If you’re in the market for old money glamour, then the spectacular El Palace Barcelona has you covered.
It’s not just the gilded environs that make it feel so special, the hotel (which opened in 1919 as The Ritz) also has the biggest rooftop of any in the city, giving panoramic views across Barcelona. Watching the sun set behind the spire of the Sagrada Família with one of the rooftop bar’s exceptional cocktails in hand is a truly magical experience. At one point during my stay a couple gets engaged on the roof. The staff lay out rose petals and champagne, Barcelona sprawls beneath — it’s literally that magical.
Where?
Moments from the Passeig de Gràcia and the Gothic Quarter. You can easily while away a whole day just taking in the historic architecture on the hotel’s doorstep. The Gothic Quarter is also the site of Barcelona’s chicest fashion boutiques (my particular favourite was Mirlo store on Carrer dels mirallers — stocking cool and under-the-radar Spanish designers, all the clothes and jewellery is handmade in Spain and it’s just a 15 minute walk from the hotel).
It’s a trickier journey to the beach, though taxis are plentiful and the hotel’s impeccable concierge and door staff are always on hand to find you a car. It’s about 25 minutes on foot to other famous historic sites like the Sagrada Família.
Style
There are no two ways about it, this hotel has wow factor. On entry — once you’re through the red velvet curtains — you’re greeted by marble columns, two grand sweeping staircases, ornate gold cornices on the ceilings and one of a number of the hotel’s original (and spectacular) chandeliers from 1919. There’s a classic front desk set up with a concierge who’ll look after your key (yes, real keys), when you go out — or call you a car, or arrange just about anything you need.
It’s a heady mix of opulent and art deco; the bars, restaurants and common areas could be straight out of The Great Gatsby and as well as all that original gilt work, feature suitably baroque soft furnishings. The vibe is: sipping champagne by the grand piano; the twinkle of a crystal chandelier, the tap-tap of Jimmy Choos across chequerboard tiles. It’s live jazz and plush velvet easy chairs and a late night private cigar room.
By comparison, the rooms are more simply appointed — very quiet luxury, but luxury nevertheless. Cream walls and carpets, ornate mirrors, a walk-in closet space and Nespresso machines all come as standard.
Which room?
They are all lovely but there are a number of Art Suites in the hotel, dedicated to different patrons who’ve stayed there in the past, these include one Dali Suit and one Ronnie Wood suite. These are a whole different ball game — with mosaiced bathrooms, original artworks and vast square footage. The Ronnie Wood suite also has a 1900 Wurlitzer jukebox.
Food & drink
Breakfast is served buffet style in its own dedicated room. Featuring cold and hot options, freshly squeezed juices and delicate pastries, it’s a lovely start to the day (though potentially not worth the €50 supplementary charge)
There are two restaurants — Amar and the Rooftop Garden. The Rooftop Garden is an all-day-dining destination serving Spanish classics during the day (Iberian jamon with pan con tomate and the best croquetas were all outstanding) and cocktails by the pool. It’s all terracotta tiles and herbaceous plants; there’s a lovely neoclassical water feature - and you sit on wrought iron patio furniture.
Throughout the summer, they host a revolving series of pop-up dining experiences and events, as well as a rooftop cinema experience.
The pop-up dining experience — focusing on paellas from different regions of Spain — is a real triumph though I am initially dubious about the rooftop cinema. Given how wonderful the view is, it seemed a shame to be focusing on a film, though I am quickly proven wrong. A box of popcorn and a cocktail are included in the ticket price and it turns out to be a wonderfully heartening way to spend an evening.
Amar is El Palace’s formal dining offer — a seafood restaurant which in the months before I visit has hosted the likes of Barack Obama and Steven Spielberg. Expectations are high. It’s been open 18 months and is as easy on the eye as the rest of the hotel; the vast room is painted midnight blue with gold accents, a stunning gold bar and huge gilt-framed mirrors at either end. It comes complete with two (original) crystal chandelier and a vast, gently glowing glass wine fridge.
All of the food is brought with a pleasing amount of ceremony; the butter is spooned from a freshly whipped pile so large and fluffy that at first I mistake it for meringue. Bite sized cod balls are eaten with tweezers (drizzled in honey and fluffy in the middle they’re deliciously umami and sweet at the same time), and the fish is filleted and deboned right next to your table. It’s wonderful, though the appetisers and small bites shine brighter than the fish itself.
After Amar I head down to the Bluesman Cocktail Bar, a jazz club in the basement of the hotel. They host live jazz every weekend, then a DJ plays until 2am. The staff throughout the hotel are wonderfully attentive — and in the Bluesman it’s no exception; they work especially hard to get the crowd up and dancing.
The room is pretty, low lit, with glorious red wallpaper. Even though it’s more of a classic jazz club at first, with table service, by the end the crowd is conga lining around the perimeter, even ducking behind the bar to dance with the barman. As you might imagine, the cocktails are suitably lethal and suitably delicious. Napkins are waved in the air, new friendships are formed, it’s a brilliant Saturday night.
Facilities
There’s a 14ft rooftop pool, just enough space for a dip to cool off — though you have to get there early if you want to snag a bed. By mid-morning they’re all occupied and the space is too tight to really accommodate people lying on the tiles. There’s a Mayan Spa in the basement, with a full roster of treatments available.
Extracurricular
The Moco Museum (mocomuseum.com) is well worth a visit. It’s in El Born, the district right next to the Gothic Quarter and it opened in 2021. A huge bronze Kors sculpture welcomes you into a 15th century palace stuffed with the great and good of the street, pop and contemporary art worlds. From Salvador Dali to Damien Hurst and Marina Abramovic, to younger painters like Guillermo Lorca (he came to the museum to put the finishing touches on one of his paintings, while the museum was open to the public), it’s an carefully edited and super interesting collection.
Best for…
Making like an old-Hollywood starlet who’s hiding out from the paparazzi. The hotel is so pretty, and feels so special, that it’s worth a day or two just lounging by the pool or enjoying a champagne high tea by the grand piano.
