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The Independent UK

Annabel Nugent

Miiro Borneta, Barcelona hotel review

Barcelona Volta (Organization)

A surprisingly serene hotel, given its location in buzzy El Born, Borneta is a gorgeous hotel with a member’s club vibe and an unbeatable rooftop pool.

Borneta is perfectly placed to explore El Born’s fabulous food and drink scene, and venturing out to the nearby wine and cocktail bars – of which there are many – is a highlight of any stay here. My top tip is the unassuming but dead popular tapas spot, Bar Joan

Annabel Nugent

Location

Situated in the interlocking, puzzle-like streets of leafy El Born, the hotel is well placed for exploring Barcelona’s sites, including Ciutadella Park, the Picasso Museum, the Moco Museum and the Foto Colectania Foundation, and is a surprisingly serene spot given its buzzy location. Barceloneta beach is only a 20-minute walk away, as are many great restaurants, including Super, a trendy new spot to enjoy market cuisine and natural wines. Only a couple of doors down from Borneta is the Spanish outpost of Aire: a luxurious, candle-lit spa which also has sites in London and New York.

Read more: The best hotels in Barcelona

An invitation: The expansive, airy spaces of Borneta welcome you with open arms (Borneta)

The vibe

Designed by London-based studio, Thurstan, the interiors bear the same clean lines and muted colour palette you’d find in London’s trendy hotels – but there is a distinct Spanish feel thanks to rattan rugs and Catalan art throughout. Also dotted around are treasures picked up from the city’s famous flea markets. The local feel is no doubt bolstered by the hotel’s grand entrance, through the 19th-century arches of Passeig de Picasso.

The ground-floor lounge is expansive with several plush sofas and a marble bar situated beneath a sweeping skylight. Tucked into one corner is The Library, a maroon den awash in low lighting and velvet upholstery. More frequently used by guests, however, is the large communal table in the lounge where digital nomads can be found firing off emails before hitting the beach. The vibe at Borneta is not dissimilar to that of a member’s club – without the snooty clientele. Coffee table books are there to be flicked through and sofas are made for sinking into.

The service

Staff are friendly and the service is relaxed. In busy periods, a few more personnel on hand to help with the torrent of check-ins wouldn’t hurt. As for the rooms themselves, rates (Essential; Premium; The Full Works) reflect the level of service you can expect and the add-ons, such as often a room is cleaned and minibar treats.

Read our full review of Mandarin Oriental Barcelona here.

Bed and bath

The 92 rooms and suites are large for Barcelona standards. Design wise, the rooms foster a sense of calm – awash with warm tones of terracotta and olive green, complemented by wood and jute. There are Marshall speakers and Nespresso machines in every room.

If the true test of a great hotel room are its bathrooms, then Borneta passes with flying colours. Green marble and creamy Zellige tiles frame walk-in showers, which are fitted with full-size Le Labo products. One suite even has an alfresco bathtub. Very importantly for peak summer, the air conditioning is crankable and the curtains are black out. Pro tip: if you’d like higher ceilings (who wouldn’t?) request a room on the second floor.

In nature: The rooms spotlight natural materials such as wood and jute (Borneta)

Food and drink

Volta is the hotel’s restaurant, and a destination in itself among locals. Catalan for “to go around”, Volta has a menu that roams between Spain, Italy, France and North Africa. The produce is all local and organic, with market-fresh fish and Catalan ingredients at the heart of the offering. Raw dishes such as sea bass tartare are a highlight. At the rooftop bar, you can order cocktails and snacks.

Facilities

Although modest in size, the rooftop pool is certainly a highlight of your stay. Looking out over Parc de la Ciutadella, it is the perfect place to start your morning with an iced coffee. Beyond the stellar view, the piece de resistance is a bespoke mirrored egg sculpture by the Grammy-nominated, Argentine-born artist Pilar Zeta. In busy periods the pool does get a little crowded. The basement gym (open 24 hours a day) is simple but chic, with wood accents and an old-school feel.

The hotel’s Refresh Room is perfect if you’re between check-in and check-out with nowhere to go. Showers, toiletries, charging points and smart lockers are available for use so that you can spend your last hours in Barcelona lounging by the pool instead of dragging your suitcase around the city.

Read our full review of Nobu Hotel Barcelona here.

The hotel’s restaurant Volta is a destination for guests and non-guests alike (Borneta)

Disability access

All floors are accessible. There is one adapted room on every floor, with the exception of the fifth.

Pet policy

Pets are welcome in three of the pet-friendly rooms upon request. There is a €30 (£26) charge per pet per night, with a maximum of one pet per room.

Check in/check out

Check in from 3pm; check out by 11am.

Family-friendly?

Yes – though while everyone is welcome at Borneta, the hotel is perhaps better suited to adults; the pool, for example, is more chill-out than splash-about.