Where to Stay in Barcelona Right Now
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Barcelona is a city that knows great design. This, after all, is a place where in a single day you can experience the elegance of the Eixample district, the scrappy ateliers and emerging galleries of El Poblenou and the inspired modernist architecture all over town. In keeping with that fashionable spirit, the hotels here comprise a greatest-hits list of stylish stays.
At El Palace Barcelona, you’ll find more than a century of history and a genre-defining sort of glamour, with towering pillars and grand staircases galore. The Barcelona EDITION, on the other hand, has a look that’s modern and minimal, with a few bold vignettes and sculptural accents to liven up the white-and-wood furnishings. Each has a distinct lens on luxury—an intimate, familial atmosphere; a mile-long selection of programming; a front-row seat to haute cuisine—and no matter which you choose, you’ll be served a slice of Barna at its best.
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Hotel Neri
Gothic Quarter
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Secreted away within a stone building in the Gothic Quarter, casting midcentury interior design against 12th-century architecture, the 22-key Hotel Neri feels like the kind of insiders-only place you’d hear about from an artist friend. But as its Relais & Châteaux membership might suggest, this family-owned hotel is anything but scrappy. The modest restaurant churns out sophisticated and surprising small plates, service doesn’t miss a beat and the look—medieval bones meet modern furnishings, with an ethos of sustainability throughout—feels so fitting as to be inevitable.
The Barcelona EDITION
Ciutat Vella
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When it debuted in 2018, this EDITION was the most hotly anticipated Barcelona hotel opening in ages. Nearly seven years on, the 100-room property is still living up to the hype. Maybe it’s the location: right at the border of El Born, next to the Mercat de Santa Caterina. Or perhaps it’s the design: clean and modern, with nods to Spanish artists and architects. The dining and drinking venues, Veraz, Punch Room and The Roof, all pull their weight, too, drawing in stylish locals and jet-setters alike. Whatever the secret Ian Schrager magic may be, The Barcelona EDITION has it in spades.
El Palace Barcelona
Eixample
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One of legendary hotelier César Ritz’s original European properties, El Palace is the kind of spot that gave rise to the term “ritzy.” And as the name might suggest, its glory hasn’t faded with age. The ideal stay is an exercise in contrasts: steak tartare and caviar under a crystal chandelier one night, a DJ spinning vinyls at a rooftop brunch the next morning. Tea and scones in the Great Hall in the afternoon, cocktails and cigars in a sultry subterranean jazz club after dark. And through it all, a drenched-with-opulence atmosphere and pro-level hospitality.
Almanac Barcelona
Eixample
Almanac Barcelona’s location, right on the Gran Via and a few steps from the tony Passeig de Gràcia, is unmatched. Even still, it’s really about the hospitality here. The 91 sun-soaked rooms and suites have a fresh, organic feel. There’s a 24-hour fitness center, a spa with a Turkish bath and steam room, and a dreamy rooftop with a pool and stellar cocktails. And Virens, the vegetable-focused fine-dining restaurant from chef Rodrigo de la Calle (of award-winning El Invernadero), is upscale yet unfussy, totally singular and right at home in this dynamic property.
Mercer Hotel Barcelona
Gothic Quarter
Set in the heart of the Gothic Quarter, incorporating part of an ancient Roman wall, it’s no surprise that Mercer Hotel has an old soul. That’s despite the curving bentwood furniture and contemporary art in the rooms, low-slung velvet sofas in the lobby and rooftop plunge pool. It’s also the embodiment of “quiet luxury”—understated and refined, it feels wholly private despite its central location. With just 28 keys, you might not expect a full suite of food and beverage options, but there’s gastropub fare at Le Bouchon, Catalan cuisine at Mercer Restaurant and two cocktail bars on-site.
Cotton House Hotel
Eixample
When your neighbor is El Palace Barcelona, one of the most storied hotels in the whole of Spain, delivering anything short of spectacular isn’t an option. Cotton House Hotel, set in the former headquarters of the Cotton Textile Foundation in Eixample, rises to the occasion with a playful use of color and texture: there’s marquetry, tilework, latticework and woven textiles. The design also nods to both the building’s 19th-century roots and more recent midcentury makeovers. History feels tangible here, especially in signature activities like a bespoke shirt-making session that leaves guests with a wearable souvenir.
ABaC Hotel
Sant Gervasi–La Bonanova
For a veteran visitor to Barcelona, the 15-room ABaC Barcelona, with its away-from-it-all ambience, is a must-stay hotel. You’ll be drawn in by the sleek exterior, charmed by the lush outdoor space and wowed by the spa with a sauna, steam room, hot tub and cold plunge. But you’re really here for the food: At the namesake restaurant, it doesn’t take more than a course or two to understand why this place has received so much acclaim. Order wine from the 1,200-bottle cellar and let the culinary pageant unfold (one famous dish: berry sorbet served in a lipstick tube).
Hotel Casa Fuster
Gràcia
In the capital of Catalan Modernisme, what could be a more fitting home base than a hotel from a founder of the movement? This fantastical 1908 building on Passeig de Gràcia was the project of architect Lluís Domènech i Montaner, who is best known for the UNESCO-listed Palau de la Música Catalana. There’s the award-winning Aleia Restaurant, plus the storied Café Vienés, a rooftop bar and pool, and a jazz club that’s hosted internationally renowned musicians. But don’t forget to step out to the corner, look up at the façade and marvel at the miracle of staying in a work of art.
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