Hilton Diagonal Mar Barcelona

The manager, Arman, was the one reasonable part of this interaction. He said I could check in early if a room opened up and offered to contact me himself. The receptionist’s manner stayed hostile even after he arrived, though. She kept saying no instead of trying to help or explain, and looked at me as if I was wasting her time. Her name is Sharmilla. I’d flown 11 hours to Barcelona and was exhausted, so when I heard hotel check-in began at 4 p.m. (the neighboring hotel started at 3), I accepted that and politely asked if I could pay extra for an early room. I was told rudely that I hadn’t read the check-in rules, with obvious disdain. There was no respectful or professional response. Why pay such a high price if they can’t offer early check-in for an extra fee, or even explain the situation politely? I’m very disappointed that a hotel at this level employs staff who treat guests this way. We’re the guests here, not the employees!!!!!

The beach is right there, and there’s a huge mall literally next door. La Ramblas is a bit of a walk, which suited me because the area is quieter. I loved staying here. Everyone was kind, the breakfast buffet was excellent, and I was really pleased with the Executive Lounge on the Executive Floor. The woman working there was so friendly, and I enjoyed our little chats. I’d definitely recommend it.

I ended up enjoying the quieter location after days out exploring Barcelona. It’s outside the city center, which I hadn’t really looked into before booking, but getting Ubers was easy. The beach is a short walk away, and on a rainy day I was glad to find an IMAX theater right across the street. The room was clean and comfortable, with a great bed and a shower that stayed hot. It was quiet enough to sleep well after long travel days. From the front desk and breakfast buffet to staff I passed in the hall, everyone was consistently kind and quick to answer questions. I arrived around 2 p.m., before check-in, expecting either to get in early or leave my luggage. The welcome was lovely from the start. It was a really pleasant stay, and I’d consider coming back to Barcelona and staying here again.

The executive lounge has a great food spread from 5 p.m. and a nice balcony overlooking Barcelona. Staff are very friendly and helpful, and a taxi ride into the center takes about 5-10 minutes. I’ve stayed here four or five times. It isn’t central, but there’s room to spread out everywhere: big, clean rooms, a pool area with lots of loungers, restaurants and bars, and easy beach access. For the price compared with the amenities, you can’t go wrong.