Tried & tested: Yurbban Passage Hotel & Spa, Barcelona
With a rooftop overlooking Barcelona, a fully organic spa and a restaurant that revolves around local products Yurbban Passage Hotel & Spa is more than just a place to rest your head. Read on for our take on this former textile warehouse turned hotel.
Whether it is for a carry-on weekend away or for something longer, Barcelona is always a yes. And so is Yurbban Passage Hotel & Spa - as we just found out. Set in what used to be a warehouse, Yurbban combines humble luxury with local flavors and pours it into a 60-room boutique hotel. High ceilings, exposed brick walls and cast iron window frames are gentle reminders of its industrial past, whilst calm interiors with warm-hued oakwood and soft white fabrics create a sense of tranquility.
set in what used to be a warehouse
Yurbban combines humble luxury with local flavors and pours it into a 60-room boutique hotel
The neighborhood
Yurbban Passage Hotel & Spa is located in the heart of Barcelona’s creative El Born quarter. Stage of narrow shaded streets dotted with shops, bars and hole-in-the-wall restaurants. It’s also home to Passeig del Born, a charming avenue with hip bars which (especially during the weekends) attract crowds from all over town. Neighborhood favorites like Nomad Coffee Lab and the gorgeous concept store Pachulí are just a short stroll away from the hotel. Same goes for the subway station of Urquinaona and big city-esque Plaza de Catalunya. Get yourself one of the free ‘Finna Cycles’ bikes at the hotel to explore the city or to head to Barcelona’s beaches.
The rooms
When it comes to the 60 guest rooms the only choice to make is whether to opt for a standard, a premium or a larger premium terrace room with a private terrace and outdoor shower. All rooms are done by Barcelona-based designer Raquel Sogorb, who aimed for classic luxury and simplicity. Expect clean rooms dressed in natural materials like walnut headboards, marble tabletops and honey-hued parquet floors. At approx. 20m2 the standard and premium rooms aren’t too spacious, but clever layouts compensate for the lack of space. Facilities we like are the comfy king size beds with pillow menu, Nespresso machines and the sleek bathrooms with rain head showers and bespoke toiletries. Turndown service includes fun little extra’s like foot balm, Spanish treats and a pillow spray to make your sweet dreams even sweeter. Good to know: standard and premium rooms come with exterior (city) or interior (courtyard) views. The exteriors bring you the views, however the interior ones save you from any potential nighttime noise.
Yurbban Premium Terrace
food and drinks
Yurbban Passage Restaurant opens for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Come dinner it’s vibrant mix of both locals and tourists. The restaurant works with a honest approach to food and serves both appetizers and main courses with many of its ingredients locally sourced. Breakfast is served a la carte and comes in healthy, sweet of authentic ‘packs’. We booked our stay with breakfast included and would highly recommend this. In addition there’s a chiringuito style rooftop bar which opens in the afternoon, making the rooftop area the perfect place for poolside sundowners.
to do
One of the real treats at Yurbban is the Signature Organic Spa, the first fully vegan spa in Spain. It’s a holistic experience build around the concept of slow beauty. Hotel guests have free access to the spa circuit (with a pool, dry and wet steam rooms) or can book one of the treatments at the spa reception. In room even, if you like. As delightful as the spa might be, our true icing on the cake is the gorgeous rooftop area with a sundeck, pool, bar and cosy lounge corners. Add sweeping views over Barcelona’s terracotta-tiled roofs with the glistening ‘Med’ in the distance and like us you’ll probably don’t want to leave at all. In addition there is a small gym and the lobby has a fun tabletop shuffleboard, photo booth and a store which spotlights emerging Spanish designers.
Yurbban Passage Hotel & Spa, rooms from EUR 150 per night (incl. breakfast)