Ok here is another super quick post that I have been meaning to share for a while now. I was in Barcelona sometime ago to do precisely this, shoot for the blog. I already shared some articles containing the shoot which can be found here, here and here talking about suits, colour blocking and archietecture.

What I want to do now is to give you a quick summary of the lifestyle I experienced whilst I was there. This trip was not my first to this great city because of this , I already had certain expectations of what to expect and I’m not going to lie to you I set the bar high, very high. Lucky for me all my expectations and wishes were met and even exceeded.

If I am honest, it’s a bit hard to describe Barcelona in a few lines to anyone who has not been.

A few words that come to mind are arty, architecture, hipster, culture and vibrant.

Now don’t get me wrong, I have heard a few discouraging stories mainly centred on race relations but personally, I have always had a good time there. In fact, because of my pleasant personal experience I am obliged to add the words cheap and hospitable to the list above. 

Note that I am not referring to the kind of cheap you turn your nose up at but a good value for money when compared to other European cities. If you any travel website Barcelona will most likely be in the top 3 to 5 cheapest destinations for flight and hotel. For me, someone who loves to travel frequently, this is a massive selling point.

My second point hospitality is one of those things I do not compromise on even here in London. Good people skills and good customer service skills can make all the difference to your experience. Obviously I haven’t been to all the establishments in Barcelona to make this claim so I am going to base my conclusion on where I spent my time, the W Barcelona. The W is one of those places that just have to be experienced to get the full picture. The staff were super friendly and helpful.  The photos of the poolside area speak for themselves. It really does look this amazingly beautiful. The Telegraph once described the poolside as a “catalogue photo shoot”. I have to say that it provided me with the perfect backdrop for the shoot.

The style and character of the hotel reminded me a lot of Dubai where shiny new architecture rules the day. If you are not a fan of Barcelona’s famous Romanesque, Gothic or indeed Modernist architecture then you will feel right at home at the W. It has a great vibe with its 26^th floor eclipse bar attracting the city’s young movers and shakers and guaranteeing you the perfect view of the most beautiful sunset.

What I enjoyed most about about hanging out at the W was their Sunday Retox party. I know these type of events happen in London, but I have never personally been to one . The fact that it happens from midday was a real novelty to me. I was blown away by the amount and choices of food and drinks available. With a live DJ session, you will be forgiven to think it’s a nightclub. The hashtag #ThisIsNotASundayBrunch is a dead giveaway. With the friendly staff combined with a great atmosphere, I highly recommend Retox whenever you are in Barcelona.

Would love to hear your thought on your experiences if you have been to the W at all.if you decide to visit Retox, please come back and share your thoughts.