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 Barcelona Hotels
Barcelona: one of the most vibrant cities in Europe, with a lovely year round climate (consider a hotel with a rooftop pool) and a heady mixture of culture, spearheaded by Gaudi and Picasso, and fun, Spain's coolest city makes a first rate choice for a buzzy weekend away. Its rise in popularity has had an astonishing effect on its hotel industry: in three years the number of rooms in the city have doubled. But which hotels make the perfect base for a long weekend? Here's our pick. The hotels are listed by price category, and their order bears no reflection on our preference.
 Reviews by Fiona Duncan |
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| Luxury: Breathtaking views from this contemporary luxury hotel |
| Location: not central, but close to the port |
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| Impressive Ritz Carlton hotel that lives up to its reputation, with service that is as friendly as it is all-embracing. The 44-storey hotel has superb views, a beach front pool overlooking Frank Gehry's bronze fish, and a sybaritic 42nd floor spa. Cool, clean lines in bedrooms, suites and public spaces. |
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| Luxury: Painstaking conversion of striking Art Nouveau house |
| Location: close to the centre, at the top of Passeig de Gracia |
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| Take the lift to the roof terrace (with small pool) for a dazzling view of Passeig de Gracia, then descend to the Viennese cafe, once the haunt of intellectuals, now dramatic and decadent with its red velvet sofas curling like serpents around the pillared room. This 1908 Art Nouveau masterpiece, once a lavish private home, has been restored with panache and attention to detail. Superb service. |
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| Luxury: Once grand hotel transformed into a stunning urban resort |
| Location: Mount Tibidabo, overlooking the city, 15 min from centre; free shuttle service |
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| For an unforgettable view, head for Mount Tibidabo. A charming funfair has been here since 1925, as has this hotel, once illustrious, then abandoned, and resurrected two years ago after a four-year rebuild. Now it's an urban resort, with a 121-ft indoor/outdoor pool, tumbling terraces, bold sculptures, Zen Zone Spa and eight Designer Suites amongst its 74 rooms. And that view, with city and sea flung out below. |
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| Luxury: 17th century meets the 21st in this magnificent old palace |
| Location: in the heart of the Barri Gotic |
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| Gorgeous: an austere 17th-century palace that mixes the old with the avant-garde to great effect. Sensuality is the theme: crushed velvets, vibrant silks, silver and gold leaf are teamed with rustic furniture, power showers and plasma screen TVs. You can indulge in a massage in your bedroom, sunbathe in the solarium or watch life drift by from the roof terrace. |
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| Mid Price: Idiosyncratic, eco-friendly outpost of the Camper shoe empire |
| Location: In Raval, close to the centre |
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| Functionality and environmental awareness underpin this funky offshoot of the Camper shoe empire. Free 'Ten Ten Pie' snacks are included in the price, plus bikes. Red, green and white (the Camper shoe colours) bedrooms all have a separate sitting room. Trendy and eco-aware, but also polished and comfortable, all in an up-and-coming artists' neighbourhood. |
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| Mid Price: Polished, chic townhouse hotel |
| Location: between the beach and the Barri Gotic |
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| Polished and elegant hotel in a 16th century nobleman's house, sympathetically decorated in wood, stone and soft natural colours. Catalan dishes are served in the arcaded restaurant and there's a fabulous teak-decked rooftop terrace with pool. Staff are particularly courteous. On a busy road, but well insulated. |
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| Mid Price: Unfussy, comfortable bedrooms at this top-notch hotel |
| Location: moments from Plaça Catalunya, hub of the city |
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| Three star city centre hotel with four star assets, including a spacious rooftop pool, and parking in the basement. The style is contemporary and minimalist, but with warm touches. Bedrooms are precise, handsome and uncomplicated, also spotless and well-equipped. Spacious lobby and attractive bar, accented by warm orange colours. |
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| Inexpensive: Endearingly traditional hotel with small, simple rooms |
| Location: set back from Gran Via, easily reached from the airport and close to the city's hub, Plaça Catalunya |
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| An antidote, at modest prices, to all those spanking new Barcelona hotels. An impressive staircase sweeps up to the mezzanine, with its palatial dining room, while the salon has lovely antique furniture. Rooms are small and modest, but clean. Faded charm; old fashioned character. |
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| Inexpensive: Charming Born house with attractive well-priced rooms |
| Location: In the heart of the Born, close to the centre and the sea |
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| Terrific value in this pretty old house in the Born, where historic meets cool in a laid-back network of streets. Rooms are fairly small but airy and calm, with stylish contemporary furniture and fluttering muslin curtains. Next door: Señor Paralleda, one of the city's most appealing restaurants, under the same ownership. |
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| Inexpensive: Magnificent mansion converted into high-tech hotel |
| Location: In the Born, close to the centre and the sea |
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| A grand 18th century mansion has been transformed into a futuristic space, with original features, including sweeping staircase. Doors are framed by sparkling curtains of twisted plastic lit by spotlights that constantly change colour. The mood in the rooms, too, can be transformed at the flick of a switch. On the ground floor: ultracool restaurant, the White Bar. Both hotel and White Bar offer superb value. |
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