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The best hotels in Barcelona
Whether you're embarking on a Gaudí pilgrimage, exploring the charming Gothic quarter or checking out the many modern art galleries, the Catalan capital is full to the brim with history, culture and art. However, with an average 300 days of sunshine a year, taking to the beach or enjoying a relaxed meal in one of the city’s picturesque squares is just as enjoyable. Arguably, Barcelona has it all. Luckily, you are also spoiled for choice when it comes to hotel options. From the small and boutique to the grand and historic and everything in between, here are the best hotels in Barcelona to book now.
What’s the best part of Barcelona to stay in?
If you want to stay right in the city centre, the neighbourhoods surrounding Las Ramblas (Gótico, El Born and El Raval) are your best bet. However, next door, the area of Eixample is often a preferred choice. Its likeable and charming with its wide tree-lined streets and Modernista buildings and both quieter and less crowded. It’s also where you will find some of the best boutique and design-led hotels alongside excellent restaurants and shopping. If it’s proximity to the beach you’re after, choose Poblenou, while if you’re looking for a more local vibe, book a hotel in Gracia or Sarria.
How we chose the best hotels in Barcelona
These properties have been chosen by our Barcelona specialist for their location, service levels and relevance to each specific audience.
The best hotels in Barcelona:
1/8Grand Hotel Central, Gothic Quarter
Best hotel in Barcelona for: the finest rooftop in town
Starting out life as the private home of of revered politician and patron of culture and arts, Francesc Cambó, this building was the very first to be constructed on what is now one of Barcelona’s most well known streets, Vía Layetana. Built in the rationalist style by Adolf Florensa in 1926, the history of the space reverberates throughout but it’s Cambo's former private residence and spectacular garden on the property’s rooftop that is particularly special. Currently open exclusively for hotel guests via historic tours, it is soon to become an exciting cultural space.
The design of the hotel also pays homage to the past following a top-to-toe refurb last year by London-based design studio, Sagrada. Bedrooms feature bespoke furniture inspired by the clean lines and natural materials used within the Catalan Noucentisme movement while a soft colour palette of earthy tones, muted blues, and blush pinks creates a relaxed and luxurious feel.
Beyond this, the modern rooftop, a few floors down from Cambo's garden, is one of Barcelona’s largest. With an infinity pool, views across the old city and a spacious restaurant and bar area, it's the jewel in the Grand Hotel Central’s crown whether it's for morning yoga, an afternoon dip or sundowner wine.
Price per night: From £289 per room per night including breakfast
Address: Via Laietana, 30, Ciutat Vella, 08003 Barcelona
2/8Wittmore, Gothic Quarter
Best hotel in Barcelona for: a romantic weekend away
Hidden down one of the Gothic quarter’s tiny backstreets, Wittmore is not easy to find and that’s part of its charm. Just a small sign notifies you have arrived at the discreet check-in desk, the rest of the hotel hidden behind large red velvet curtains like a secret club.
This sense of secrecy is reflected further by the low lighting, dark colours and plush furniture across the 22-bedroom adults-only property. There’s a ruby red thread throughout from the fabric wallpaper in the corridors and painted ceilings in the bathrooms to the tartan carpet on the floor – it feels subtly sexy in all the right ways.
Built around an internal courtyard that boasts Barcelona’s largest vertical garden, a big appeal here is that you are guaranteed complete quiet and a real sense of tranquility whilst being in the heart of the city’s action. That’s if you want to leave; the rooftop terrace comes with a plunge pool framed by canary-yellow striped sunbeds while the ground floor restaurant-bar Contraband is a destination in itself with an open fire, library of stylish tomes and sculptural installations from local floral artist, Fàtima Valldeperas – it makes an ideal space for enjoying a cocktail, the Catalan-inspired fare or regular line-up of weekend DJs.
Price per night: from £282
Address: Carrer de Riudarenes, 7, Ciutat Vella, 08002 Barcelona
RAFAEL VARGAS3/8Casa Sagnier, Eixample
Best hotel in Barcelona for: discreet luxury
Casa Sagnier is a quiet and cosseting hotel right on one of Barcelona's busiest streets, not that you'd ever know it unless you opened your balcony doors and stepped onto one of their lovely terraces with your morning tea. Rambla de Catalunya is filled with shops and bars, and at this end of the boulevard, it's a bit more relaxed but well-placed for getting around.
The hotel itself is a symphony of dark wood and cool interiors, making it an immediate escape from the outside world as soon as you step inside. There are bars on each side – one is Cafe de l'Arcitecte, the main restaurant and bar that is open all day, while the other is more of a lounge space where breakfast is served. On the top of the hotel is a lovely secret roof terrace, where an honesty bar allows you to have a quiet drink in the sun, or order from room service for something more extensive.
As for the rooms, expect midcentury furnishings and an overwhelming sense of calm. Some rooms have small terraces, others larger ones and some none at all, but they are all cool, calm and aim to have as little impact on the environment as possible.
Price per night: from £372
Address: Rambla de Catalunya, 104, Eixample, 08008 Barcelona
4/8El Palace, Eixample
Best hotel in Barcelona for: old school glamour
Still referred to as the Barcelona Ritz by some locals, this storied building has been welcoming guests since 1919. The oldest luxury hotel in the city, known today as El Palace, has some tales to tell; Salvador Dalì famously ordered a white horse to his room to paint, while Rolling Stone Ronnie Wood made it his temporary home. Both now have suites in their honour.
On entering the hotel, you sense its decadent past immediately. Doormen in top hats greet you before you are whisked to The Hall (the lobby meets bar) with its opulent Baroque decor reminiscent of a miniature Versailles. Think velvet drapes, marble columns and oriental vases. The rooms themselves are a palette cleanser, elegant and luxurious without being over the top.
Just a few blocks down from Paseo de Grácia, the city’s main shopping avenue and address of two of Gaudí’s most impressive mansions, El Palace is well placed for exploring on foot. Although, it might be hard to leave the hotel; there’s the Mayan-themed spa, an expansive rooftop and Amar, a seafood restaurant helmed by Rafa Zafra, the former head chef at El Bulli, once the world’s best restaurants.
Price per night: from £362
Address: Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes, 668, L'Eixample, 08010 Barcelona
5/8The Hoxton, Poblenou
Best hotel in Barcelona for: a beachside break in the coolest part of town
When it comes to Barcelona beaches, Poblenou boasts the best and The Hoxton’s first Spain outpost takes prime position in this neighbourhood. Poblenou isn’t just known for the beach though, this ex-industrial area has become a creative and cultural hub with contemporary galleries, artisan coffee shops and craft beer bars.
The Hoxton takes inspiration from the immediate area itself, in particular the nearby studio of late architect, Ricardo Bofill. The interiors reference his colourful geometric forms and use of simple local materials like ceramic tiles, terracotta and concrete. Bedrooms favour a mediterranean colour palette with ocean blue, sunny yellow and olive green hues and feature floor to ceiling windows, locally sourced handcrafted tapestries and The Hoxton’s signature statement headboards (this time in sage green).
Much like all Hoxton hotels, the lobby is a destination itself, with both locals and visitors propping up at the bar for a natural wine, stopping by the bodega for a curated selection of snacks or sampling the Italian-American dishes at Four Corners, the ground floor restaurant. However, when the sun is shining (and often it is), the rooftop poolside taco bar with views of the Sagrada Familia is the place to be.
Price per night: from £118
Address: Av. Diagonal, 205, Sant Martí, 08018 Barcelona
6/8Sir Victor, Eixample
Best hotel in Barcelona for: calm seekers and spa lovers
Situated at the very top of Paseo de Grácia, where Eixample meets Gracia, Sir Victor’s unusual façade is the first sign of what’s in store. Architect Juli Capella’s limestone panels open like pages of a book giving just the right amount of privacy and sunlight into the bedrooms behind.
Smart design touches create comfort and calm in a minimalist and stylish way throughout. This starts in the lobby with its padded banquettes and oversized carrara marble pool table and continues as you follow the black rubber-lined corridors designed to absorb sound. The rooms are a tranquil escape with dark walnut furniture and beveled marble and black leather details.
For added relaxation, there’s also an impressive state-of-the-art spa with indoor pool. When it comes to eating and drinking, head to the rooftop pool bar and spot Gaudí’s La Pedrera a mere block away and Sagrada Familia in the distance. Or, try MR PORTER, the ground-floor restaurant which is a hit with visitors and locals alike both for its signature steaks and line-up of veggie dishes – a rare combination. Plus, don’t miss the on-site library of female authors that pays homage to the hotel’s namesake, the 19th-century Catalan writer Caterina Albert i Paradís who used the male pseudonym Víctor Català.
Price per night: from £212 a night
Address: C/ del Rosselló, 265, L'Eixample, 08008
7/8Primero Primera, Sarrià
Best hotel in Barcelona for: a stylish home away from home
If you want to be truly away from the hustle and bustle, the upscale neighbourhood of Sarrià is a good bet. At the foot of the Collserola park, nature is on your doorstep and there’s also a handful of noteworthy delis, artisan bakeries and restaurants. Plus, in 15 minutes, the train whisks you to the central Plaça de Catalunya.
Primero Primera takes its name from the family who have lived on the first floor of the building since 1955 – not just any family but the Perez-Salas of motorsports fame who have transformed this mid-20th-century property into a charming boutique hotel. The 30 bed property has a very welcoming atmosphere thanks to touches like the honesty bar where guests tally up their own tabs. Rooms are individually designed but all are spacious, filled with light and decorated with antique furniture.
The hidden bougainvillaea-filled garden with its kidney-shaped pool is a real highlight and a delightful place to spend an afternoon. Although there are many eating options nearby, the hotel’s all-day Planta Baja restaurant is locally revered. Serving up modern Catalan fare, it’s known for its fresh and seasonal dishes designed to be shared.
Price per night: from £178
Address: Carrer del Dr. Carulla, 25, Sarrià-Sant Gervasi, 08017 Barcelona
8/8Cotton House Hotel, Eixample
Best hotel in Barcelona for: a joyful romantic escape
Cotton by name, cotton by nature, this hotel is housed in the former headquarters of the Cotton Textile Foundation and they really have run with the theme. Bedrooms are split into four cotton-themed categories (Cotton, Egyptian, Panama, Madras) and at the Gossypium (the concierge desk which takes its name from the Latin word) guests can order hand-stitched shirts from one of the city’s best tailors (in cotton, of course).
Barcelona’s most famous interior designer Lázaro Rosa-Violán has worked his magic here, mixing the historic and the modern with ease. Original details from the 19th-century neoclassical building such as the marble staircase, parquet flooring and boiserie embellishing sit seamlessly next to bold modern art, sculptural lighting and floor-to-ceiling mirrors. The mood is a little theatrical and very fun.
For enjoying a coffee or cocktail, there’s a lovely lush interior patio, a cocooning library stacked high with books or a rooftop with an outdoor salt water pool and magnificent views. When something more substantial is required, the Batuar’s Catalan cuisine and extensive drinks menu (there’s 30 varieties of rum), more than suffices.
Price per night: from £252
Address: Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes, 670, L'Eixample, 08010 Barcelona
