My Stay At Soho House Barcelona

Everyone knows the tales of Soho House: the artsy environment that calls together the whimsical and bazaar, the high profile members from all corners of the world, the months long waitlist to even be considered; so when I decided to book a room at the new Soho House Barcelona I was a little intrigued, what would this exclusive members-only club offer for it’s hotel guests?

Booking a room is very simple, you can just go to the site’s main page and click on the hotel page which will give you the option to book as a member or a guest. As part of membership the member receives a discounted rate at all of the houses with hotels, not a bad perk considering rooms can range from $350-$900 a night.

Once you’re all booked you will receive a confirmation email with an invoice as well as a general note from Soho House:

This can be a little disheartening for those of us who are looking to take pics of the beautiful place they’re staying in (ie: amazing roof pool view and other casually amazing things you’ll find in Soho House) and for those who aren’t members the one guest limit may be a little restraining, but then again, you’re in Barcelona! Who wants to stay inside?!

When we arrived we were warmly greeted by the front desk, we got there somewhat early so our room was not yet ready, so they offered to hold our bags and would call us when it was. After a lovely lunch at the Boqueria Market we were given our giant key (a normal turn key with a giant tassel. I guess so we don’t loose it?) and made our way up to our room.

Room

The room we stayed in was the Medium Marina Plus, we decided to really go for it because, Barcelona, why not? The room, like the rest of the hotel, is decorated in a 1940’s-50’s lux Spanish eclectic. Rich textiles dress the furniture which are made more pronounced by the beige walls and wood accents; the bathroom is outfitted in industrial fixtures, subway tiles, a deep soaker tub (fit for 2), and fully stocked with full size Cowshed products tailored to any skin or hair type you may have, even with different moods (do I want to feel relaxed? Energized? Ready to party?).

Some wonderful add-ons that I wasn’t expecting from this room were that the TVs were connected to an Apple TV, making it so that you can connect your Iphone or Ipad and play your Netflix, or any streaming app for that matter, no judgement. The mini bar and snacks offered a much needed refresh from the typical minis with some half or full sized options, and a little cleverly disguised 50’s speaker lets you connect your device to really amp up your tunes.

If you find yourself in your room in the middle of the day a bar cart comes by to take drink orders (how fancy!), they will make you a drink right there for you at your door, so no need to get up and go to the bar for your Soho Mule.

Bar and Pool

This was the area I was most anxious about, what would the atmosphere be like? Would the service be in the “lacking” department? I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised.

I had read some salty reviews on Yelp and Tripadvisor exclaiming how rude the waitstaff was and how pricy everything is, and while the prices are higher than what you will find in Barcelona (similar to prices you would find in NYC), the quality was up to par. All of the meals we had there were fresh and full of flavor and our bartender was friendly and extremely helpful, giving us recommendations for places to go to in the Born and Gothic Quarter.

The pool was an average size for both Barcelona and Soho House standards, the average pool in Barcelona is typically no more than 15 feet in length leaving those who travel here for the first time from the US with something left to be desired, but again, if the pool is the thing you’re most upset about you’re in the wrong place.

Lining the pool are 8 cabanas, this is the only lounging space available on the rooftop making it quite difficult to be able to catch some rays on a busy, sunny day. There are, of course, tables and seats by the roof bar that you can set your things down by and order some drinks, but be warned, on a nice day these tables fill up quickly and you might be left with just hanging your stuff over a railing by the pool. You are able to make a reservation for a cabana for weekdays (Monday-Thursday), but the weekends are first come, first serve.

Location

Depending on what you are looking to get out of your trip this could be the best or worst location for you, I personally loved it! Being situated in the Gothic Quarter you get to experience the winding streets full of little cafés and bars, perfect for the wanderer at heart. You will also find some of the best seafood restaurants close by in Barceloneta including one by that exact name; you’ll also be right by Born which is peaking with Barcelona night life.

The downside to this location is that you’re a good cab ride away from Gaudi’s works, so if being close is your priority then you will need to look elsewhere.

Overall…

With so many options to choose from in Barcelona Soho House has really delivered. I felt taken care of, anything that I needed or may have wanted was made readily available to me no matter how frivolous it may have been; a queen in her Spanish castle.

 

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