Staying in Barcelona
Many travelers opt to stay in the city's historic Gothic Quarter, where you'll find some of the best things to do in Barcelona. The neighborhood's winding and narrow medieval streets open up to famous sites and squares, including the Barcelona Cathedral and Plaça del Rei. You can also easily walk to the city's famed Bishop's Bridge from here, plus Port Vell, Plaça de Catalunya, La Rambla, Passeig de Gràcia, Barceloneta, and the city beaches.
How many days to stay in Barcelona depends on your itinerary and how much you want to see and do. But you can maximize your time by staying somewhere central, such as the Gothic Quarter. Try to give yourself at least three or four full days in the city to see it all, plus the option to add a day trip to the mix. And when searching for accommodations, consider one of the best hotels in Barcelona's Gothic Quarter. Though this is where you'll find the bulk of luxury options, we've included a mid-range and standard hotel to appeal to all budgets.
Hotel Neri Relais & Chateaux
LUXURY
Hotel Neri Relais & Chateaux combines two historic buildings, one being a 12th-century medieval palace. After renovation and preservation efforts, the hotel received an award for adding value to the city's heritage. You'll enjoy this legacy in the spacious and ultra-comfy rooms, featuring wooden floors, high ceilings, and views overlooking the historic Gothic Quarter streets.
If you'd like to splurge, you can opt for the deluxe room with a private terrace and outdoor tub or a suite with a relaxing seating area. As one of the best luxury family-friendly hotels in Barcelona, the hotel offers its unique Casa Neri, a subsection of one-bedroom apartments with its own private rooftop pool and sundeck.
Enjoy walking through Barcelona's historic center, easily reaching sites on foot, such as the Barcelona Cathedral, Calle del Bisbe (and its famed Gothic bridge), Barceloneta, and La Rambla. When done for the day, head back to the hotel to enjoy its amenities, including a terraced restaurant and two bars, one on the rooftop near the outdoor pool and sundeck.
Mercer Hotel Barcelona
For the top luxury boutique hotel in Barcelona, consider staying at the Mercer Hotel. Set in the Gothic Quarter, this property welcomes you right into the city's history. The building includes part of the Roman wall of ancient Barcino, plus preserved frescoes, wooden ceilings, and atriums ranging from the 12th to 18th centuries.
The giant rooms at Mercer Hotel also channel the property's history, with floor-to-ceiling windows, oak flooring, free-standing soaking tubs, and stone walls. The hotel starts room categories at a superior tier to maintain its elegance, though you can opt for a suite if you'd like to splurge. You can easily explore the historic city center when not enjoying your room. You'll be walking distance from sites like Barcelona Cathedral, Plaça de Sant Jaume, the El Born historic neighborhood, the waterfront promenade, and La Rambla.
After a day of seeing the sites, you can relax with some of the hotel amenities, such as the Mercer Restaurant, which puts a modern twist on classic Catalan dishes and overlooks an inner courtyard filled with orange trees. You'll also find a gastro bar, cocktail bar, and one of the most elegant rooftop terraces in the city, complete with a bar and outdoor pool.
Serras Barcelona
What makes Serras Barcelona so appealing is the hotel's location right on Passeig de Colom, one of the city's main streets running along the waterfront and marina. For this reason, you can easily explore it all, as you'll be near Port Vell and Barceloneta while also being in the Gothic Quarter. Another perk of the hotel's location is the view from its rooftop terrace, which includes a sundeck with loungers, an outdoor pool and shower, a bar, and a shaded lounge.
But the appeal of Serras goes beyond its rooftop (though it's certainly a top perk), as the hotel also features a restaurant with a unique menu crafted by Michelin-star Chef Marc Gascons. And if you want to stay literally among Barcelona's history, know that the hotel's 19th-century building once housed Picasso's art studio when he was just a young teenager. The renovated space features iron, wood, and tile motifs to pay homage to Barcelona's industrial past, and you'll notice many natural elements to keep the hotel bright and airy.
You'll also surely enjoy the rooms at Serras, which combine the hotel's five-star elegance with unique art, pops of color, wooden flooring, floor-to-ceiling windows, spacious quarters, and bright, modern bathrooms. If you'd like to enjoy the sea views from your room, too, opt for a suite, which also has in-room soaking tubs and/or seating areas.
Duquesa de Cardona
MID-RANGE
Duquesa de Cardona is another hotel right on Passeig de Colom. Like Serras, you get the best of both worlds, set in the Gothic Quarter but with views of the marina and Port Vell. The property is one of the best rooftop hotels in Barcelona, as its terrace includes comfy couches in a shaded lounge area, drinks at the bar at sunset, meals overlooking the waterfront, and dips in the pool. You'll also have dining options downstairs at an elegant fine-dining restaurant featuring an extensive Catalan wine menu.
If you want to see it all, this is a great location. You can easily walk to the port, beaches, and Barceloneta, plus wander throughout the Gothic Quarter and El Born neighborhood, stopping at sites like the Barcelona Cathedral, Picasso Museum, and Ciutadella Park. La Rambla is just down the street, plus four metro stops within 10 minutes of walking.
When choosing rooms at Duquesa de Cardona, we suggest bypassing the standard and superior rooms, which feel small and a little simple. Consider a deluxe room or suite to embrace the hotel's elegance. You can even request rooms with harbor views. Bathrooms are clean and modern, though, once again, the deluxe rooms and suites offer more space and comfort.
Hotel Denit Barcelona
STANDARD
As a standard option in the Gothic Quarter, you'll find Hotel Denit just steps away from Plaça de Catalunya on Carrer d'Estruc, a small and quiet side street. The hotel owners wanted to create a modern, trendy, and affordable "Nordic-style" boutique hotel that channels the city's avant-garde past. It's a small property with snug rooms, so opt for the superior category if you prefer more space.
There aren't too many amenities at Hotel Denit, but you can enjoy a diverse breakfast buffet each morning and relax in the reception lounge, serving drinks and light snacks 24 hours a day. You'll also find unique decor by notable designers, including Alexander Girard's Vitra sculptures and modern lighting with a vintage look by Jieldé, Vibia, and Faro brands.
But the hotel's biggest appeal is definitely its location. You'll be on a quiet street in the historic Gothic Quarter and within walking distance of some of the city's most popular sites. Besides Plaça de Catalunya, you can easily explore La Rambla and its Mercat de la Boqueria, the Barcelona Cathedral, the Arc de Triomf, and Passeig de Gràcia. And for zipping around the city, the Urquinaona metro stop is just five minutes away by foot.