Barcelona’s Best Hotels
There is no shortage of good hotels in Barcelona. Still, if you choose one of Barcelona’s best hotels it will make your holiday that much more special.
I’ve listed a few of my favourites below. They’re places I’ve visited myself, and the ones I recommend to friends. Are they Barcelona’s best hotels? I think so.
Barcelona Areas
By far the best way to narrow the choice down is to decide what area you’d like to stay in. That comes down to what you want to see and do when you’re in Barcelona.
You’ll see the Ciutat Vella talked about frequently, and for the most part that’s where tourists want to be. Eixample and Gracia are the others, but I’ll get onto those shortly. Be aware that Ciutat Vella is literally just ‘old town’ in Catalan. It’s divided into a few distinct areas: El Gòtic; El Born; El Raval; and La Barceloneta as a side-note (technically, it’s not in the old town).
Each area has its own character, and that may help guide your choice:
El Gòtic
El Gòtic is the Gothic Quarter, home to the cathedral, some Roman ruins and parts of the original city walls. Also the Jewish quarter (El Call) features a maze of narrow alleys. It can be a joy to get lost here.
I’d recommend this area for first-time visitors who want to be in the middle of things. Particularly those on a short stay. You’re between El Born and El Raval here, so the attractions either side are an easy walk.
Things to see: MUHBA; Cathedral; Placa Real; Las Ramblas
Upside: Literally in the middle of everything. The narrow streets can be charming.
Downside: This is tourist central, so a lot of restaurants, bars, and shops are tacky tourist joints. Some hotels are only accessible by foot. Streets can be clogged with foot traffic.
Best El Gòtic Hotels
Hotel Neri
Hotel Neri is arguably the best way to soak up the atmosphere of Barcelona’s historic Barri Gòtic. For genuine period style, it is easily one of Barcelona’s best luxury hotels.
Hotel Neri Relais & Châteaux is located in a maze of narrow Gotic quarter streets.
You will not even be able to get a taxi to the door after 10am, but never fear, if you organize a hotel transfer they’ll send the concierge to greet you in the nearby Plaça de Sant Jaume (I’d recommend that).
Hotel Neri occupies two original buildings, one of which is a 12th century palace. The charm of the old buildings is evident from the moment you enter the foyer, but a tasteful recent renovation means the rooms feature all the modern conveniences you expect of a hotel in this price range.
There are only 22 rooms here, making it a true boutique stay. Some are better than others, however. If you have the budget for it, choose the Junior Suite. Apparently in the 12th century people didn’t build large rooms, and this one (at 39sqm) does give you more of a sense of space than the 30sqm Deluxe. The Classic rooms are 23sqm; something to bear in mind when booking.
If you do feel cooped-up indoors, Neri features a rather charming rooftop terrace for guest use.
There are also Casa Neri Apartments in a nearby building, which I haven’t seen, though a rooftop plunge pool and apartments with separate living areas and kitchenettes may be up your street.
Hotel Neri is not cheap, but for a short stay right in the middle of the main attractions it is hard to beat.
Book it here.
Hotel Mercer Barcelona
In a similar push-the-boat-out price range, Hotel Mercer Barcelona does deliver with a spectacular location, and large (by European standards) rooms.
Book it here.
El Born
El Born is home to a number of tourist attractions. It is also home to a lot of expats. El Born has a more gentrified feel than other parts of the Ciutat Vella. Upscale restaurants and bars are plentiful, and there are narrow streets with charming independent boutiques to explore.
Things to see: Santa Caterina Market; Picasso Museum; El Born CCM; City park
Upside: Hundreds of bars and restaurants at your doorstep, and many of them are good. Easy access to the Gothic Quarter and the waterfront.
Downside: Lots of tourists and lots of bars can add up to noisy nighttime scenes. The charming Passeig del Born (pictured above) is often heaving with drunk juniors late into the night. Ugh.
Best El Born Hotels
The Barcelona Edition
The new-build Barcelona Edition opened in 2018, and combines modern luxury and design with an unparalleled city-centre location. If you’re looking for modern chic in a fantastic central location, you should consider The Edition. It’s easily one of Barcelona’s best luxury hotels.
Famed hotelier Ian Schrager has an eye for on-trend cities and locations, and the newly-built Barcelona Edition hits both those nails on the head. Located right next to the fab Santa Caterina market, Edition is smack-bang in the middle of the Barcelona action.
With 100 rooms (which is at the edge of what I’d consider a boutique hotel) you get that feel that you’re more than a mere number here.
Rooms start at 24 sq m (258 sq ft), and are finished in neutral tones. You also get a Nespresso machine, and all the tech gadgetry you’d expect, including free Internet.
Our pick would be the rooms with the Santa Caterina view, though the extra charge may be a bit much. Edition is hardly a budget option, though the location is hard to beat, and there are few new builds in this part of town.
Also, there’s a terrific rooftop space with a small plunge pool, though the bar here is open to the public.
Book your stay at The Barcelona Edition here.
Yurbban Passage Hotel & Spa
Yurbban Passage Hotel & Spa is close to the Plaça de Catalunya. It literally connects the El Born and Eixample districts, and I think it offers the best of both worlds.
Okay, it’s a bit of a cheat as an ‘El Born hotel,’ as the Yurbban Passage fronts onto a street that is technically in the Eixample. The passage part refers to a public passage running under the hotel that takes you into El Born though, and that’s why we’re here.
This is actually an advantage – you have the convenience of the wider Eixample streets for your arrival, while the charms of both districts are at your doorstep.
Rooms are fairly compact (21sqm) until you get to the suites (42sqm), and some face the interior – by which I mean they look out at the narrow passage – so for space and light you’re looking at Junior Suites and outward-facing rooms respectively.
There’s a cute little swimming pool on the rooftop, and a pretty funky-looking restaurant too (though I haven’t eaten there…)
Hotel Rec Barcelona
The Hotel Rec Barcelona is a rare wallet-friendly Barcelona hotel. To a degree, you get what you pay for. However, the Rec does have a few things working in its favor.
This new-build hotel near the Arc de Triomf is on my list for two reasons – it’s cheap by Barcelona standards, and because one of my favourite restaurants occupies half the ground floor.
Now, cheap and value may not actually equate. The Rec is not for you unless you don’t mind a small room. Standard rooms are only 15sqm. The Superior Deluxe rooms are better at 25sqm, but you’re paying more, obviously.
Still, the bigger rooms offer relative value. Plus, the Rec is an adults-only establishment, so if the pitter patter of little feet grate on you, this may be a good choice.
A rooftop terrace, with a pool, bar, and lounge round-out what is not a bad offering.
El Raval
El Raval is the newer area built inside the walls of the Ciutat Vella, which had been used for agriculture before the walls around the old city were demolished. Most of the buildings here date to the 1800s, so there’s still plenty of charm in the architecture.
El Raval was once known as the Barri Xinès and was home to a lot of crime and prostitution. A lot of locals still warn people off visiting. Full disclosure: it’s also where I stay, for the most part, and therefore I have a warmer feeling for the place than many.
El Raval is gentrifying. This means you get quite a lot of hipster restaurants and bars alongside stores catering to some of Barcelona’s newly-arrived communities. It’s cosmopolitan and colourful, though there are still some less than savoury types around.
Things to see: La Boqueria; Palau Guell; MACBA; CCCB; Maritime Museum.
Upside: Home to a lot of attractions; dynamic dining scene; cheaper than other areas; easy walk to the Gothic Quarter, and to Sant Antoni, Poble Sec, and Montjuic in the other direction.
Downside: Dodgy characters abound; not as sparkly clean as some areas; noisy tourists.
Best El Raval Hotels
Casa Camper
On-trend shoe brand, Camper, is likely to do things a little differently to your standard hotelier. It does. And Casa Camper is in one of my favourite El Raval streets. For its quirky design style, and fab location, Casa Camper is easily one of Barcelona’s best luxury hotels.
Camper may be famous for its shoes, but you’re not necessarily staying in a shoebox here (yuk, yuk).
Housed in a couple of old buildings on the fabulous Carrer d’Elisabets, Casa Camper is in a prime El Raval address. There are numerous cafés, boutiques, and galleries within a couple of blocks.
With only 40 rooms, Casa Camper reserves most of its space for guests – you need to be buzzed into the lobby – and provides a 24-hour buffet with sandwiches, snacks, soft drinks, coffee and the like in the lobby area and at the pleasant rooftop terrace. Plus there’s an honesty bar and a ‘rain machine’ under which you can cool off on a hot day. There’s no pool though.
Rooms are…interesting.
The ‘Garden’ rooms (pictured) are actually two rooms. The main bedroom area has a bathroom that faces into an internal courtyard, which provides some natural light. (The courtyard isn’t accessible, so you’re unlikely to get a nasty surprise when you’re bathing). And across the hallway is another small room with a sofa, flat screen TV and hammock, and a tiny balcony overlooking the street.
It is an unusual arrangement, though may work well if your travel companion is a compulsive late-night TV junkie, I guess.
‘City’ rooms are in the other building – access is via lifts with doors on both sides – and are more regular all-in-one affairs.
Barcelo Raval
In the heart of Rambla del Raval, Barcelo Raval is a good value-for-money hotel by Barcelona standards. It even has a cool rooftop bar!
Barcelo Raval represents good value for Barcelona hotels, particularly as the smallest of the rooms are a reasonably spacious 25sqm.
Located on the Rambla del Raval, Barcelo is close to a number of good restaurants, and sights, and easy walking distance to the Gothic Quarter, or lively Sant Antoni in the other direction.
I’ll be honest: I find it difficult to get my head around Rambla del Raval. The tree-lined Rambla is only around 300m long, but you have some pretty average tourist restaurants at one end, Barcelo Raval and some moble phone shops and the like in the middle, and at the east end are a number of really quite good restaurants and bars.
Weird.
Anyway. Barcelo Raval is a modern high-rise, that brings with it the benefits of a modern high rise, such as functional lifts, views from the rooms, and even a rooftop bar offering vistas across the city in almost all directions.
What you don’t get are the charms of an older building, so swings and roundabouts I guess. It’s still a good choice for El Raval, and the rates are competitive.
La Barceloneta
La Barceloneta was built in the 18th century to house people displaced when a fort was built in El Born. The beach was shipped-in at a later date, but has become an attraction in its own right. I’ll be honest – I’m not a huge fan. On the other hand I do like wandering past Port Vell to check out the superyachts in the harbor.
Things to see: Port Vell; Beach.
Upside: It’s a pleasant enough promenade along the beachfront. This is the area most people head to for paella (which is not a Catalan dish, but what the hey!). The hotels are not in amongst the narrow streets that can be messy.
Downside: The narrow streets are much less charming than El Gòtic and El Born. And they’re often overflowing with badly-behaved tourists and rental apartments.
Best La Barceloneta Hotels
Hotel Arts
Okay, technically, Hotel Arts is in Port Olímpic rather than La Barceloneta, but it is right next door. This modern high rise hotel is part of the Ritz Carlton hotel chain, and it shows.
I’ll admit – it’s been quite a while since I stayed at the Hotel Arts, but that’s not to say it isn’t a good hotel.
Room rates look high at first glance, but considering the rooms start at 40sqm in size that puts the Hotel Arts pretty much in the Barcelona ballpark.
What you get here that you don’t at most Barcelona hotels is sea views, assuming you book a room facing that direction. I would – that seems to me to be the main attraction in the area.
That said, the Hotel Arts is home to six F&B outlets – including the two-Michelin-star Enoteca Paco Pérez – so foodies may never need to actually leave the premises.
If I sound luke-warm on the Arts, it’s mainly because in my current situation I’m spoiled for ocean views, and because I like the labyrinthine streets of the old town. Arts may not be a small hotel with 483 rooms, but it delivers the service and the standards you expect at this price.
And it has sea views too. Did I mention that?
W Barcelona
W Barcelona gives fans of the brand a brilliant beachfront base, and it’s right on a nudist beach too! Okay, maybe that doesn’t sound like a feature of Barcelona’s best luxury hotels, but the W really delivers on other fronts.
The W Barcelona stands alone, literally, like a giant sail at the edge of the sea.
It has all the design flair you expect of the W brand, and with its location at at the end of Barcelona’s main beach offers views over the water and beach. The F&B outlets are highly recommended too.
Needless to say, if you’re a fan of the W design, then this one is for you.
This is another hotel that looks expensive at first glance, though the standard rooms at 39sqm are twice the size of some.
Be aware that the W is adjacent to a nudist beach. It was a bit of a shock to open my curtain in the morning only to see a naked bloke walking around. Where does he keep his keys? So many questions one doesn’t wish to contemplate before the day’s first coffee…or ever.
If you like walking that’s a good thing, because the W is a bit away from things. But you can stroll along the beachfront and past the marina to get to the attractions. Give yourself half an hour to get into the old town.
If the W style does it for you, there’s not much else that comes close.
Eixample
Eixample is ‘the extension’ designed by Ildefonso Cerdá after the walls of the city were demolished in the mid 1800s. Cerdá’s grid layout featuring square blocks with chamfered corners are Barcelona icons.
Eixample is roughly twice the size of the Ciutat Vella, and is home to Barcelona’s wealthier residents. The new space also gave the modernista architects a blank palette. So Eixample is home to the bulk of their iconic buildings as well as the grande dame hotels that appeared at the end of the 19th century.
Cerdá’s layout also features a number of leafy boulevards that connect the city and house its more fashionable retail outlets. Most of the really good Eixample hotels are on, or adjacent to, these boulevards.
Upside: Chi-chi shopping; modernista masterpieces; grand boulevards; elegant, and surprisingly intact architecture; good transport links; upmarket feel.
Downside: Less lively atmosphere than many parts of the old town; it’s a big area – some Eixample hotels are not close to attractions.
Attractions: Casa Batlló, Casa Milà, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, La Sagrada Familia, Museu del Disseny de Barcelona, Mercat de Sant Antoni
Best Eixample Hotels
Hotel Casa Elliot
Hotel Casa Elliot has undergone a renovation and name-change since my last stay, but there’s still plenty to recommend it.
The location is a gem – Sant Antoni is a little slice of Eixample wedged between the bustle of El Raval and Poble Sec, and is home to numerous bars and restaurants, as well as the renovated Sant Antoni Market.
While there aren’t a lot of areas in Barcelona that feel devoid of tourists, Sant Antoni retains a ‘local’ atmosphere that is really rather charming. You’re still only one Metro stop from the middle of Passage de Gracia.
The 38 rooms have mainly been tidied up a bit in the renovation, but that’s no bad thing. They’re compact, but functional enough, stylish, and feature decent-sized bathrooms. All have views either over the main street or the rear ‘courtyard’, and some even have small terraces. Nice
Sir Victor Hotel
Okay, I was staying at the Sir Victor Hotel back when it was the Hotel Omm. Still, it has the bones, and the location to stand the test of time. Some friends stayed recently and loved it.
H10 Art Gallery Hotel
Part of a surprisingly extensive chain of tourist hotels in Eixample, H10 Art Gallery is one I have frequented over the years.
Rooms are cozy, and some are internal-facing. I’d lash-out on one with a balcony, which at least affords a view across the courtyards around the block.
The hotel’s own courtyard, featuring a lovely old olive tree, is a nice bonus. As is the location in a street full of restaurants.
Did I mention competitive room rates? They may win you over. Book it here.
Cotton House Hotel, Autograph Collection
At the other end of the price scale, Cotton House Hotel offers a bit more luxury. Particularly if you’re willing to lash-out on any of the suites.
It’s a grand building, on a grand avenue, and for this level of grandeur, expect to pay.
Book it here.
Mandarin Oriental Barcelona
A superb location on the Passeig de Gràcia. Indoor and outdoor pools. And even Michelin-star dining. That’s definitely a grande dame.
The room rates at Mandarin Oriental Barcelona are in line with the quality, however. Still. It is the goods. Book it here
Majestic Hotel & Spa Barcelona
The Passeig de Gràcia is the address in Barcelona, and the Majestic Hotel & Spa Barcelona has been welcoming guests here since 1918. Again, you’re paying top dollar for the experience (though there are some good off-season deals to be had). But if you’re only ever visiting Barcelona once…. Book it here
Casa Fuster Hotel
If you’re looking for the European grand hotel experience in Barcelona, Casa Fuster Hotel may be a good choice. You need to be willing to sacrifice an absolutely centre-of-town location for some savings. While it is hardly cheap, it is not far either.
As the name suggests, Casa Fuster started life as a house designed by modernist architect Lluís Domènch I Montaner. Allegedly it was the most expensive house in the city at the time. It was converted into a hotel in 2004.
Casa Fuster enjoys a prized Passeig de Gràcia address, but at the Gràcia neighborhood end. This is not a bad thing Gràcia is a has a unique character that makes it well worth exploring. And you’ll have the smug knowledge that you’ve saved a bomb compared to the ‘central’ grande dames. Book it here
Hotel Pulitzer Barcelona
Hotel Pulitzer has Biosphere certification from the Responsible Tourism Institute, which addresses Sustainable Development Goals. The hotel claims to use “recycled and eco-labeled materials, solar panels for hot water production, organic or Km0 products and increasing coverage of LED lighting and A+ or higher energy rating appliances,” amongst other measures to limit its impact.
The hotel’s location just off the Plaça de Catalunya adds to its attractiveness. Book it here
What to see and do in Barcelona
Check out our recommendations for dining in Barcelona and what to see and do in Barcelona.