Detailed Review
Set at the end of a ferry quay in the World Trade Centre complex and preceded by fountains and a cable-car tower, the hotel is in a spectacular portside setting. The airy lobby, with marble floors, steel-collared pillars and a graceful spiral staircase to the first floor.
The Grand Marina Hotel is located in unique surroundings, on the Mediterranean Sea, in Barcelona's Old Port (Port Vell), near the famous Ramblas Boulevard and the Maremagnum shopping and entertainment centre.
It enjoys outstanding views of the whole city of Barcelona and its surrounding area, with Maremagnum, the Royal Yacht Club, the Columbus Monument and the Ramblas in the foreground, just a few minutes away and Tibidabo Hill and Barcelona's northern coast in the background.
The most discerning palates will find a paradise of flavours in the hotel's wide and varied cuisine offer. The kitchen of the Aire de Mar, with a capacity for 120 diners, produces top quality Mediterranean fusion dishes. The restaurant is complete with an intimate private dining room, seating 40 people.
On the top floor guests work out in the hotel gym, which offers a range of exercise machinery and weights, as well as two saunas and a small jetted spa. From there they can wander outside onto the roof terrace to enjoy spectacular views of Barcelona, its ports and the open sea. On the south side is a small pool to splash about in, sun loungers and a bar (open summer only).
Local artists have left their mark. Josep Subirachs, who designed the Passion façade of the Sagrada Família church, has sculpted the word 'hotel' in Roman travertine marble by the first floor coffee bar, while artist Albert Ràfols Casamada painted the canvas, Aire de Mar (Sea Air) that hangs behind reception. The hotel stages an annual photography competition and adorns rooms with the best photos.
This hotel has 273 guestrooms, all lent warmth by the presence of timber, from the dark hardwood floors through to the contemporary cherry and pine wood furnishings. The tone is designed in the flavor of a luxury passenger ship cabin. Bed covers come in a limited variety of colour schemes, from beige to blue. Many of the rooms have views, ranging from the spacious inner courtyard towards the World Trade Centre to panoramic vistas of Barcelona. The best views are from those rooms on the northern wing across the port to the beach and open sea.
Independent Reviews
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"Smart and architectural 5 star business-oriented hotel, with avant-garde art and excellent views"
Eurostars Grand Marina Hotel
By Jamie Dunford Wood
The Eurostars Grand Marina hotel by the port of Barcelona does not sound encouraging, and with 291 rooms you half expect a soulless conference centre. This is, however, Barcelona, and even conference centres are done with style. The Eurostars is a triumphant five star business hotel, built in 2003 in a double crescent shape, on the edge of the port with plenty of panache. Local designers have been set to work, so the detailing throughout the hotel is modern and chic.
The rooms
It starts in the rooms - pale polished floors, dark wooden furniture, sliding doors and plenty of space. Bathrooms are surprisingly old-fashioned considering the 2003 build. Rooms are colour-coded according to the floors - blue and brown, brown and beige, and so on. 99% of the rooms have balconies, all are light with large windows, and 60% have outside views - though the seaviews are partial, they are mostly port and city views. The rooms at the end of the crescent have the best seaviews.
Two large public spaces provide plenty of diversions for guests. On the roof, a wide terrace and roof pool with magnificent views; downstairs, an entire floor has been opened up to create a restaurant, piano bar and open terrace for summer dining and drinking. All serviced by 700 staff, so service problems notorious at its rival the Hotel Arts are well provided against here.
The verdict
In summary, this smart business-oriented hotel can be a bargain when rates dip at weekends or outside conference season. Though not central, it is near enough for easy access to both the Gothic quarter (barrio gotic), the ramblas and, in the other direction, the beaches, and without having to deal with the noise and traffic swirling around some of the more central hotels.
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