Best Luxury Hotels in Barcelona Hotel Arts

Barcelona was once called “the city that turned its back on the sea” but that changed in 1992 when the landmark Hotel Arts opened to coincide with the 1992 Olympics and the regeneration of the city’s port.

The first of the city’s new generation of luxury hotels, the 44-story skyscraper with its Pompidou Centre–like facade, all exposed steel and glass lattice, looks out to the Mediterranean and Frank Gehry’s glimmering, copper-toned, outsized fish sculpture.

The 432 rooms and 44 suites have recently undergone a major revamp by design studio Meyer Davis in understated neutral taupes and grays, but it’s the sea views that really have the wow factor.

With five restaurants—including the superb, two-Michelin-starred Enoteca by superstar Catalan chef Paco Perez— and two pools, you won’t want to leave.

Best Amenity: The Club lounge (which serves complimentary snacks and light meals to Club-level guests all day) and the rooftop spa both have spectacular views, as does the spellbinding, 220-square-meter Art Suite.

Don’t Miss: Enoteca!.And its wine pairings. Look out for dishes like chop suey of langoustines—the tender langoustines come in a rich fish velouté topped with a halo of fluffy coriander and alfalfa foam—or green peas with baby scallops and green caviar. The organic 2023 Malvasía de Sitges Vinya La Plana from the local Catalan Penedès wine region marries blissfully with the langoustines.

From $577

Best Luxury Hotels in Barcelona El Palace

With its grand staircases, gilded ceilings, and parlor palms, Barcelona’s original luxury haunt first opened in 1919 as the Ritz hotel on one of the city’s major avenues.

Since then it has hosted everyone from Salvador Dalí and the Rolling Stones’ Ronnie Wood—both of whom have Suites named after them—to Pablo Picasso, Frank Sinatra, John Wayne, Sofia Loren, Michael Douglas, and Pierce Brosnan.

In 2005 it was reborn as El Palace and has undergone numerous revamps since then, so it’s not at all fusty.

The 114 rooms, including 24 junior suites, six superior suites, and five deluxe suites, feature lofty ceilings and marble bathrooms.

For truly palatial style, the six Art Suites—including Salvador Dali’s favorite and another designed by Ronnie Wood—have grand fireplaces, vast walk-in closets, and Roman-style mosaic tubs.

Dining options include the superb Amar, as well as a large rooftop terrace with a restaurant, garden, and pool. At the award-winning Mayan spa on the first floor, you can indulge in stress-banishing massages using volcanic rocks and medicinal herbs.

The hotel also has its own luxury speedboat if you fancy seeing the Barcelona skyline from the water.

Choose from a day out on the SeaRay SDX 270 or savor a three-hour sunset cruise with a bottle of Ruinart or Brut Reserve cava.  

Best Amenity: The hotel’s Amar restaurant is run by Rafa Zafra, a former chef at Ferran Adria’s legendary three-Michelin-starred El Bulli—five times voted the World’s Best Restaurant. Sample seafood in the grand midnight-blue dining room.

Don’t Miss: Named after Ronnie Wood, the Bluesman Cocktail Bar in the hotel’s basement is all red velvet, leather chesterfields, and 1920s chandeliers. Come for the top cocktails and a boogie (or the adjacent cigar cellar with humidors) and you might just run into a Rolling Stone.

From $490

Best Luxury Hotels in Barcelona The One Barcelona

Some hotels shout their deluxe credentials from the rooftop, but The One is all about discreet luxury.

The hotel’s 88 rooms, including 25 suites created by award-winning design studio Jaime Beriestain, are understated in ivory, dove gray, and the occasional dash of teal velvet, with Egyptian cotton bed linens and goose down comforters.

The spacious bathrooms, meanwhile, exude luxury with black marble vanity units and 18-carat gold faucets.

Gaudi’s monumental La Pedrera apartment building is less than five minutes’ walk away, as is Barcelona’s leafy shopping avenue, Passeig de Gracia, with its designer boutiques and Gaudí’s Casa Battló.

Best Amenity: If your limbs are weary from sightseeing, the small basement spa with its sauna, steam room, treatment rooms, and heated pool is the perfect place to revive them. The roof terrace also has an outdoor pool and restaurant/bar with views of Sagrada Familia.

Don’t Miss: The vast Sagrada Familia Suite has a private terrace with views of, you guessed it, Sagrada Familia—not to mention a hot tub, sun loungers, and an outdoor shower. There’s also a 1,200-square-foot Penthouse Suite with its own, even larger, private terrace.

From $500

Best Luxury Hotels in Barcelona Mandarin Oriental Barcelona

From the moment you step onto the Mandarin Oriental’s fashion runway-like entrance bridge, you know you’re going to be in for a glamorous ride.

High ceilings, ornately sculptural die-cut screens, and thick carpets set the tone in the lobby, while the 120 rooms (including 20 suites) are less flashy but similarly plush.

The vast Garden Suite also has its own private garden with sun loungers and dining area.

When it comes to food and drink you’re spoiled for choice with three restaurants, including one on the rooftop, an all-day brasserie, and the Michelin-starred Moments.

The Bankers’ Bar is lined with vault drawers, calling back to the building’s origins as the headquarters of a 1950s bank.

Best Amenity: The hotel’s expansive basement spa has a huge heated pool alongside a relaxation area, sauna, steam rooms, and treatment rooms.

Don’t Miss: The last thing you expect to find in the midst of Barcelona’s most famous shopping avenue is a tranquil oasis, but that’s what the elegant Mimosa gardens delivers, with sun loungers and a bar available in the summer.

From $1,062

Best Luxury Hotels in Barcelona Monument

Gourmands travel from around the world to savor Monument’s three-Michelin-starred temple of gastronomy: Lasarte, run by Basque culinary superstar Martin Berasategui and Paolo Casagrande.

There’s more, however, to the hotel than just the restaurant.

With a vibe that’s part Court of King Arthur, part New York loft, Monument is set in a neo-Gothic 19th-century mansion at the top of Passeig de Gracia, just yards from Gaudí’s UNESCO-listed La Pedrera (“The Quarry”) apartment block.

Meanwhile, the 84 rooms are very much 21st-century chic with exposed brick walls, black sofas, and curved wooden wardrobes.

The slate gray marble bathrooms have hexagonal tiling in a nod to the Gaudí-designed tiles on the sidewalk outside.

The supremely comfortable beds have Egyptian cotton linens, 100 percent goose-down comforters and a choice of top quality pillows, while Diptyque bathroom products add a further touch of luxury.

The basement spa is a favorite among discerning locals, especially its facials.

Best Amenity: The 13 Monument Suites facing Passeig de Gracia have balconies directly facing La Pedrera.

Don’t Miss: Lasarte is one of Barcelona’s most exceptional restaurants, complete with a knockout wine list. Look out for the chef’s table experience with curated music to accompany the supremely elegant dishes.

From $433

Best Luxury Hotels in Barcelona Cotton House

Originally built in the 19th century as a private mansion on one of Barcelona’s most prestigious avenues, this fantastically grand neoclassical palacio still has the feel of a stately home with painted ceilings, parquet flooring, antiques and modern art.

Previously the headquarters of Barcelona’s powerful Cotton Producers Guild (hence the name), the building was revamped by top Catalan interior designer Lázaro Rosa-Violán before opening in 2015 as a Marriott Autograph Collection hotel.

The 83 rooms are elegant yet warm, with ivory-toned walls and touches of teal, and products from luxury Italian brand Ortigia.

The Ottoman, Damask, and Vichy suites are especially grand with parquet floors, frescoed ceilings, and balconies facing out to the main Gran Via Avenue.

Best Amenity: With top-class Mediterranean food and a laid-back but elegant vibe, the Cotton House’s rooftop bar and restaurant have become hot ticket on their own. There’s also a saltwater pool and a library fit for an afternoon whisky.

Don’t Miss: Recalling the building’s textile industry heritage, the hotel offers a bespoke gentlemen’s tailoring service courtesy of top Barcelona couturier Santa Eulalia (Barcelona’s equivalent of a Savile Row tailor).

From $500

Best Luxury Hotels in Barcelona Nobu Barcelona

A converted 1970s office block tower by the city’s major train station may not seem an obvious location for a luxury hotel, but there’s a sense of zen-like calm from the moment you arrive at Nobu Barcelona.

It’s all in the elegant details: Japanese-style warm woods pair nicely with stylish contemporary Catalan design and Gaudí-style mosaics, from the lobby to the 259 spacious guest rooms.

It’s the upper-floor suites, though, with their floor-to-ceiling windows and city-sweeping views that will take your breath away.

As you’d expect, the food and beverages are also superb—there’s a choice of three restaurants, including the flagship Nobu.

There’s also a fully equipped gym and a spa that does sleep massages using products from Kloris, a London-based CBD brand.

The city’s Gothic quarter is only about 15 minutes away by taxi or Metro; the hotel can also organize private Gaudí tours.

Best Amenity: Barcelona’s tallest open-air hotel rooftop, complete with a plunge pool, has almost 360-degree views of the city and DJ sessions in the summer.

Don’t Miss: The panoramic views are equally impressive at the 23rd-floor restaurant, where you can sample the excellent buffet breakfast or enjoy Nobu’s reliably top-class menu. Star dishes include Nobu’s own specialities and those inspired by Barcelona’s coast.

From $294

Best Luxury Hotels in Barcelona Almanac

Open in 2018, the sleek Almanac in the heart of Barcelona’s downtown is one of the newer kids on the proverbial block, and it’s already standing out.

Cleverly converted from two office blocks, the high central atrium and contemporary décor—all monochrome marble with gold accents and statement lighting—comes courtesy of top Catalan design studio Jaime Beriestain.

The 60 spacious rooms and 30 suites are all equally stylish with luxurious, 300-thread-count bed linen and high-tech Japanese lavatories.

The Artist’s Suites come with their own private terraces and gifts of signed lithographs by contemporary artists.

If you need a private chauffeur, the hotel will arrange one.

You can also cool down in the plunge pool; try mixologist cocktails at the Azimuth bar; or enjoy a quick workout in the 24-hour gym.

Best Amenity: The hotel’s rooftop terrace has stellar city views—take a closer look with the provided binoculars.

Don’t Miss: Michelin-starred chef Rodrigo de la Calle dishes up a primarily plant-based fine dining menu at the popular Virens. Locally sourced vegetables make up 80 percent of each dish and the wine or nonalcoholic pairings are particularly good.

From $350

Best Luxury Hotels in Barcelona Grand Hotel Central

Barcelona’s top hotels tend to fall into one of two camps—either grand 19th-century buildings or super modern ones—but the Grand Hotel Central is neither.

Originally built as a private mansion in the 1920s on one of the city’s major avenues, just moments away from the city’s Gothic cathedral and Picasso Museum, the hotel was given a deluxe makeover in 2024.

The chic new interiors highlight the building’s original high-ceilinged grandeur with outsize contemporary sculptures and lofty columns in the lobby.

The 147 rooms, including six spacious junior suites and six master suites, ooze glamour.

Additional luxuries include Marshall Bluetooth speakers and bathroom products from upscale Barcelona brand Carner. There’s also a small spa and the young staff are super helpful.

Best Amenity: If wandering the streets of Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter has left you hot and weary, there’s no better place to cool down than on the hotel’s rooftop terrace with its bar, restaurant, and 32-foot infinity pool.

Don’t Miss: The hotel’s ground-floor restaurant Can Bo serves great seasonal and locally sourced tapas and Catalan dishes, alongside an excellent wine list in a swish dining room. Don’t miss the garlicky grilled cuttlefish with parsley or the porcini mushroom and eggplant cannelloni.

From $260

Best Luxury Hotels in Barcelona Hotel Ohla

If you’re visiting Barcelona you’re most likely going to visit the Gothic Quarter, as well as the famous Ramblas and Gaudí buildings—and the Hotel Ohla is within easy walking distance of all three.

Originally home to Barcelona’s first department store, there’s a sense of quirky drama in the high-ceilinged lobby with its black walls and ceramic white masks.

The 74 rooms have a more minimal feel with white walls, wooden flooring, and dashes of black and violet.

The hotel also has two restaurants: one for casual but contemporary tapas as well as the Michelin-starred Caelis.

Best Amenity: Pillow menus are nothing new but the Ohla staff will offer you not just a selection of pillows but also a choice of fabrics, including percale cotton, linen, or satin, as well as a range of pillow scents.

Don’t Miss: The rooftop terrace has a bar and pool with lovely views over the Gothic Quarter.

From $524