Those lucky enough to get their hands on a Primavera ticket will now be grappling with the dilemma of where to stay. The correct answer: as close as you can to the festival itself.
It might seem like a no-brainer, but Parc del Forum — the gargantuan venue used for Primavera, which is also the site of the Museu Blau (natural history) and CCIB (a conference centre) — is located in a historically less favourable part of town, on the very edge of the city abutting the Besos river where it flows into the Mediterranean.
Though, less touristed areas in Barcelona seem to be having a moment. Troye Sivan celebrated his 30th birthday the night before headlining the festival with Charli xcx at Casa Costa, at a chic restaurant in otherwise insalubrious Barceloneta. As for Parc del Forum, the micro-neighbourhood surrounding it is called La Mina.
Getting there
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La Mina was, for a long time, one of the city’s most deprived but which has been the focus of considerable investment and regeneration plans since the year 2000. It is still relatively devoid of tourists — always a sell.
Enter SLS, a brand new hotel flanking the Besos and right behind Port del Forum, which opened its doors in April and occupies an enviable spot close enough to Primavera that you can walk to and from the event in 10 minutes but at enough of a distance that you won’t have to endure the thudding baseline of Danny L Harle until six in the morning.
Read more: A neighourhood guide to El Poblenou: The chic area where you won't feel the anti-tourism heat
Besides, it’s all very sound-proof, while also being purpose-built for cocktails by the pool and A-list parties in the top-floor suites. Owned by the Ennismore hospitality group (the same that’s behind nearby The Hoxton, in Poblenou), SLS hotels have branches in Beverly Hills, the Bahamas and Buenos Aires. And it might well be the best place to stay for Primavera.
Style
The SLS is a five-star hotel, and it shows, from the moment you enter into an atrium-style lobby replete with a juice shot bar (free for guests needing a dose of turmeric and citrus after a heavy night) and a playfully lop-sided chandelier by the elevators.
In an era of tasteful neutrals and Scandi chic, the vibe here is unabashedly maximalist. Like its crowd, it’s glitzy, party-ready and fun: the sort of place you might imagine Ricky Martin wrote Livin’ La Vida Loca about. Several stars on the Primavera line-up elected to stay here, including the First Lady of Belgian techno, Amelie Lens.
The decor in the bedrooms is whimsy, with Venetian mirrors, white marbled accents and golden hand curtain holdbacks.
Which room?
The hotel counts 471 bedrooms and suites, which are modern, generously sized and designed for couples. A thin, lightly frosted glass door is all that separates the shower from the rest of the bathroom, itself embedded in the suite. The loo, however, is (thankfully) entirely separate.
Each room has a private balcony or terrace, and the suites to beat are on the south side of the fourth floor, overlooking the pool and enjoying the sunset each night as orange hues descend upon the city.
Food and drink
The hotel has two main options for dining: L’Anxova Divina, the main restaurant, which sits on the ground floor (think classic Spanish fare such as gambas, patatas bravas and croquetas, although avoid the asparagus — too much mayonnaise), and Lora, a Mediterranean fusion restaurant with Lebanese influences, designed by Studio Paskin. The vibe there is more luxurious than L’Anxova, while the latter’s elegant and roomy interiors recall the work of Barcelona’s Antoni Gaudi.
One can also order tapas to the pool, where many people gather for breakfast and bites throughout the day. There are also two cocktail bars: Kyara (order the Rooibos Spritz) and Cosmico (which opened on the rooftop just in time for Primavera, and also serves sushi).
Wherever you go, service is friendly and attentive; although it’s noticeably faster outside of rush hour (all afternoon before 6:30, when the festival-goers begin to get ready).
Facilities
Akin to the two serpentine letters in its name, the SLS is shaped like a zigzag. At the centre of it is a triangular infinity pool, located on the first floor on a raised platform overlooking the port. There, you’ll also find a round bar surrounded by tables where many come for pastries and a coffee in the morning.
The outdoor heat in summer can be blistering, up to 35 degrees in July and August. Sun loungers around the pool tend to go at breakneck speed, but even more popular in high season are the cabanas, draped in white linen fabrics and seating up to four people.
The pool is generously sized, with lilos and waterproof loungers on the edge for those who want to read their books while cooling off. The hotel also provides guests with bikes upon request: undoubtedly one of the best ways to see the city.
The gym was designed in partnership with Edan Studios, and grants guests access to bespoke classes and wellness sessions. The hotel will also launch an extensive spa on the lower ground floor.
Extracurricular
The SLS we saw at Primavera was very much a party hotel; but with more serious events taking place at Parc del Forum at other points in the year, the property is primed to accommodate corporate clients for all sorts of events and conferences. For the largest of these, the hotel offers a 770 square-metre ballroom with a capacity of 600 people.
Double rooms from £310, book it here
