Renaissance Barcelona Fira Hotel

Renaissance Barcelona Fira Hotel is housed in two 27-story towers with a soaring vertical garden of lush greenery rising between them. Excellent views of the surrounding area are available from several vantage points, including the stairways, many public spaces and rooms, and seasonal rooftop pool and deck. The interiors have a well-built and thoughtfully designed contemporary look, with high-quality furnishings and ample use of wood. The lobby features a distinctive low-slung glass ceiling. Guests relax in the library lounge, done in a rich camel brown color and featuring a vaguely Mid-century look in its decor. With its location near the convention center and local business offices, the hotel draws numerous business travelers. Despite its location off the beaten path, the hotel draws leisure guests to its indoor and rooftop pools, boutique rooms, and rates that are more affordable than similar-quality hotels in central Barcelona.  

The Renaissance is off the Avinguda de la Granvia thoroughfare, about a three-minute drive or a little more than a five-minute walk from the Fira Barcelona Gran Via convention center. Public transportation is readily accessible: the Avinguda Granvia-Can Tries bus stop is just south of the hotel, the Europa/Fira train station is next door, and the Fira metro station is next to the convention center. The hotel's location is also convenient for shopping. An IKEA store is less than a five-minute walk and the Gran Via 2 mall with its shops, restaurants, and movie theater is a little less than a five-minute drive or 10-minute walk from the hotel. Camp Nou stadium, home of FC Barcelona soccer club, is about a 10-minute drive or 25 minutes by metro from the Renaissance. At about a 15-minute drive, the Montjuic area features attractions like the Joan Miro Foundation and Olympic Stadium. The location here isn’t great for access to Barcelona and its sights: the city center is about a 20-minute drive (more with traffic) or 25 minutes by a combination of train and metro. Barcelona-El Prat Airport is a little less than 10 minutes by car from the hotel or a little less than 30 minutes by train from Europa/Fira.  

Guest rooms and suites at the Renaissance feature a contemporary, minimalist aesthetic with purposefully spare decor and bare walls. Rooms are done in all white or all black, an effect which some find chic but others may think a bit austere and uninviting. Some of the rooms feature distinctive parabola-shaped windows. Furnishings are high quality and the comfy beds come with pillowtop mattresses and duvets. Rooms start at 258 square feet (24 square meters), so lack of space is not a drawback. All units come equipped with 40-inch flat-screen TVs, iPod docks, free bottled water (at arrival), mini-fridges, electric kettles for instant coffee and tea, and free Wi-Fi. Some suites feature some combination of sitting areas, balconies, and jetted tubs. One suite has a private roof garden and another has a deck and outdoor hot tub on the balcony. Bathrooms are spacious and stylish, and are separated from the bedrooms by a glass wall and mirrors. All bathrooms are stocked with hairdryers, bathrobes, and slippers. Some have bathtubs, though most have step-in showers.  

The Renaissance offers a superb array of property features. An indoor pool and hot tub are on-site, and the hotel also has a seasonal rooftop pool which is fairly sizeable at about 20 meters in length. The adjacent wood deck offers a seasonal poolside bar and sweeping views of the surrounding area and Barcelona skyline. Those same views are also on offer from the 26th-floor fitness center, featuring an excellent range of weight and TechnoGym cardio equipment. The a la carte and buffet breakfasts (for a fee) include a wide range of hot and cold items. The restaurant serves Mediterranean cuisine for lunch and dinner, and features an outdoor terrace with a view of the hotel's vertical garden of greenery. Twenty-four hour room service is available, and a bar and cafe/snack bar are additional dining options. The hotel also has meeting rooms, wedding space, a business center, concierge service, and parking (for a fee). Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the hotel.