Nobu Hotel Barcelona

The tower that changed its name next to Sants

Right next to the platforms of Sants station, the tower known to the public as Gran Hotel Torre Catalunya was converted in 2019 into Nobu Hotel Barcelona. On September 12 of that year, the brand's first hotel in the city opened, promoted by Nobu Hospitality —chef Nobu Matsuhisa, actor Robert De Niro, and producer Meir Teper— with Selenta Group. The five-star hotel features 259 rooms and suites. The Rockwell Group studio blended Japanese craftsmanship with Barcelona codes: orange lattices acting as torii at the entrance, a large art piece suspended in the staircase, and kintsugi ceilings in the restaurant on the 23rd floor, with the Sagrada Familia in the background. The pandemic kept it closed for almost two years; it reopened in February 2022 under the management of ASG, with executive chef Sergio Martínez leading a menu that mixes Nobu classics with local Catalan produce.

360-degree vertigo

What makes the building a nightlife stop is not the lobby, but the crown. Nobu Rooftop, on the 25th floor, is presented as the highest hotel terrace in Barcelona: 500 m² in the open air, 360-degree views, a plunge pool reserved for guests, and a cocktail bar open to the public on a first-come, first-served basis, weather permitting. By day it is a terrace; at sunset, a viewpoint. Every Saturday, from 20:00 to 00:00, the Vertigo Sessions bring together artists from the Barcelona music scene in an open-air session. Access is free and is filled on a first-come, first-served basis: the hotel does not accept reservations on the rooftop. On New Year's Eve, the restaurant on the 23rd floor adds a live DJ after midnight. There is no nightclub closing at six: the rooftop shuts down at 00:00, with a Saturday program that has made the DJ session and the city skyline its hallmark.

23rd floor, Kozara, and the rest of the venue

Below the rooftop, Nobu Restaurant and Nobu Bar occupy the 23rd floor. Kozara, in the lobby, is open from 07:00 to 23:00 as a tapas, sake, and cocktail bar. The hotel also includes Nobu Spa (sauna, steam room, and water circuit), a 24-hour Technogym fitness center, underground parking, and a set of rooms —auditorium, Sakura, and breakouts— for events. The restaurant's dress code requires casual chic and excludes tracksuits, sportswear, beachwear, and flip-flops. Those looking for an underground club in Sants will not find it here; those looking for height, cocktails, and a Saturday session over the city, will.