Item: Four Points by Sheraton Barcelona Diagonal
Rating: 8
Author: Caroline Tremblay

The Four Points by Sheraton Barcelona Diagonal hotel is located outside Barcelona city center, in a quiet and affordable area. Without artifice, this hotel ticks all the boxes for a pleasant stay.

Booking

In order to use a combination of Marriott Bonvoy points in reasonable quantities and my annual certificate obtained with my Marriott Bonvoy^® American Express^®* Card, I chose a hotel that wasn’t downtown but close to public transportation.

The Four Points by Sheraton Barcelona Diagonal Hotel was the perfect solution. It was our first visit to Barcelona and we knew we’d be spending most of the time outside the hotel.

The average number of points per night is between 35,000 and 45,000 Marriott Bonvoy points. Paid in cash, rates vary widely depending on the season, ranging from 100 to 300 euros per night, including taxes and other charges.

Arrival

Location

Located in El Poblenou in the 22@ district, one of Barcelona’s safest, trendiest and cleanest neighbourhoods. The area is home to many restaurants and shops.

Check-in and lobby

The entrance was welcoming and the citrus-infused water available to all was a wonderful touch on a hot day in Barcelona. Check-in was quick and the counter attendant efficient.

Thanks to my Platinum status, we had free breakfast every day, as well as coupons for a free cocktail and 15% off at the hotel restaurant.

Bedroom

The room was standard, with king-size bed, TV, wardrobe, mini-refrigerator and a mountain view. The renovated bathroom had a toilet and bidet, as well as a shower and vanity with sink.

Restaurant

The Gastro Corner offers authentic local cuisine and craft beers. The large windows provide plenty of natural light and a sense of grandeur.

It’s a great place to enjoy good food, local drinks and watch sports on the big televisions. The staff are very friendly and welcoming.

It’s open from 11am to midnight, every day.

Breakfast

Every morning between 6:30 and 11:30, we couldn’t wait to get to the restaurant to enjoy the magnificent breakfast! Without status, you could access it for 22 euros per person, and it was well worth it.

There was a very impressive selection of fruits, cheeses, cold meats, salads, breads, pastries, desserts, juices and hot items.

Other Services

Gym

Anyone at the hotel can take advantage of the 24-hour fitness facilities with a few machines, weights, yoga balls and a mini-balcony, in case you want to exercise outside.

Around the hotel

The huge Westfield Glòries shopping center is just a few minutes’ walk from the hotel. Nearby metro stations Poblenou and Glòries are within easy walking distance, and the streetcar passes in front of the hotel.

From Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Part Airport (BCN), it’s about 45 minutes by public transport. Our trick was to buy the Hola Barcelona card , which gave us unlimited and unrestricted use of public transport (metro, bus, train and streetcar) during our stay.

The famous and very popular Sagrada Familia is about a 30-minute walk away.

Overall impression

The Four Points by Sheraton Barcelona Diagonal is very welcoming, affordable and uncomplicated. It’s far from Barcelona’s busy city center but close to the locals, public transport and peace and quiet.

Earning Marriott Bonvoy Points

The best way to earn Marriott Bonvoy points for free stays at over 8,000 hotels worldwide is to have the Marriott Bonvoy^® American Express^®* Card (and/or the Marriott Bonvoy^® Business American Express^®* Card). You can also earn American Express Membership Rewards points and transfer them to Marriott Bonvoy.

To learn all about earning and redeeming Marriott Bonvoy points for free hotel stays, follow our guides :

Compare

Marriott Bonvoy^® American Express^®* Card

American Express Marriott Bonvoy

Annual fee: $120
Our valuationMilesopedia first-year estimate First-year valueWelcome bonus$600Total$600$100 deferred bonus, excluded from the first-year estimate and not counted in this total.Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.: $600
Welcome offerAfter $3,000 in 3 months: Up to 70,000 points

The Marriott Bonvoy^® American Express^®* Card is the best credit card in Canada for free hotel nights.

New Cardmembers can earn up to 70,000 Marriott Bonvoy^® points with the current offer:

Earn up to 60,000 points after you spend $3,000 on your Card in your first 3 months of Cardmembership.
Plus, earn 10,000 points after you spend $500 on your Card in your 13th month of Cardmembership.

The annual fee is $120, and there is no annual fee on Additional Cards, so you can add a partner or a family member at no extra cost.

Every year after your first Card anniversary, you receive an Annual Free Night Award good for a redemption of up to 35,000 points at eligible hotels and resorts worldwide. At a valuation of 0.9 cents per Marriott Bonvoy point, that certificate is worth roughly $315, which on its own more than covers the $120 annual fee. That is the main reason to keep this Card year after year instead of cancelling it.

To get the most out of the certificate, aim it at a night that would otherwise price close to the 35,000 point ceiling.

The Card also gives you 15 Elite Night Credits each calendar year and automatic Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status. Those credits count toward the next Elite tier, so you begin every year 15 nights ahead of where you would otherwise start.

You move up to Gold Elite status automatically when you reach $30,000 in purchases on the Card in a year, or when you combine 10 qualifying paid nights within one calendar year with the 15 Elite Night Credits from your Card.

Marriott Bonvoy points are generally valued at 0.9 cents each. On that basis, the 70,000 point welcome offer is worth about $630, and an Annual Free Night Award used at its full 35,000 point ceiling is worth about $315.

Marriott Bonvoy points pull their weight on free nights rather than on gift cards or merchandise, which is why this Card should be judged on the hotel stays it produces.

You earn 5 points per dollar on eligible purchases at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels and 2 points per dollar on all other purchases. Points can be redeemed for free nights with no blackout dates at more than 7,000 hotels around the world.

The Card carries a solid package of coverages: $500,000 travel accident insurance, flight delay, baggage delay, lost or stolen baggage and hotel or motel burglary at $500 each, car rental theft and damage up to $85,000 for rentals of up to 48 days, Purchase Protection for 90 days and a one year Extended Warranty.

Two things to plan around: the 2.5% foreign transaction fee on purchases made in a foreign currency, and the 21.99% purchase interest rate, which makes this a Card to pay in full every month. Like all American Express Canada Cards, no minimum income is published for this Card, and you can see whether you would be approved before you apply, with no impact on your credit score.

Legal

American Express is not responsible for maintaining or monitoring the accuracy of information on this website. For full details and current product information, click the Apply Now link. If you apply and get approved for an American Express Card, we may receive compensation from American Express, which can be in the form of monetary payment.

Annual fee

Primary card$120

Additional card$0

Annual income required

Individual$0

Household$0

Conversion fees

2.5%

Earning rate

5xMarriott Bonvoy hotels
2xAll spending

Value

1st Year Value$1,110

2nd Year Value$312

Travel insurance

Delayed BaggageUp to $500

Lost BaggageUp to $500

Flight DelayUp to $500

Hotel BurglaryUp to $500

Travel AccidentUp to $500,000

Purchase protection

Purchase ProtectionIncluded

Extended Warranty+1 years

Auto Rental Collision (primary)Up to $85,000 / 48 days

Go further with Marriott Bonvoy

To maximize your stays and points earning, check our complete Marriott Bonvoy program guide and our best Marriott Bonvoy credit cards ranking. For personal use, see the Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card. For business expenses, the Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card earns points on every business purchase. And if a points purchase promotion is running, take advantage via our Marriott Bonvoy points purchase guide.

The Four Points by Sheraton Barcelona Diagonal hotel is located outside Barcelona city center, in a quiet and affordable area. Without artifice, this hotel ticks all the boxes for a pleasant stay.

Booking

The Four Points by Sheraton Barcelona Diagonal Hotel was the perfect solution. It was our first visit to Barcelona and we knew we’d be spending most of the time outside the hotel.