Review: The Barcelona EDITION hotel – sleek and sophisticated

This is our review of the EDITION hotel in Barcelona.

After a couple of nights admiring the view and enjoying the beach from the W Barcelona hotel which I reviewed here it was time to move on to the EDITION, another five star hotel but with an entirely different character. Marriott provided the hotel stay but we paid all other expenses, including flights and testing.

For the uninitiated, EDITION is a chain of very high-end boutique hotels created by hotelier Ian Shrager in conjunction with Marriott. There are just a handful worldwide, including the EDITION in London which we reviewed here.

Take a look at a gallery of EDITIONs and you’ll quickly see a pattern emerging. They are often darker, luxuriously decorated hotels that ooze sexiness and sophistication.

They are very different to the loud and bright aesthetic of W Hotels. The other key difference between the W and EDITION hotels in Barcelona is the size; the EDITION Barcelona has just 100 rooms, making it less than a quarter of the size of the W. That’s noticeable throughout the hotel – it is intimate and cosy.

The hotel website is here.

Location

In contrast to the W, the EDITION Barcelona is located right in the city centre, just around the corner from Barcelona’s gothic cathedral and straddling the Gothic quarter and El Born neighbourhood:

Right next door is the Santa Caterina Market where you can grab any number of different kinds of jamon, and you’re within a very short walk of the Picasso Museum. The nearest Metro station is Jaume I with access to the yellow L4 line.

Check in

The first thing you notice when you walk into an EDITION is the signature scent which repeats later in some of the toiletries. It is described thus: “Embrace the exoticism of robust black tea as our signature scent slowly unfolds with a luminous blend of citrus, smoke, chocolate, pepper and floral notes.” If you really like the fragrance you can actually buy it in the EDITION shop.

I was the only guest when I arrived and was immediately checked in by a very friendly member of staff who took all the necessary paperwork.

Rooms at the EDITION Barcelona

I was given a double-category upgrade to a Deluxe room. There are also studios and suites which feature a private rooftop terraces.

The majority of room categories are identical, bar the slight difference in size. A Deluxe room is 28 square metres whilst a Superior room is 26; not exactly life changing. Compared to the W the rooms are small, but that’s the trade-off with a city centre hotel.

This is what you see as you walk in:

Lots of walnut wood panelling conceal the wardrobes and mini bar with Nespresso machine:

and

If you find yourself in a hot spot there’s also an intimacy kit 😉

You also get a small desk:

Here is the king-size bed, which has lots of USB and plug sockets as well as electronic controls for the room including the curtains:

And, in the window, you have a little sofa nook:

The Bathroom at the EDITION Barcelona

To the right is the marble bathroom, complete with ornate gold-framed mirror:

Fittings are in brass. There is a large walk-in shower, with shuttered glass window into the bedroom. This can be closed if desired:

The toilet is off to one side. There is no separate door so you have to close the bathroom door:

Toiletries are custom made for EDITION toiletries by Le Labo, and smell great:

‘The Roof’ rooftop terrace

There is a rooftop bar and terrace for anyone who hasn’t been upgraded to one of the rooms with their own private roof terrace:

It is not particularly large but they have managed to pack a lot in, including a plunge pool. Here is my mum thrilled to be cooling off!

There are just three day beds, so you may have to get in early to get one during the peak hours of the day. There are plenty of other seating options:

…. and of course fantastic views all around:

Dining at EDITION Barcelona

Whilst The Roof only serves bar snacks you can get a full meal in Bar Veraz on the ground floor. This is also where breakfast is served. The large double-height space makes an impressive statement:

More tables feature around the corner:

…. as well as outside on the pavement.

My mum and I had dinner here one evening. We shared the traditional ensaladilla with tuna tataki and the roasted aubergine:

and

I can highly recommend the aubergine, which was divine. For our main course we shared the octopus veraz, which was very tender:

To top it all off, the peach souffle:

Breakfast

There is no buffet at the EDITION Barcelona – you order breakfast from an a la carte menu.

Choices include the usual options such as a full English, eggs benedict, eggs royale etc but you can also get shakshuka, which was very tasty:

…. and the eggs royale:

Gym and private bar

On a mezzanine floor you can find the hotel gym, which is fairly compact:

As well as a second bar and a number of meeting rooms, all of which appear to be able to cater to private events.

Conclusion

It’s no surprise that the EDITION Barcelona is an uber-classy boutique hotel. Like other EDITION hotels you’ll enjoy sophisticated service and decor in a city-centre location.

If you’re looking to spend the majority of your time on the beach then it probably isn’t for you – you may prefer the W Barcelona – but if you want to explore the city itself then the EDITION is a great base to come back to after a long day.

Service is exceptional, with a turn-down service offered by default. The small size of the EDITION means you never feel like ‘just another’ customer.

The EDITION Barcelona is a Marriott Bonvoy Category 8 hotel which means you’ll need between 70,000 and 100,000 points per night. Cash rates start at €287 for a weekday night in September. You can find out more, and book, on the hotel website here.

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How to earn Marriott Bonvoy points and status from UK credit cards (December 2021)

There are various ways of earning Marriott Bonvoy points from UK credit cards.  Many cards also have generous sign-up bonuses.

The official Marriott Bonvoy American Express card usually comes with 20,000 points for signing up, 2 points for every £1 you spend and 15 elite night credits per year.

You can apply here.

You can also earn Marriott Bonvoy points by converting American Express Membership Rewards points at the rate of 2:3.

Do you know that holders of The Platinum Card from American Express receive FREE Marriott Bonvoy Gold status for as long as they hold the card?  It also comes with Hilton Honors Gold, Radisson Rewards Gold and MeliaRewards Gold status.  We reviewed American Express Platinum in detail here and you can apply here.

You can also earn American Express Membership Rewards points with American Express Gold (20,000 bonus points), the American Express Rewards Credit Card (5,000 bonus points) and – for small business owners – American Express Business Gold (20,000 bonus points) and Business Platinum (40,000 bonus points).

Click here to read our detailed summary of all UK credit cards which can be used to earn Marriott Bonvoy points. 

(Want to earn more hotel points?  Click here to see our complete list of promotions from the major hotel chains or use the ‘Hotel Offers’ link in the menu bar at the top of the page.)