Best Hotels in Barcelona: Beach Hotels, Gaudi Views & Boutiques

Barcelona's hotel scene balances its status as one of Europe's most-visited cities with a strong boutique and design hotel culture. W Barcelona at Barceloneta beach — the sail-shaped skyscraper visible from across the city — is the most dramatic hotel in Spain, with a rooftop Eclipse bar delivering 360-degree views. The Hotel Arts Barcelona is its luxury competitor, a 44-floor tower directly on the beach with Frank Gehry's fish sculpture at its base. For design and culture, the Hotel Omm near Passeig de Gràcia has a rooftop terrace with direct views of Casa Milà (La Pedrera). The Mandarin Oriental Barcelona on the Passeig de Gràcia occupies a spectacular modernista building with a mango-tree terrace. For boutique character, the Mercer Hotel in the Gothic Quarter is built into the Roman city walls — ancient stone visible in the basement breakfast room. Casa Gracia on the Passeig de Gràcia is a well-priced design hostel in a spectacular modernista building.