Reception in a Hotel in Poblenou (Barcelona, Spain)

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Receptionist in one of the hotels in Poblenou (Barcelona)

Best Hotels in Poblenou (Barcelona)

LOOKING FOR POBLENOU HOTELS FOR YOUR STAY?

El Poblenou district is the San Francisco of Barcelona. From being an old working class neighborhood far in the outskirts of the city, it has become a favorite destination for local and foreign millennials. The local ones started paying attention to it when the bohemian Gracia started becoming too expensive to start a family there.

Soon fun tapas bars started opening along with healthy restaurants. Yoga studios and belly dance schools found the open spaces of the former factories the perfect location for their activities. Progressist schools opened next door to organic clothing shops and trendy whole-sale nuts and cereals stores and organic groceries. All these while the heart of the district kept its soul intact and the community tissue tight.

Poblenou is the place to be if you want to stay away from the tourist crowds and want to see the real Barcelona. Even when that might mean being a few subway stops from the city center. But not all the accommodations that advertise themselves as being “Poblenou hotels” have the same kind of vibe around them… Today we discuss with you the different areas within El Poblenou, what makes them special and what are the best places to stay in each of them.

These are our favorite El Poblenou Hotels:

1

Hotels around Glories square - the edge of Poblenou

The Plaça de les Glòries Catalanes marks the upper left corner of the Poblenou District. While full of traffic, it has some interesting features that make it an interesting place to stay. The imposing AGBAR Tower by Jean Nouvel is a very instagrameable background day and night.

The Encants flea market takes place there Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. The Disseny Hub museum is fascinating and still a hidden gem. And the Centre Comercial Glories is a gallore of shopping and informal food options.

So what nice hotels can you find in this part of Poblenou? While Hyatt tried to turn the AGBAR Tower into a hotel, alas, that’s not a reality yet. But The Gates is surely a luxurious alternative to it. And its rooftop pool overlooking the AGBAR Tower is breathtaking.

And next door, the Novotel Barcelona City has an equally impressive rooftop with pricings more according to a 4*. If not available, the Hotel SB Glow is within a similar range. Finally, for smaller budgets, the Twentytu Hostel Barcelona is a great choice for millennial backpackers as well as families on a budget.

2

Hotels in Poblenou 22@

Poblenou 22@ is the new technology district of Barcelona. Since 2000 the rundown area of abandoned factories from the industrial revolution has been renovated and turned into an innovation hub. Some buildings were refurbished to keep the industrial feel of the area.

While some other were completely knocked down and rebuilt from scratch using the latest architecture technologies and following sustainability principles. Here important media companies opened their headquarters. A local university moved in their communication faculties. Start-ups found the perfect place to thrive and interact with other visionary entrepreneurs. It’s the “Mini Silicon valley” of Barcelona.

The Ibis Barcelona Pza Glories 22 is our favorite Poblenou hotel to feel this vibe: it’s around the corner from two of our favorite buildings in 22@, the Mediatic office building and the Can Framis contemporary art museum. The ZT The Golden Hotel Barcelona is an attractive option between the Ibis and the Glories area.

And right in the opposite end of the 22@ district you’ll want to keep on your radar: Attica 21 Barcelona Mar. The reason is it being close to one of the most creative artistic and cultural foundations in Barcelona: Palo Alto. Check out if one of their vibrant Palo Market Fest is going on during your stay: a cool street food, local design, art gallery and market festival that attracts local millennials.

3

Hotels in Rambla del Poblenou

La Rambla del Poblenou is the heart of the district. What used to be a dry water course, eventually became the axis of the village that appeared near the industrial revolution factories. Hence, the name of the neighborhood: Poblenou - "New Village".

And La Rambla del Poblenou continues to be its main street, lined up with cafés and restaurants, and which iconic meeting points such as the Orchatería Tío Che, famous for their orchata drink, or the Casino de l’Aliança, not a gambling place but a community center.

If you want to be part of all this, the Hostal Poblenou is a surprisingly delicious 1* located in a vintage building beautifully restored. Staying there you’ll feel like a real Barcelonan. Or for something more impersonal but with all the comfort of a 4* hotel including a rooftop pool and a gym, the Ilunion Barcelona is less than one block away from La Rambla del Poblenou.

4

Hotels by the beach in Poblenou

El Poblenou is technically bathed by the Mediterranean in all of its Southern side, from the Port Olímpic all the way to the Sant Adrià - Forum marina. And that is 5 beaches, non the less: Nova Icària, Bogatell, Mar Bella, Nova Mar Bella and Platja de Llevant.

However, they feel quite disconnected from the district feel. The Ronda Litoral road ring, several green areas and parks and even a cemetery separate “where people leaves” from the sea. Walking from glories to Bogatell can be easily 30 minutes!

So are there any nice beach hotels in Poblenou? If you don’t have the budget for the 5* Arts Ritz-Carlton, there’s a decent 3-stars called Alcam Vila Olimpica across the street from Nova Icaria beach. By Platja de la Mar Bella you’ll find the Euro Hotel Barcelona – Diagonal Port and the Hesperia Barcelona del Mar. Finally, by Nova Mar Bella you’ll find the Occidental Atenea Mar and the Hotel Front Maritim Barcelona

5

Hotels in Diagonal Mar, the other edge of Poblenou

The new Diagonal Mar - Forum area used to be the furthest end of Barcelona, and thus of Poblenou. The city died there, in No Man's land. Then in 2004 a huge project came to transform it. It was the "Forum of Cultures", an international event that was called to be the modern version of old World Fairs.

 To be honest, it wasn’t a big success of public. But it did put the area back in the map with very needed public infrastructures, a museum, a world-class congress center, a design public garden and… a shopping mall with movie theater. 

The area has attracted business hotels and the kind of large hotel chains that cruise passengers fancy. There’s the Hilton Diagonal Mar, the AC Barcelona Forum by Marriott, the Princess and the SB Diagonal Zero

Wrapping up, are there any other hotels in Poblenou you should consider?

6

Two more El Poblenou hotels on Diagonal Avenue

The Four Points by Sheraton is located on Diagonal avenue, 4 blocks away from Glories, two blocks from my favorite area of the 22@ district and right at the top of Rambla del Poblenou. Its location is impersonal and you don’t feel the Poblenou vibe as soon as you exit the hotel. However, it’s very conveniently located to explore these three sides of the district. 

The Melià Barcelona Sky is located right next to the green oasis of the Parc Central del Poblenou, designed by the French architect Jean Nouvel (who also designed the AGBAR Tower). The skyscraper housing the hotel was built by another French architecture star: Dominique Perrault. So contemporary architecture and spectacular city views are its main appeals. But its location is the least convenient to explore the district. 

So what is your favorite hotel in Poblenou?

Marta

Author Marta Laurent Veciana

AUTHOR BIO

Marta is the founder of ForeverBarcelona. She is a passionate tour guide that loves Barcelona and loves writing too. She is the main author of our Blog, and is committed to sharing her knowledge about Barcelona and her best tips with our readers.

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