Barcelona hotels, restaurants, bars, attractions, and other useful stuff
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
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
By the same group as the crowd-pleasing Cuines Santa Catarina and Bar Lobo, and the flagship too, so Tragaluz should be a winner. Certainly the space is right – with its opening roof that should be spectacular on a warm summer evening – and the food presentation is what you’d expect from a place looking for Michelin stars.
But.
We got a bit of attitude from the wait staff on our last visit; some of the dishes were missing promised ingredients (a tomato salad didn’t seem to contain any tomatoes, for instance); and the wine list is quite short.
Almost there, but needs to do better.
Pasaje de la Concepción, 5
You guessed it – cupcakes and coffee, plus a sandwich or two. On-trend with the design too. Not worth travelling out of your way to find, but if you happen to be in the area (home décor central here) it’s a pretty good choice. There’s an outlet in Carrer dels Tallers 79 near the university that we haven’t stumbled across yet.
Carrer d’Enric Granados, 145 (Near Diagonal)