Could you travel to Barcelona and not stroll La Rambla, not ogle the Modernista masterpieces of Antoni Gaudí, not stand in awe of the still-under-construction Sagrada Familia?
Our answer — ¡qué sacrilegio! — is a resounding si.
The Catalan capital is one of Europe’s coolest cities, buzzing with countless cultural attractions and renowned restaurants overlooking the Mediterranean. This alluring beach-urban combo has made it the darling of international travelers. Here you can admire architecture and contemporary art, stumble upon ancient Roman ruins in the Gothic Quarter, find foodie nirvana, cheer on FC Barcelona, sample the storied nightlife, take a day trip to the mountaintop monastery of Montserrat…
Yet the city’s reputation has suffered in recent years as locals have taken to the streets to protest overtourism and its adverse effects, particularly noise pollution and a housing crisis exacerbated by short-term apartment rentals (Barcelona is banning Airbnb as a result). Authorities estimate that about 600 people took part in the June 2025 demonstration, but the images went viral: Protestors voiced their frustrations and sprayed tourists with water guns.
(Almanac Barcelona )
In response, Turisme de Barcelona is advocating a new strategy to redefine tourism’s role, attracting what Director Mateu Hernández calls “the best possible visitor profile” and changing locals’ perspective about the economic sector that used to be perceived as highly beneficial. After all, Barcelona was a poster child for tourism success stories: A crisis-racked industrial city was put on the world map thanks to the 1992 Summer Olympics. Tourism has boosted Barcelona’s infrastructure development, including the world-class international airport and international investment.
Bear this in mind when plotting your Barcelona itinerary, but don’t, by any means, skip town. As if this exuberant, party-loving city needed more enticements, 2026 brings highly anticipated events including the start of the Tour de France cycling race and the inauguration of La Sagrada Familia’s tallest tower, the Tower of Jesus Christ, to coincide with the centennial of Gaudí’s death.
Almanac Hotels launched its first property in the Eixample neighborhood in 2018 as a showcase of experiential travel championing local culture. Founded by former Austrian basketball player Herbert Haselbacher, the family-owned, Austria-based brand now counts three hotels in its portfolio, also in Prague and Vienna. Almanac tapped the local Jaime Beriestain Studio to design its Barcelona pioneer, the fusion of two adjacent buildings on the Gran Via. Enormous lobby windows frame the cityscapes — an effect mirrored in the 61 rooms and 30 suites, where big bay windows create reading nooks on the old Juliet balconies, and the bathrooms are done up in Ibizan marble. The vibe is contemporary and comfortable, further enhanced by the kind staff.
(Almanac Barcelona)
For a particularly memorable stay, book one of the terrace suites which come with fire pits and outdoor showers on private decks. The biggest room is the Penthouse (No. 705), which connects to a terrace suite for a whopping 2,766 square feet accommodating eight people. Suites come with popcorn machines (movie night, anyone?), fully stocked wine fridges and cocktail accoutrements. The walls are adorned with eye-catching works by local artists such as Catherine Parra. Other local experiences include vineyard tours and an immersion in Corpinnat sparkling wines, olive oil tasting in Penedès and private tours of Barcelona’s less-visited modernist architecture.
Crowning the hotel is the Azimuth rooftop, where you can cool off in the plunge pool, lunch overlooking Barcelona’s rooftops or sip an astronomy-themed cocktail (the Neptune, made with mezcal, blue Curaçao, lime and ginger, conjures the planet’s oceans) while spying on La Sagrada Familia’s construction via strategically placed binoculars. But the hotel’s pièce de résistance is the pilgrimage-worthy restaurant Virens, where chef Rodrigo de la Calle reigns over the kitchen with his novel “gastrobotany” concept. A culinary consultant for icons like the late Joel Robuchon, and the chef behind Michelin-starred El Invernadero in Madrid, he makes magic with vegetables. His reverence for terroir infuses the tasting menus highlighting plant-based cuisine. Starting with an appetizer assortment paired with kombucha (don’t miss the kimchi turnover and kale croquette), the tantalizing parade of dishes might include beetroot gazpacho, stuffed zucchini blossom atop risotto and leeks assembled in a tower and lavished with fried leek root.
(Majestic Hotel & Spa Barcelona )
Nearby, the Majestic Hotel & Spa Barcelona has ruled over the famous Passeig de Gràcia for more than a century. A sense of history pervades this grande dame, whose roster of guests includes kings and queens and the likes of Ernest Hemingway, Pablo Picasso and Federico García Lorca, who used to sit in the bar and nurse his favorite drink: lemon- and mint-infused water served with sugar and ice. (A lobby plaque calls out the poet–playwright’s words: “Barcelona is something else, isn’t it? There’s the Mediterranean, the spirit, the adventure, the lofty dream of perfect love.”)
Sure, you go to the Majestic for a dose of Old World European elegance — this architectural stunner was the setting for important 20th-century events and is decorated with an art collection of 1,000 works — but it’s the service that’ll bring you back. Overhearing we’d lost a favorite hat when we checked in, the guest relations team hopped on the phone to track it down. When we feared an air-conditioning malfunction during a heat wave, a technician immediately appeared at the door, despite the late, post-dinner hour. The Majestic is owned by the Soldevila-Casals family, who also partners with Argentinian football star Lionel Messi to manage his MiM hotel brand.
A word about the 258 rooms: There are 11 different categories, ranging from Deluxe (the most numerous) to the Majestic Royal Penthouse (the city’s largest, kitted out with a dining room, living room sofas to seat 14, and double terraces). Most Majestic Suites offer panoramic views of the Passeig de Gràcia, while the five penthouse suites on the ninth floor, occupying the owner’s former home, are a luxurious aerie for the most demanding VIPs.
When it comes to urban exploration, Head Concierge Susana Oños ([email protected]) and her team organize exceptional experiences, from private dinners to once-in-a-lifetime adventures like a helicopter trip to the island of Formentera (not served by direct flights). But the hotel has enough on-site attractions to keep you entertained: a spa offering hydrotherapy and Natura Bissé treatments, the local-loved Sunday Brunch, the gastronomic Solc restaurant featuring produce grown on the hotel’s farm, live piano performances in the lobby and a heated pool and jacuzzi on the first floor. The best part of all? La Dolce Vitae panoramic terrace, where you can nibble on prawn croquettes, Majestic Thai cocktail in hand, and watch the sun set on Gaudí’s iconic Casa Batlló and the Mediterranean in the distance.
A 20-minute ride from the city center, the SLS Barcelona launched in April 2025 as a new urban resort that anchors the waterfront Port Fòrum district. This revitalized industrial area is in the midst of an urban transformation with a marina and park that’s home to the popular Primavera Sound festival. The new-build property, aiming for a LEED “Gold” certification, represents massive investment on a strategic sea-facing site. Designed by the Rockwell Group, Europe’s first SLS embraces the playful lifestyle vibes for which the brand, born in Beverly Hills in 2008, is known.
(Majestic Hotel & Spa Barcelona)
Part of Ennismore, a joint venture with Accor, SLS is billed as an “indulgent wonderland” with “theatrical interiors.” So the facilities offer a self-contained universe of fun. Walk in the lobby and you’ll notice the DJ booth (the “Cosmic Affairs” soirees bring big-name DJs to the rooftop). Outside, guests mingle by the thumping outdoor bar and infinity pool flanked by chaise loungers (some are perched in the water). Two other infinity pools afford panoramic views from the rooftop. The 24/7 gym is one of the largest hotel fitness areas we’ve seen; it’s filled with state-of-the-art equipment and offers studio classes. Slated to open soon, the Rockwell-designed spa will feature a phosphorescent sauna, cascading central pool, ice room, Turkish bath and jacuzzi.
Of the six F&B outlets, don’t miss dinner at LORA. The bread basket alone — brimming with pull-apart kubaneh and flatbreads hot from the wood-fired oven — is worth a trip. Indulge in a melange of Mediterranean flavors, from Lebanon to Spain; think lamb skewers, tuna tartare and octopus hamoosta served with Turmeric labneh and crispy chickpeas.
Before sinking into your bed (each of the 471 rooms has its own private balcony or terrace), grab a nightcap at the perfume-inspired Kyara bar. Mixologists invite you into a futuristic lab to inhale different bottled scents, arranged like precious fragrances, before personalizing your martini based on your choice.
(SLS Barcelona )
As Barcelona recalibrates its relationship with tourism, these three hotels prove that the most compelling luxury experiences are the ones that know exactly where — and how — they belong.
•For bookings at SLS Barcelona, contact [email protected].
• For VIP bookings at Almanac, reach out to Alfredo Martinez, regional director of leisure sales ([email protected]). The concierge team ([email protected]) can arrange behind-the-scenes tours and other VIP experiences.
• For bookings at Majestic Hotel & Spa Barcelona, luxury travel advisors can reach out to Blanca Calvo, director of sales & marketing ([email protected]).
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