Connoisseurs of famous Japanese and Peruvian cuisine and sumptuous luxury rejoice. After a two-year hiatus, and the pandemic halting many travel-related activities for much of this time, Nobu Barcelona eventually reopened the doors of its 259-room luxury hotel and signature restaurant of the same name in February of this year.
Designed by award-winning design and architecture studio, Rockwell Group, the hotel blends Spanish design with Japanese traditions, inspired by Antoni Gaudí’s mosaics in Park Güell as well as Kintsugi, the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery by repairing broken areas with dusty or mixed lacquer With gold, silver or platinum powder.
Located in the eclectic Sants district of the Catalan capital, in the former Gran Hotel Torre de Catalunya it is recognizable by the illusory abstraction of the Shinto gates that embrace the entrance in the form of a bright orange woven screen, continuing from the inside to serve as a link between the outside and the inside. Once inside, the soothing foyer features limestone and wood, along with oversized artwork and an impressive staircase that connects the ground floor to elegant meeting rooms and a ballroom.
The elevators are covered in three-dimensional tiles in walnut and gold, and open to guest corridors decorated in a saturated gradation from green to blue wallcovering. A large, continuous pat on the rug guides guests into the rooms and suites where natural materials meet Japanese influences with an emphasis on the natural world. While the ‘Deluxe’ and ‘Premium’ rooms are located on the lower floors, the ‘Skyline’ rooms and suites – starting on the 12th floor – offer some impressive vistas of this densely populated city.
The ‘Sake’, ‘Umi’ and ‘Nobu’ suites are true viewing platforms, complete with soundproofed floor-to-ceiling windows, 65-inch LCD TVs, king-size beds, Marshall bluetooth speakers, marble bathrooms with rain showers and (for those looking for the height of decadence) Onsen bathtubs. If you can pull yourself out of the massive wooden bath, expect yukata bathrobes to sit next.
In the guest rooms, a mill wall with a bronze geometric frame is home to a wardrobe, TV, bar, and desk. Bronze details define the area around the bed, which has a wood and leather headboard and footboard. Custom plaster art pieces hang above headboards in a signature Nobu “swoosh” pattern. The suites have a separate living area with sofas perched above the plinths and millwork in saturated lacquer hues, while the bathrooms have the essence of unifying with nature through the use of slab stone and cedar wood. Spacious and luxurious, contemporary and simple, Rockwell’s meticulous attention to detail redefines the tired archetype of an “urban oasis.”
While Kozara, the hotel’s “casual” bar and restaurant, serves tapas and sharing dishes outside the lobby, it’s Chef Nobu Matsuhisa’s culinary center that attracts guests and locals (including some famous faces) to this part of town. The Matsuhisa Empire opened in Beverly Hills in 1987, before joining forces with Robert De Niro, Drew Neburnt and Meyer Tepper to create Nobu in 1994, Japan’s chef empire now consists of 50 restaurants worldwide. Barcelona’s Nobu is located on the 23rd floor of the hotel, with large windows offering panoramic views of the city. Sagrada Família, the sparkling Mediterranean, Camp Nou, old and new, surrounding mountains; This is a sight like no other in a city with amazing scenery.
Showcasing the chef’s signature menu inspired by his classic training in Tokyo and traveling across South America, signatures such as Black Cod with Miso and Yellowtail with Jalapeño are created, where possible, from local produce; The innovative menu is a celebration of the traditions, flavors and vitality of this distinctive city. Arrive before dark to catch the sun falling behind Tibidabo, the highest peak in the Serra de Collserola mountain range, and watch as the lighting and ambiance transition from day to night thanks to the Rockwell Group’s kintsugi-inspired roof, with its live-edge walnut shingles and “slits” Amazing gold.
Its location across the road from Barcelona’s main railway station might mean this hotel would be overlooked as another “business hotel,” but with the ingenuity of the Rockwell collection and its design details; The undeniable seduction of the world-famous nickname Nobu; de-stressing spa with treatment rooms, steam room, sauna and plunge pool; Friendly service and excellent amenities, Nobu Barcelona is a very special addition to the city’s hospitality scene. Irasshaimase!
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Nobu Barcelona Photography, Ricardo Labogli/Christina Garcia/© Wee Hart.