Barcelona hotels, restaurants, bars, attractions, and other useful stuff
Of all of architect Antoni Gaudí’s works in Barcelona, La Sagrada Familia has to be the most iconic. Whether or not it strikes you as gaudy and ostentatious, it is difficult not to be impressed. It’s a major tourist attraction – a couple of million visitors per year – so you’re unlikely to have the place to yourself, though the visitor numbers are managed reasonably well. Book online.
Occupying a fairly magical position in the heart of the Barrio Gótico, Hotel Neri Relais & Chateaux is an excellent choice for first-time visitors, as many of Barcelona’s attractions are right on the doorstep. Not cheap, but a surefire way to make it a memorable trip.
Uber-hip joint in a good location just off the Passeig de Gràcia, and around the corner from a good number of Gaudí attractions, Hotel Omm is a favorite. Great design. Great service. And a Michelin star restaurant too (Roca Moo). Not cheap, but worth the dosh.
Carrer del Rosselló, 265
Not to be confused with its sister hotel next door, the Yurbban Passage Hotel & Spa is the suave sibling, with a stunning rooftop pool area where you can escape the crowds. In real-estate terms it’s the location, location, location that wins it here. Being right on the edge of the popular El Born district – just walk through the passage under the hotel – means you’re in the thick of the attractions (as well as the tourist crowds), while also offering the quieter charge of the Eixample on the front doorstep. You choose.
Carrer de Trafalgar, 26
Housed in a stunning renovated building at the top end of Passeig de Gràcia and with views directly down the boulevard, Hotel Casa Fuster is on to a winner. It’s close to a number of Gaudí attractions, and backs onto the charming (and often overlooked) Gràcia neighborhood. Solid choice.
Passeig de Gràcia, 132
Yet another design hotel – in a city full of them – Murmuri stands out for its excellent location and, well…design. We like the fact there are only 53 rooms, though the basic ones are fairly compact. But we really love the location on the charming Rambla de Catalunya, and it’s pretty good value in Barcelona terms too.
Rambla de Catalunya, 104
It may not be the fanciest place in town, but Hotel Advance wins for value. And it can’t be half bad – photos in the lobby of one of President Obama’s daughters staying here suggest you’re hardly slumming it.
We like the quiet Sant Antoni neighborhood too – it’s an easy walk to bustling Plaça de Catalunya, to the charms of El Raval, and to up-and-coming Poble Sec, while remaining – by Barcelona standards – away from the tourist hordes. Win!
Carrer de Sepúlveda, 180
Yes, it’s a hotel owned by a footwear brand. We don’t want to say that Casa Camper‘s rooms are shoeboxes…ahem.
With 30 rooms and 10 suites, Casa Camper is our sort of hotel. And it is conveniently located in El Raval – Barcelona’s hipster hotspot, where you’ll find a great range of bars and restaurants.
Not that you’ll need to go far for a bite – the one-Michelin-star Dos Palillos is actually attached to the hotel.
Carrer d’Elisabets, 11
Bar Lobo is just off La Rambla, and not too far into deepest, darkest El Raval, so you know there are going to be tourists. Still, it’s also on the local radar.
We’ve got a love/maybe-not-quite-love relationship with the place. When it is on, it can be great, and for us the trigger point is how busy they are: If you have to wait for a table – no bookings here – we’d suggest somewhere else, because the systems fall apart a bit when the place is full.
That said, if you avoid the plentiful deep fried menu items, there are some real gems – the tuna tataki is really quite fabulous, for instance.
Opt for indoor seating – because the place is full of tourists, the square in front sees a constant flow of buskers.
Carrer del Pintor Fortuny, 3,
You need to book two months in advance to even get a table at Tickets. Can it possibly be worth the trouble?
It depends. Tickets ranks 42nd in this year’s World’s Best Restaurant list among a list of serious fine-dining establishments, but it is, in essence, a tapas joint. That said, there’s a theme – the entrance is like arriving at a theatre, and the wait staff are in ringmaster uniform – and the tapas is unlike anything you’re going to get elsewhere.
We started with a beetroot meringue ‘biscuit’ with horseradish cream filling, and that was just the beginning of a meal of surprise and delight.
In that sense it was absolutely worth the wait. Tickets shows just how creative tapas can be in the hands of masters.
Av. del Paraŀlel, 164