Axel Hotel Barcelona
Aribau 33, Barcelona, Spain, 08011
Loading map...
#9 of 40
expert-rated hotels in Barcelona- Recommended for:
- Singles, Nightlife, Relaxation
Expert review of Axel Hotel Barcelona
Hip hotel for partygoers, especially gay partygoers.
After a major refurb, the supercool Axel has reopened with a huge spa and almost double the amount of rooms (105). It already had a massive following among gay travellers, though it works hard to avoid being exclusively gay - staff, for example, sport t-shirts bearing the word 'heterofriendly'.
Location:
Smack in the middle of Barcelona's upmarket gay district (the 'Gaixample'), and useful for sightseeing along the Passeig de Gràcia.
Bedrooms:
As a straight guest the homoerotic artwork left me a little cold, but otherwise there's a lot to like in the rooms - cubed leather furniture in rich colours that match the colourful cubed toiletries and the mosaic tiling of the public areas; big, comfortable beds and lots of light.
Check availability and compare prices for Axel Hotel Barcelona
Public areas:
The decked, rooftop Sky Bar draws a mixed but glam bunch of drinkers and is one of the more animated bars in the Eixample, recommended even for non-residents. The swimming pool is (unusually) big enough to fit a few friends in, and all the common areas are airy, bright and modern.
Eating and drinking:
The Kitchen Restaurant serves an elegantly presented mix of styles based around Italian cuisine (cod lasagne, asparagus and speck risotto, yoghurt and amaretto ice-cream) in a minimalist dining room with a small covered terrace, and see above for the famous Sky Bar.
Leisure facilities:
In summer 2010 a new fitness centre and spa opened, offering saunas, massages, thermal baths and a variety of treatments. This in addition to the mosaic-tiled swimming pool on the roof.
Service:
The mostly male staff are all smiles and cheekbones, and genuinely eager to please.
Check availability and compare prices for Axel Hotel Barcelona
Who stays there:
A mixed but mostly gay clientele, who invite their straight (and not-straight) friends to party on the roof at the Sky Bar. The hotel's website promises that 'Flirtation is guaranteed from the moment you step out of your room', which is an indication of what to expect…
Price advice:
The buffet breakfast is 15 euros, or 12 euros if you book it at the time of reserving the room.
Pros:
Hip
Fun
Cons:
Not for the shy
More information on Axel Hotel Barcelona:
- Price from:
- Address:
- Aribau 33, Barcelona, Spain, 08011
- Amenities:
- Business Centre, Fitness Centre, High-Speed Internet, Restaurant, Room Service, Swimming Pool
- Neighbourhood:
- Eixample
