When the beautiful people of Barcelona head indoors for the cooler months, this is where you’ll find them.

Located in the ritzy Sant Gervasi neighborhood, Nuba is 100% local in the know, as it’s rarely recommended by hotel concierges due to it’s location a bit too far “por arriba” or up the hill, however well worth the trip.

I’ve honestly never had less than an great night at Nuba, with it’s chic indoor / outdoor lounge setting it’s great for a group of friends celebrating a special occasion or even a nice night out with someone special.

The trendy lounge music is never too overbearing to prohibit an intimate conversation on one of the outdoor sofas, yet it’s just the right volume to lure many indoors to the tiny dance floor.

If you have no patience for the overly crowded larger clubs or the intoxicated University student scene, Nuba is the perfect place for you!  The thing that I love the most is that any night here is an excuse to wear my most chic designer clothing, and I can count on never having a drink spilled on me!

Phone: 932 411 720

www.nubabcn.com

When I think of the King of Clubs in Barcelona, the place that’s held the throne as a hot spot longer and stronger than anyplace else is Opium Mar.

This is the one venue where you can count on seeing world class DJs on a weekly basis and often more frequently in the summer months.  Along with these DJ’s comes a following as diverse as international chic to university aged students, so make sure you’ve brought your tolerance for a packed house.  VIP Table service here is an absolute must if you want to survive for the long haul, ie… until sunrise.

If the hard partying scene really isn’t your thing, Opium Mar is a great spot for late afternoon / early evening drinks by the sea.  You can easily throw on a chic cover up overtop of your swim suit and chill on a bed at their outdoor lounge area.

Phone: 902 267 486

www.opiummar.com

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Featured In:  Barcelona II – Summer In Barcelona + Instant Infatuation = Mended Heart

I discovered Bar Pastis, in The Raval neighborhood of Barcelona, this past summer while dating a half French half Catalan television producer.

This is one of those tiny, hole in the wall, bars that was absolutely perfect to wander into with that special someone, maybe on the second or third date, once you know them well enough that you’ll be able to tolerate nearly sitting on top of them / cozying up on one of the mini benches or stools that fill “walk in closet like” room.

Bar Pastis is always dark, but does have enough lighting provided by the eclectic light fixtures to provide that ideal setting for enjoying some amazing live jazz music by local talents, then lingering on afterwards, drinking more wine and sharing conversation with your company.

It’s a neighborhood gem in The Raval, the one neighborhood that honestly I used to hate entering years ago for fear of being robbed, but is going through a slight hipster “gentrification”, due to many tiny watering holes and eateries popping up amongst the riff raf.  Needless to say, this gem is well worth checking out in spite of some of the neighbors.  Just be sure to dress down for the evening.

Although my relationship fizzled out months ago, I can say that being introduced to this spot by my friend is one of the reasons that made it all worth while.

Floating above the sea with the sparkling city of Barcelona below, you’ll feel on top of the world at Eclipse.  It’s the right hybrid between intimate and loungey, yet occasionally overcrowded (mainly on Sunday late nights) elite party rocking club in town.  The key is to success for this cozy club space are the ultra discerning door people downstairs who always keep the venue filled with the right people.

Although Sunday nights reign, DJ Kris White and his HairclubEstilistes are now making Thursdays Fashionably Late just as chic and a bit more of my pace, with a better balance of the local “in the know” / international crowd, as opposed to Sunday’s slightly touristy and university student influenced packs that are responsible for  extending the entrance line to outside of the lobby doors.

If you’re traveling solo and want an absolute Rock Star night, then my suggestion would be to do a little pre-partying in the most unique of ways, and meet up with Kris at his salon / art exhibition space, Hair Club, where he or another DJ are always spinning.  Arrive early evening, have your hair done for the night while enjoying drinks, checking out local art and fashion, and making some new friends.  By the time you’re done here, you’ll have a good buzz going, you’ll be ready for a late dinner then off to Eclipse afterwards.

Even if you’re not in Barcelona for a Sunday or Thursday night, Eclipse is a pretty safe bet for the later scene and always guarantees great music and some of the best “mixologist prepared” cocktails in town.

www.w-barcelona.com/eclipse-bar

Phone: 932 952 800

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Featured In:

Barcelona II – Summer In Barcelona + Instant Infatuation = Mended Heart

Barcelona III – Looking Down The Jaws Of A Shark and Dropping My Friend In

My first impression upon arrival at Secrets The Vine was Wow!, this place is grand, chic, modern and more or less just like a W Hotel, so needless to say, just up my alley.

Throughout my stay the initial impression did not waver, as I considered it to be a challenge for such a large property to come through on so many levels of criteria that I look for, but they did and for that reason, I had a fantastic stay.

The attention to detail at Secrets The Vine was probably the hands down top quality of the resort.  This attention shined through in every aspect, from the impeccably decorated common areas that were elegant yet minimalistic, using all top quality exotic raw materials, fully equipped with a cozy fireplace wall that I could only imagine in the type of home you’d see on MTV Cribs, the wide marble hallways with ambient lighting, and the simple, clean lines of the guest rooms.  All the while, everything was perfectly maintained and new…yes, I did happen to be staying there over their official inaguration, but it was more the attention to detail that existed in their tremendous staff that was responsible for keeping this property in pristine condition.

This staff were also one of the most welcoming factors of this large property, as many knew me personally from having stayed at a neighboring hotel for years.  These bellmen, servers, bartenders, etc…are the reason why so many people would return year after year to the same resort, so due to them, I knew I’d be returning myself.

Food and drink wise, everything was excellent quality while being cleverly prepared and presented, which is hard to come by at most all inclusives. So, let me make a few dining recommendations for when you planyour stay, a visit to the “must do” restaurant Olio, my personal favorite, where you feel like you’re dining on top of the world, or at least on top of Cancun with its 12^th floor roof terrace setting.  The views and ambience alone make it worthy of repeating and the lamb stuffed grape leaves and beef with burgundy sauce were probably the best I’ve had in Mexico.

Take advantage of the 24 hour room service for amazing selections like the tuna nicoise salad for a light lunch between the heavier meals, and the perfect hangover cure for breakfast, the Huevos Yucatecos, which after trying these, I was forever converted from being a Huevos Rancheros loyalist.   If you’re a true night owl or just out for a crazy Cancun night of partying, my suggestion would be to come home and enjoy the sunrise from your balcony with some great room service food and of course your “company du jour”.  Being the tallest building in town does have it’s advantages and the views that Secrets The Vine boasts are second to none…sunrise or sunset.

A phenomenal gym is the absolute icing on the cake that Secrets The Vine boasts.  In my opinion, I personally can’t stay at an all inclusive resort without a really good gym, as I must have balance in life, and of course, hitting the gym hard in the mornings before the hours of overindulgence begin is key.

This gym not only rivals many US based luxury brand gyms in terms of equipment quality and selection, but also boasts many spa like qualities, such as the attendants offering cool eucalyptus scented moist towels and chlorophyll water.  Of course the absolute most redeeming factor is the view.  While burning calories on your choice of cardio machine…even spinning classes if you choose, there is only a wall of glass separating you from the view out over the turquoise waters of the Caribbean.  This alone was motivation I needed to stay on the treadmill for one extra mile.

All in all, when it’s time to check out of this gigantic, beautiful hotel, it will be the small details that you’ll remember the most.  The trendy house music creating a chic lounge like ambience poolside, the ever attentive staff bringing you another mojito at just the right moment, without even having to ask and the free massage lessons that crank up the sex appeal.

With the cold weather having arrived, I’m sure there will be many a night that I’ll be having dreams of Secrets The Vine.