In the city of Gaudí, aesthetic standards are high. Barcelona’s hotels happily rise to the occasion, as evidenced by attention-demanding designs and an improbable number of rooftop spaces among the city's newly awarded Key hotels.
It’s nice to think that Antoni Gaudí is the main reason Barcelona’s hotels have such terrific architecture and design. That the presence of his tremendous works throughout the city is a constant motivating force. La Sagrada Familia staring down, silently judging. As with all things, though, economics likely plays a larger role. Barcelona is an elite tourism city. It has a world-beating collection of sophisticated, high-style hotels with personality-filled public spaces. The bar is high.
For evidence, look no further than Barcelona’s hotel rooftops. Pools, bars, restaurants, lounge areas — nearly all of the Catalan capital’s MICHELIN Key-winning hotels (the hotel equivalent of the MICHELIN Star for restaurants) have something great going on topside. In most cities, a rooftop amenity is somewhat of a novelty — not unheard of by any means, but not exactly standard practice either, and certainly not an expectation. In Barcelona, it’s hard to find a notable hotel that doesn’t have a pool on the roof, let alone a bustling cocktail bar and a selection of extremely comfortable chairs.
It’s tempting to wonder why. An easy permitting process, perhaps. Or maybe it’s the weather. Barcelona’s climate makes rooftop spaces a sound, year-round investment. In the end, the only motivation that matters is keeping up with the competition. You’ve got to give the people what they want, and in Barcelona they want amazing spots for a sky-facing soirée.
Of course, that’s not all they want. To gain a MICHELIN Key, the rest of the hotel needs to be just as impressive as the scene upstairs. Needless to say, each hotel below has a wonderful rooftop space, but a whole lot more to go with it.
Mandarin Oriental Barcelona
Distinction: Two KeysNeighborhood: L'Eixample (Paseo de Gracia)
Best Rooftop For: Pure City Views
This austere building from the 1950s was built first as a bank. The monumental entrance, with granite reliefs by Frederic Marès, depicts workers of all sorts — and serves as a sort of allegory for the bank’s foundational importance to the country.
Behind it, the refined world of the Mandarin Oriental makes the case for its own cultural preeminence. The ninth floor offers one of the most beautiful views of Barcelona in the entire city. Deckchairs and tables are arranged around a body of water that is more decorative than functional, behind which views stretch out from Tibidabo to the Manzana de la Discordia — the local nickname for an architecturally-blessed block with three of the most emblematic modernist buildings in Barcelona (Casa Lleó Morera by Domènech i Montaner, Casa Amatller by Puig i Cadafalch, and Casa Batlló by Gaudí).
The Terrat restaurant (open from May to October) offers Mediterranean cuisine with Peruvian touches by chef Gastón Acurio. If you happen to be here at the perfect celestial moment, don't miss the Full Moon Dining event with live music. As you leave the terrace, look up at the final gem: the spiers of the Sagrada Família standing out against the sky.
Almanac Barcelona
Distinction: One KeyNeighborhood: Dreta de l'Eixample
Best Rooftop For: Architecture Obsessives
The terrace of this elegant hotel is on the the eighth floor of an architecturally fascinating structure formed from two buildings: one contemporary, one from the early 20th century. The rooftop is a marvel, and shares a certain refinement with the hotel itself — characterized by light colors enlivened by the touch of red on armchairs.
All around you is the green of Mediterranean plants and the blue of Barcelona sky. Panoramic views stretch from Tibidabo to the Sagrada Familia, with the sea in the distance.
In addition to a beautiful swimming pool (reserved for hotel guests), the terrace hosts the Azimuth Rooftop Bar (open to all), which offers excellent cocktails. Don't leave the hotel without a stop on the fourth floor, from which you can admire a dizzying architectural view of the hotel building itself.
Book Almanac Barcelona with The MICHELIN Guide →
Soho House Barcelona
Distinction: One KeyNeighborhood: Barri Gòtic
Best Rooftop For: Hotel Guests Only
The magnificent terrace of Soho House is just the icing on the cake of this unique hotel. Only members and hotel guests (who each get a single plus one) can use it, but those who book a stay here get access to a 360 degree space overlooking the city from the sea to the hills — with an especially wonderful view of the ocean, thanks to the location of the building facing Port Vell Marina.
In addition to a nice-sized swimming pool, the terrace hosts a chill-out area and restaurant, all open from morning to evening, from cappuccino to after-dinner drinks. Use it to relax, read, have a chat, or sunbathe, but not to work (cell phones, computers, and telephones are banned from the terrace — as in many parts of the hotel). Don’t let it bother you: this is one of the most beautiful terraces in Barcelona.
Book Soho House Barcelona with The MICHELIN Guide →
Antiga Casa Buenavista
Distinction: One KeyNeighborhood: L'Eixample/El Raval
Best Rooftop For: A Peaceful Bite Poolside
This delightful, 43-room boutique hotel was born just over a year ago, out of the renovation of a late nineteenth-century building where the Buenavista restaurant had stood since 1918. Antigua Casa Buenavista is the result of a thoughtful restoration, and the hotel restaurant Casa de Comidas the heir to its gastronomic heritage.
On the fifth floor, the cozy terrace — surrounded by greenery — does not offer particularly distinguished views of the city beyond, but instead provides guests a corner of peace and relaxation in perfect harmony with the welcoming and attentive management of the hotel. Expect: a swimming pool, a few deck chairs, and, in good weather, lunch poolside with a special menu.
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Mercer Hotel
Distinction: One KeyNeighborhood: Barri Gòtic
Best Rooftop For: Quiet Reflection (Hotel Guests Only)
Crossing the threshold of the Mercer is an emotional experience: you feel immediately that you’re stepping into a history that dates back over 2,000 years. This wonderful hotel, designed by the great architect Rafael Moneo, incorporates remains of ancient Roman walls and fragments of medieval towers. Your focus is immediately on the green patio, and then ascends to the intimate terrace — reserved only for guests. The view does not overlook any particular monument, but creates a quiet corner in which to enjoy the perfect Barcelona weather.
A small swimming pool (its dark gray tiles giving it a sober look), deck chairs, and a few tables — that’s all you’ll find here. Certainly no noisy toasts or loud gatherings. This is an exclusive space for the few lucky guests staying here overnight (even luckier are those who book room 108, with its very own private terrace).
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Yurbban Passage Hotel & Spa
Distinction: One KeyNeighborhood: Ciutat Vella
Best Rooftop For: A Nonchalant Swim
The passage to which the name alludes is the Passatge de les Manufactures, a small space that connects the Born district to the Eixample opened in 1878. Today it’s a young, urban, dynamic hotel full of flowers (the property also manages the adjacent and delightful Passage Flower shop).
The terrace is an almost unexpected jewel: Barcelona is all there, from the spiers of the cathedral to the imaginative domes of the Palau de la Música Catalana. The furnishings are simple and without too many frills: a beautiful swimming pool, deck chairs, tables, some plants, a small bar… and Barcelona at your feet.
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Serras Barcelona
Distinction: One KeyNeighborhood: Ciutat Vella
Best Rooftop For: Dinner with Sea Views
The façade of this building was designed in 1846 by Francesc Daniel Molina, the architect of the city's Plaza Real. And between 1896 and 1897, it was here that the young Pablo Picasso set up his studio and painted the work Ciencia y Caridad, now exhibited at the Picasso Museum.
The hotel is welcoming, flooded with natural light and playing on shades of black and ocher, in a sort of modern reinterpretation of an Art Deco style by designer Eva Martínez. The terrace on the sixth floor, partly reserved for hotel guests — with its scented wooden floors — recreates the environment of a luxury yacht.
And in fact, the sea is right there, just a stone's throw away. Overlooking the Marina Port Vell, Serras enjoys a privileged position over the port. In addition to the small swimming pool, the relaxation area, and the bar (which often hosts DJ sets), the terrace is the site of the Rooftop at Serras all year round — a bright and panoramic restaurant serving Catalan and seafood specialities.
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Monument Hotel
Distinction: One KeyNeighborhood: L'Eixample (Paseo de Gracia)
Best Rooftop For: Casual Bites by a MICHELIN Chef
This refined, late 19th century building is the work of the Catalan architect Josep Vilaseca i Casanovas. A tip: before entering, don’t miss your chance to look up at the small, polylobed balcony that looms over the entrance, and notice its unique ceramic covering.
Head up to the sixth floor to reach the terrace, which offers on one side a beautiful, 20 meter swimming pool and a gym area. On the other, there’s the Verbena Terrace, a casual bar and restaurant whose dishes are designed by Martín Berasategui, the superstar chef behind the MICHELIN Starred Lasarte and Oria restaurants throughout the hotel.
The terrace is full of greenery, airy and cozy at the same time. There’s no view of a particular monument to note, but just a pleasant, sunny space. Just as pleasant and full of light is the breakfast room, which overlooks the terrace.
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Top image: Mercer Hotel — Barcelona
