Where should you stay in Barcelona? The city’s huge selection of hotels can be overwhelming. I often choose to check into a boutique hotel in Barcelona because I like smaller places with personality. Here are my favorites in Barcelona.
I have visited and personally selected the boutique hotels in Barcelona featured in the guide. The guide contains advertising links and I will receive a small commission if you book through the links below.
1 Antiga Casa Buenavista
Beautiful architecture and a mix of stylish, modern and classically elegant design characterize Barcelona’s boutique hotel Antiga Casa Buenavista. It’s a feast for the eyes to check in here in Barcelona’s interesting Sant Antoni neighborhood, which is both hip and local.
The 4-star boutique hotel is housed in a restored, modernist 20th-century building that used to house a family-run restaurant. Antiga Casa Buenavista is also family-run and they manage to make your stay a luxurious experience.
The 43 spacious designer rooms feature original, modernist details and contemporary decor with desks, Nespresso machines and luxurious bathrooms. Some rooms have a balcony.
The boutique hotel also has a – very good – Michelin recommended restaurant and pool.
2 Mercer Hotel Barcelona
If you’re looking for 5-star luxury in the heart of Barcelona, the Mercer Hotel is a perfect choice. Located in a historic building in the Gothic Quarter, the boutique hotel has 28 rooms and suites. You’ll be close to the Picasso Museum, among others.
The respect for the historic building and the Roman ruins that surround it can be seen in the raw brick walls and high, arched ceilings, which integrate beautifully with the stylish, simple and modern decor. You’ll be pampered with luxurious bath products and bathrobes, and you’ll sleep soundly in the luxury beds. Some rooms and suites have a balcony.
Mercer Hotel Barcelona has an exclusive restaurant serving local gastronomy and a beautiful rooftop terrace where you can enjoy a drink overlooking the city or take a dip in the pool.
3 Casa Bonay
Hotel Casa Bonay is located in the heart of the Eixample district, in a beautifully renovated 19th-century neoclassical property. Here, the style and design of the city’s 19th-century grandeur meets the present day, and Catalan culture is omnipresent in the hotel. Check in here in the middle of a residential neighborhood.
The hotel is elegantly decorated with respect for the beautiful details of the past, such as restored tile floors in mosaic patterns and original ornate iron details. They are joined by contemporary furniture created by local, award-winning designers.
The rooms are decorated in cream colors with contrasting blue and green tones. They feature quality local design such as furniture by Marc Morro and lamps by Nina Masó. All in a warm and cozy combination. I felt very much at home in the hotel. Some of the rooms have a terrace and the Deluxe rooms have an outdoor shower.
The bathrooms have Malin+Goetz toiletries, you can stream movies and read magazines, and there’s even a yoga mat in the room.
Casa Bonay has a lovely roof terrace with a restaurant and beach club atmosphere. There’s also a cocktail bar where the locals hang out and another restaurant serving local cuisine.
4 Hotel Brummell
The 4-star Hotel Brummell is located on the edge of Barcelona’s local neighborhood El Poble Sec. I love that the hotel is right in the middle of a residential neighborhood, where local life buzzes right outside the door and the tourist hordes are far away. However, you’re not far from the city’s major attractions and there are plenty of local eateries and cafés in the neighborhood.
Solid wood floors, raw brick and concrete walls meet green tiles, plants and colored textiles. Hotel Brummell has 20 rooms that are hip and urban, decorated by local young designers. It’s really cozy and cozy. Only the hotel’s facade has retained its 19th-century appearance.
The double rooms have pool and garden views, and if you want a balcony with phenomenal views of Montjüic and the city, choose a Deluxe room. The Penthouse room also has its own small pool.
In addition to all the modern equipment you need in your room and bathroom, there’s also a yoga mat. I really appreciate this as yoga is a daily routine on my many travels, where long daily walks with heavy equipment can take its toll. You can also join the hotel’s free yoga classes and running club, which I have yet to join.
In addition, Brummell offers a sauna and massage, outdoor pool and a super cozy garden. The restaurant is run by a Turkish-born chef and her food has both an international and Turkish touch. There’s also a bakery where you can get pastries that are pretty close to the Danish version.
5 One Shot Aragó
The first time I checked into the boutique hotel One Shot Aragó was in 2022, when the hotel had just opened. I was the first guest in the room and I fell in love with the charming hotel, located just a stone’s throw from Gaudí’s architectural work Casa Batlló.
Housed in a beautiful Noucentist-style building, the hotel has been beautifully renovated by the One Shot chain that owns it, with an eye for preserving the original details. Modern design has been added to match the historic building beautifully.
The rooms – and bathrooms – are spacious and have good beds and desks. Some of the rooms have a terrace and I was really happy with mine.
The hotel doesn’t serve breakfast, but there are plenty of cafes right outside the door. I didn’t miss it when I stayed at the hotel. The staff are really nice and helpful and I have since returned to the small boutique hotel several times. It’s a real gem.
6 Eco Boutique Hostal Grau
If you prefer to stay as if you were at home and sustainability is important to you, check into the boutique hotel Hostal Grau, located in Barcelona’s multicultural neighborhood El Raval, close to Placa Catalunya. At the same time, the hotel is an affordable choice.
The hotel’s owner, Monica, is an idealist to the core, and in addition to making you feel at home, her commitment to environmental and social sustainability is huge.
Monica has decorated Hostal Grau with PVC-free paint, LED lights and oak beds from protected forests with organic mattresses. The beds, mirrors, wardrobes and desks are all made from recycled materials, built in a social economy project for the disabled. There are also organic toiletries.
You can choose between rooms or apartments where you can enjoy privacy. In the common room, where free tea and coffee and homemade cakes are served daily, you can have a chat with some of the other guests. Monica has also made sure that there is waste sorting throughout the hotel. And both she and her staff are happy to help with tips on sustainable and organic places in Barcelona.
More travel tips for Barcelona
Read our guides to Barcelona’s cool Poblenou neighborhood, Barcelona’s best vegetarian restaurants and Barcelona’s best tapas bars.
If you’re visiting Barcelona for the first time, find inspiration in the beginner’s guide. Find alternative experiences in this Barcelona guide. If you love architecture, visit Gaudí’s buildings and the beautiful former hospital in Barcelona.
