The Sabátic Sitges Hotel review: A luxurious haven in the depths of Bear Week

We arrived to the Sabátic Sitges Hotel sweating and frustrated. The train from Barcelona airport on the train is quick and easy, but we struggled to hail a taxi and so decided to walk to the hotel with our luggage. While it isn’t far from Sitges Old Town to the hotel, the road is steep and in the afternoon heat we realised the error of our decision.

Luckily, the large hotel lobby had jugs of iced tea to cool us down. The receptionist also said we should have called because they would have sent a shuttle, which also goes to the beach. They also pointed out the free delightful pedal bikes that can be used to get to and from the Old Town. They even have e-bikes and motorbikes for hire. To be fair, once we dumped our luggage, we were fine to walk to and from Spain’s gay-friendly Sitges.

The geometric patterned wall behind reception and timber bookcases and ceiling give the space a min-century feel, even though the property only opened in 2022. The hotel is comprised of 90 suites spread over five floors. We find ourselves in the smallest, which is still a generous 45-square-metres with a balcony overlooking both the family and adults-only pools, which you can view from its Balinese bed and chair.

Inside, a large bed rested next to two wardrobes that led to the bathroom with its large walk-in shower and toiletries from Barcelona’s Natura Bissé. In the living space there is a 55” television, Marshall speaker with a “Music Menu” of playlists, an espresso maker, and a minibar containing local wines, olives, canned mussels and crisps. Additionally, they offer a complimentary vermouth tasting at the cocktail bar.

The room also features a sports kit including a yoga mat, massage balls, foam rollers and elastic bands by Cassall. For a more intense work out, there is an alfresco gym with weights, cardio machines and plenty of fitness classes near the adults-only pool area.

On the ground floor is Pesatempo Restaurant where the island cocktail bar is and the large breakfast buffet is set up alongside a menu of cooked dishes. In the evenings, dinner is served here and we enjoy the rice set menu, which featured a pot of steamed mussels, the local Xató de Sitges salad of anchovies and romescada, and some stunning croquettes and codfish fritters. The main affair is a rice dish which comes in four varieties to pick from and is presented in a lovely metal tray. And to finish there is a selection of desserts including the local Orelletes de Sitges – think fried dough drizzled with honey.

Sitges has plenty of gay bars and beaches, and while the hotel is away from the main action there were noticeably plenty of LGBTQ+ people staying at the hotel. We did arrive on the Friday of Bear Week, so I’m sure that caused an influx of queer travellers to book.

When we went out into the Sitges Old Town in the evenings it really was wall-to-wall gay men of all sizes – not just larger, hirsute ones – on certain streets. Well into the evenings, people were on the streets drinking instead of inside the bars, which created a lovely atmosphere. In fact, Sitges has two bear weeks, one in May and one in September, as well as Pride in June.

What the Old Town lacks is luxury accommodation, which is one reason I’m sure Sabátic Sitges is popular all year round. One thing to note is that there is a large construction project going on next to the hotel, which will continue into 2026. There was no noise during our stay until the Monday we left. The bedroom has good soundproofing, but your balcony and the pool side could get a bit frustrating – so definitely come at the weekend if you plan to relax at the hotel during the day for a quiet experience.    

Sabàtic Sitges Hotel is part of Marriott’s exclusive Autograph Collection brand.