Barcelona, despite not being the capital of Spain, has managed to grab itself a great deal of the mainland’s tourism cake and is nowadays one of the most famous and visited cities in Europe, if not the world. The attractions are well known – beach access, the Camp Nou stadium, the buzzing nightlife. But what of the accommodation options in the city? What do some of the top hotels have in store for its guests?
I have been lucky enough to visit Spain a few times and stay in some of its more luxurious hotels. What follows is a rundown of the finest hotels available in the great city of Barcelona.
Hotel Arts
Hotel Arts is one of the city’s better known five star hotels, and is owned by the Ritz Carlton Group. The hotel's guest rooms offer three unique views, with Barceloneta beach on one side, Port Olimpico marina on another and the less impressive Avenue Icaria on the other. Luckily my room was on the beach side and offered a great view of the sea and palm tree lined street.
One slight downside to the hotel is its location just outside the heart of Barcelona. While this means the area is quieter than in central Barcelona, it does require a short trip on the metro to visit the touristy areas. However this actually became a blessing in disguise, as it is possible to walk along the beach and tree lined promenade into the center of the city – a most enjoyable bit of exercise. The hotel itself is everything you would expect from a five star hotel – excellent service, clean well ventilated rooms and first class facilities.
Casa Fuster
This hotel screams class as soon as you see it. The Casa Fuster is a huge mansion that is as elegant as it can get. I was very impressed with my stay, and any hotel which has a rooftop pool – particularly in a location like Barcelona which has lovely warm temperatures – will always score highly in my book. The roof terrace is perfect for a relaxing drink at night and offers great views of the surrounding area.
As a word of warning, it can cost around 30 Euros per day to park your vehicle by the hotel if you have one, although it is worth the charge to know that your vehicle is safe, as I am sure you will agree. As someone who cannot switch off from the outside world, I was very pleased to find out that all rooms have high-speed internet access, perfect if you, like me, bring your laptop or iPad with you when you travel. The complimentary daily newspaper is a nice touch too.
W Barcelona
If you really want to experience the high life, I urge you to consider staying at the W Barcelona hotel. You cannot miss it – it is 26 stories high and shaped like a sail. One of the reasons it appealed to me was its location right by the beach and is an easy 25 minute stroll away from Las Ramblas.
Upon arrival I expected the best and once shown to my room I was not disappointed. Large, magnificently decorated and completed by a large bed, there is not much more you could want. It is also possible to book one of the top floor suites – just make sure you have around ten thousand Euros in hand! One thing that is abundantly clear when arriving and exploring the W is that this is where society’s high fliers and so called ‘cool’ people stay. Spanish and English elite rub shoulders with each other in the roof top bar – it can be a bit overwhelming if you are not used to such company! The Eclipse bar on the 26th floor keeps going until 3am if you want a bit of a late night party after an evening meal – just do not expect to get back to your room with too much left in your wallet.
As expected Barcelona certainly has its fair share of luxury accommodation, to go alongside the B&B’s and guest houses which are perhaps more suited to more budget conscious travelers. The location of these hotels – away from the hustle and bustle but still close enough to easily reach the buzzing center of town, is a big plus. And with a beach on your doorstep everywhere you turn, there is much to like about Barcelona’s top hotels.
Special thanks to Rickey Durrance from Beat the Brochure for this excellent guest post.
Special thanks to Rickey Durrance from Beat the Brochure for this excellent guest post.
