What a joy to experience the fantastic in Barcelona. These hotels give you luxurious amenities in dramatic, sensual Spanish settings infused with the independent spirit that is Catalonia. Enjoy getting lost in her storied streets lined with iconic melting, morphing masterpieces that may be set in stone but appear too impossible to be real. At night she becomes an enchantress, seducing visitors with her breathtaking rooftop vistas and equally breathtaking histories that include beguiling the likes of Cervantes, Picasso and Woody Allen. There is no special ticket required here. A simple stroll gives you access to the genius wrapped in a dream that is Barcelona. Come in search of originality, and return to your origins.
“Originality consists in returning to the origin.” –– Antoni Gaudí
El Palauet Living
Art Nouveau with a view of Passeig de Gràcia
Art Nouveau meets minimalism in an old-meets-newarchitecture designed by Catalan architect Pere Falquésin 1906. Vaulted ceilings and stained glass windowsprovide an elaborate canvas for the light, brightminimal interior design of six apartment-style suitesthat brim with original features including a ceiling lampin the shape of grapes on the vine that lights up in goldand green, and a crystal chandelier with 14,000 piecesof Bohemian glass. Huge suites, larger than manyhomes, done in the Art Nouveau style featured furnituredesigned by a who’s-who of architectural and productdesign–– Citterio, Eames, Jacobsen, Starck and vander Rohe. There’s plenty to love at El Palauet Living with all the latest technology and a central locationwithin walking distance to Gaudí’s La Pedrera as wellas La Sagrada Familia, Las Ramblas, and La Boqueríamarket. After a day of touring, eating and shopping onthe chic streets of Eixample, grab a bottle of a local redwine and head up to your suite to enjoy the sunset overthe surreal spires of this magical city.
Hotel Omm
An architectural gem
The philosophy behind the design of the captivating Hotel Omm boldly incorporates Barcelona’s best elements––cuisine, entertainment, and innovative modern luxury. Its limestone façade features Juli Capella’s angle windows, a standout signature of the design with patches of limestone that seem to blow in an invisible wind. The pulse of the hotel can be found at one-Michelin star Roca Moo, one of Barcelona’s best restaurants. After dinner be sure to take in the jaw-dropping elegance poolside, on the rooftop terrace with views of the Sagrada Familia, Gaudi’s Casa Milà and the lights of Montjuïc. After a night in the city, you’ll relish your stay in Suite Paseo de Gracia, an exquisite retreat with incredible views of the most luxurious part of the city. The king-size, fourposter bed highlights the spacious suite designed with all-natural materials and modular furniture. Exquisite, free-standing bathtubs provide the perfect indulgence for your stay. After a day of touring, you will welcome a Rituals of the World treatment at Spaciomm, an Asia-inspired centre for wellness, focusing on promoting harmony between mind and body.
Ohla
Feel like royalty
Set on the former site of the palace of the first Count of Barcelona, this historic building with Neo-classical features is anything but stuffy when you step inside. Ohla is playful, yet sophisticated interior intrigues as does Frederic Amat’s sculpture. Chef Martín Rodríguez, a one-time world traveller, has checked his bags and instead opted to take guests on a culinary trip around the globe to the places that inspired him most, from his native Uruguay to Barcelona. La Plassohla combines world-class fine dining and people-watching through picture windows that frame busy Carrer Comtal, one of the cities best spots to see and be seen. The perfect central location is close to Portal de l’Angel, Palau de la Musica, International House, and Las Ramblas. A stay in the sensual Penthouse Suite allows you the privacy of inhabiting the entire upper floor of the hotel with panoramic views of Barcelona. The Ohla experience features a Dream Team that act like sleep whisperers, Bath Butlers dedicated to drawing your perfect bath, and centres on raising the happiness quotient of every guest.
El Palace
Surreal romance in the Gothic Quarter
Take your place in art history with a stay at Suite Dalí, where Salvador Dalí and his wife Gala lived for a time, enjoying the surreal like when the master transformed himself into artwork in the mosaic roman bath––photographed along with gorgeous models. Imagine the artist delivering a stuffed white horse to his wife as a gift. The elegant and artistic energy of Suite Dalí is one for the ages, combining period Italian damask patterns and reverently restored antiques that will leave you wishing the walls could talk. Extravagant roots run deep here. César Ritz acquired El Palace as one of the first four flagships of the legendary brand. Luxury has come a long way since then when a private bathroom with a marble bath and high-end plumbing was considered lavish. Welcome home to opulent interiors featuring marble colonnades, crystal chandeliers and upholstered seating fit for royalty. For breathtaking romance, enjoy The Winter Garden Restaurant, one of the world’s most intimate rooftop dining experiences. The indoor garden honours its past and inspires your future with artworkby Carol Moreno.
Hotel Espana Ramblas
Evocative history in the heart of Barcelona
Located in the beating heart of Barcelona, just a stroll away from Las Ramblas, this Lluís Domènech i Montaner creation of the 19th century was renovated in 2010 and is one of the oldest hotels in the city. Its deep modernist roots began from humble beginnings as a boarding house. Then a massive renovation led to Montaner commissioning the painter Ramón Casas to undertake the sgraffito decoration of the dining room, currently called Salón de las Sirenas (the Sirens Lounge). He also commissioned Eusebi Arnau, who sculpted the five-metre high alabaster fireplace in the meeting room. Chef Xavier Sender delights in Restaurante Fonda España––the namesake of the first hotel on the property in 1859––serving modern twists on traditional cuisine and amidst the historic modernist elements of the beautiful Modernista dining room. An elegant, spacious sanctuary for rest and rejuvenation, Suite Ramblas features spacious high-tech apartment living and a luxurious bathroom. An outdoor terrace with views of the Raval quarter bathes the suite in lots of natural light.
Wittmore
Adults only. No pets. No photos. No comparison.
Tucked away in the Gótico or Gothic Quarter of Ciutat Vella, meaning Old City, you continue walking down one of its darkest alleys. There are no signs. Just a doorman standing at the end of Riudarenes Street. This just got good. The mysterious entrance, portrait of the Wittmore’s royal namesake and plenty of dark corners in the lobby set the intriguing mood. Inspired by the Chiltern Firehouse, its distinctly Scottish appointments give the hotel a Sherlock Holmes vibe where anything can happen. Chef Albert Ventura bucks every trend at Witty Restaurant, cloaked behind red curtains in the lobby with a conservatory feel featuring Mediterranean cuisine that earned a Michelin Star he wouldn’t accept. A beautiful garden, rooftop swimming pool and terrace showcase stunning sunsets and cocktails by masterful mixologists. Retire to The Wittmore Suite before a night on the town to enjoy a spacious retreat featuring a sophisticated, comfortable living area alive with natural light streaming from a gorgeous interior patio. You feel right at home in the section of Barcelona that has attracted romantics and artists alike for centuries.
Murmuri
Escape like a local
Glamorous and low key, Kelly Hoppen’s stylish interiors and hotel’s location in the swanky Eixample district on Rambla de Catalunya will have you feeling like a pampered Catalonian with their own luxurious crash pad at Murmuri, one of Barcelona’s most exclusive addresses. Your intimate escape from the busy promenade outside hits all the right notes––understated elegance meets cool urban chic. Breakfast at the light-filled ElPassatge is a great way to start the day of shopping at this mecca of high-end brands––Gucci, Jimmy Choo, and Bvlgari. When shopping turns to touring, Casa Mila and Casa Bátllo are within walking distance. Penthouse Concepció feels like you walked into fabulous, with a fully-equipped kitchen, a living/dining room, and two expansive fully-furnished private terraces, positioned perfectly for guests to be able to take the sun all day long. Located in the middle of the Barcelonese Eixample guests can enjoy quiet in the heart of the city. Half of the rooms come with balconies or outdoor terraces, perfect for soaking in the warm weather.
Soho House
Luxury and fun on the seafront
This Spanish-designed Soho House infuses your stay in Barcelona with the beauty of the sense of place as an element of design. Cecconi’s boasts century-old pizza ovens from a nearby bakery in Badalona and vaulted ceilings. Club, a social space, features a Mediterranean restaurant serving up traditional specials like tapas, sea bass and mango ceviche, Iberian pork and ham. After dinner grab a drink at the marble-top bar then head up to the roof terrace. Poolside views of the Port Vell marina stun. The inspiration for the spa came from the design of a 1930 Spanish pharmacy. Called The Cowshed, the spa features an indoor pool and a place called the Green Room bar and cinema. Custom amenities include “One while changing” where staff helps you kickstart the evening by bringing a drink trolly to your room with a bartender making whatever drink you would like, including a Soho Mule poured into signature copper mugs with ginger candies. A great warm up to get your groove on at the Marina Room where DJs will have you dancing until mañana.
Room Mate Anna
Hip and colourful
Spanish interior designer Lorenzo Castillo transformed the 81 rooms of Room Mate Anna with the colourful and whimsical including abstract prints, and rooms featuring stylish fabrics and throws. Bold accents like red lacquer headboards and black-tiled bathrooms surprise. Upon entering the lobby, you feel more like you’ve entered a nightclub than a hotel with dark walls and golden portholes. Each of the five Room Mate hotels in Barcelona introduces guests to a different character. Meet Anna. She loves products made with green tea and whimsical decor like fish-motif wallpaper and rooms that colour guests happy. And she loves to be in touch, so the hotel makes sure that when you head out, they send you with a complimentary portable Wi-Fi router. Anna is big on breakfast but wants to go out on the town for the rest of her meals, so you will have to catch your lunch and dinner in the city. But she’s a good hostess, so she sees to it that the Cocovail Beer Hall across the road will keep you in burgers and grilled flatbreads just in case you decide to take advantage of an evening in after a busy day of touring.
THE SERRAS
Pablo’s magical marina
There is nothing like finding a safe harbour to reflect and rejuvenate. From your balcony at the 28-room The Serras, serenity washes over you as you gaze at Port Vell marina, originally constructed for the 1992 Olympics now home to 148 luxury berths––a bucket-list destination for yachts up to 190 meters. The view makes your already large room feel even more expansive. Your balcony provides a front-row seat to observe this chic Barcelona neighbourhood and feel sea breezes off the Mediterranean. The 19th-century structure was designed by Francesc Daniel Molina on Passeig de Colom and features statement-making, elegant interiors designed by Eva Martinez. Home to Pablo Picasso’s first studio and the site where he painted Ciencia y Caridad in 1897, history, art and the delight of the senses add to the magic of this hotel. Today, instead of finding Pablo working away at his masterpiece you will find a stylish rooftop veranda with breathtaking views and El Sueño de Pablo which features a plunge pool and a gorgeous bar made with wood, iron and stone. Sharing plates and hearty paellas will entice you to stay a bit longer.