of treatments, including a Japanese silk massage, which involves a rice scrub and a hot-stone massage, and the Natura Bissé 3D Collagen Shock facial, designed to leave you with a youthful glow. There's also a sauna, steam bath and well-equipped but windowless gym. Guests can join complimentary weekly Swasthya yoga classes or reclaim their Zen with the Be Well at Nobu package, which includes spa experiences and wellness classes.
Score 7/10While Sants may be a neighbourhood on the up, it's still not the most convenient base for exploring the beach, the old town or Gaudí's architecture. That said, this side of town has plenty of worthwhile attractions, ranging from the National Museum of Catalan Art and the Magic Fountain water and light shows at Placa d'Espanya to the Nou Camp football stadium, home of Barcelona FC (when it reopens in 2026 after renovation). There's a growing collection of trendy local restaurants around Placa del Centre and off Avenida de Madrid, including La Mundana, a popular contemporary tapas bar. Also worth a visit is the underrated Parc de l'Espanya Industrial, with its urban, post-industrial lake and sculptures.
Price room-only doubles from £205Restaurant mains from £24Family-friendly YAccessible N
Isabelle Kliger was a guest of Nobu Barcelona (nobuhotels.com)
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Nobu Barcelona hotel review: a trendy pad with a spa near Sants station
The neighbourhood around Sants station, a five-minute metro ride from Placa d'Espanya, may not be the most romantic in Barcelona, but the area has more to it than meets the eye. As train travel gains pace, this working-class residential district away from the tourist track has started attracting more international visitors — not least since it welcomed a stylish Nobu hotel in 2019. The hotel is a glamorously renovated 1970s skyscraper that is home not only to the highest rooftop bar in Barcelona but also a superb Nobu restaurant with panoramic views, a sensuous Nobu spa and some of the city's dreamiest rooms with views. Like the majority of the guests, staff are young and hip, as well as helpful, generally, though service can be a bit hit and miss. This article contains affiliate links, which may earn us revenue Score 9/10Nobu Barcelona may not have the most handsome exterior, but once you get over the drab, 1970s office-block façade you're in for a treat. Rooms on the higher floors have been blessed with the best views in town, whether they face the city, the sea, Placa d'Espanya or Mount Tibidabo. If you don't want to choose, book a corner or Sake suite. These 65 sq m sanctuaries, located from the 15th floor up, are filled with Japanese-inspired design details, from silky kimono-style robes to brushwork art pieces. If you're fortunate enough to have windows facing northeast, you can watch the sunrise from your bed, before enjoying a leisurely soak in the gorgeous, cedar-wood, onsen-style bath tub with the Sagrada Familia in the background. All bathrooms are tastefully finished in marble, with walk-in rainfall showers and luxurious toiletries. On the lower floors, the 30 sq m Deluxe and Deluxe City options mostly overlook the greyness of Sants station and the surrounding streets but present more affordable accommodation for business travellers or families who plan to not spend much time in their room. Score 8/10For most people the word 'Nobu' conjures images of the Japanese chef Nobu Matsuhisa's lip-smacking concoctions. If the idea of his toro tuna belly tartare with caviar or legendary miso-glazed black cod makes you go all googly eyed, you'll be delighted to learn that the crowning glories of Nobu Barcelona are the Nobu Restaurant, which occupies the 23rd floor, with cityscapes to match, and the Nobu Bar, serving bites and cocktails on the same floor. The breakfast buffet — a more standard affair with fruit, pastries, local cheese and charcuteries — and food from an à la carte menu including eggs made to order are also available here. One floor up, a simpler menu of tasty bites — such as salt-and-pepper squid, wagyu beef sliders and a life-altering spin on Caesar salad with truffle wasabi aioli — are served at the city's highest rooftop bar, where the only thing more mouthwatering than the food and cocktails are the 360-degree views that extend from the Sagrada Familia to Montjuic and down to the sea. Sip a Yukata — a spicy and refreshing blend of tequila, shisho, lime and ginger ale — as you gawk. • Best luxury hotels in Barcelona• Great family hotels in Barcelona Score 8/10Nobu's sun-drenched rooftop, with its photogenic plunge pool and knockout views, is a great spot to while away an afternoon. If you're lucky enough to snag a lounger, even better (note: these are in short supply). The rooftop also hosts regular events and parties featuring DJs that are open to guests and the public. The sensuous subterranean Nobu Spa has three treatment rooms offering an impressive range of treatments, including a Japanese silk massage, which involves a rice scrub and a hot-stone massage, and the Natura Bissé 3D Collagen Shock facial, designed to leave you with a youthful glow. There's also a sauna, steam bath and well-equipped but windowless gym. Guests can join complimentary weekly Swasthya yoga classes or reclaim their Zen with the Be Well at Nobu package, which includes spa experiences and wellness classes. Score 7/10While Sants may be a neighbourhood on the up, it's still not the most convenient base for exploring the beach, the old town or Gaudí's architecture. That said, this side of town has plenty of worthwhile attractions, ranging from the National Museum of Catalan Art and the Magic Fountain water and light shows at Placa d'Espanya to the Nou Camp football stadium, home of Barcelona FC (when it reopens in 2026 after renovation). There's a growing collection of trendy local restaurants around Placa del Centre and off Avenida de Madrid, including La Mundana, a popular contemporary tapas bar. Also worth a visit is the underrated Parc de l'Espanya Industrial, with its urban, post-industrial lake and sculptures. Price room-only doubles from £205Restaurant mains from £24Family-friendly YAccessible N Isabelle Kliger was a guest of Nobu Barcelona ( • Best restaurants in Barcelona• More great hotels in Barcelona
