Review of Hotel Diagonal Zero, by Catherine Cooper

A new, hi-tech hotel with every mod-con in its 262 rooms, Hotel Diagonal Zero makes a great place for exploring the hip and vibrant city of Barcelona.

Hotel Diagonal Barcelona is in a quiet area of Barcelona just a stone’s throw from the beach and five or six metro stops from La Rambla, the port and the heart of the city.

The 17-storey hotel is glass-fronted and modern with a huge, light lobby, bar and restaurant. At the back of the hotel is a hip yet tranquil terrace with water features and outdoor bar. There is also an Executive Lounge on the 15th floor offering drinks, snacks, papers and concierge and business services.

Downstairs the 700 metre Spazio spa offers a giant jacuzzi with underwater massage beds, large sauna and steam room and seven rooms offering a huge variety of treatments as well as a very spacious and well-equipped gym.

What really sets the hotel apart though is the roof-top pool on the 17th floor with vertigo-inducing transparent barriers offering incredible views over the sea  – a great place to cool off and relax after exploring the city .

The rooms are modern and somewhat minimalist with wooden floors, dark wood furniture and an occasional brightly-painted wall. Lighting and heating can be controlled from one single touch-screen and all rooms have a minbar, safe and a tastefully-concealed microwave instead of a kettle, along with a box of sachets for making tea and coffee. As well as a large flat screen TV, the rooms also have iPod docks and very fast free wifi.

Bathrooms have a clear panel into the bedroom which can be closed with a blind. Some rooms have a large, walk-in style shower with huge rain shower head, some have baths and the jacuzzi suites have private large, round jacuzzis. Miniature toiletries are unbranded but are plentiful and pleasingly purple. There are also two suites with their own private terraces and sea views available.