Hotel
Hotel Arts Barcelona
A Ritz-Carlton tower hotel on the Port Olímpic seafront, with two outdoor pools, a fourth-floor spa and the two-Michelin-star Enoteca Paco Pérez.
El Palace Barcelona
Barcelona's grand old luxury hotel, originally The Ritz, on the Gran Via near Passeig de Gràcia, with a rooftop garden, spa and Rafa Zafra's Amar restaurant.
At a glance
- Type
- Grand historic hotel
- Area
- Eixample, Barcelona, Spain
- Price
- $$$$ · Luxury
- Hotel class
- 5-star
- Official site
- hotelpalacebarcelona.com
- Last checked
- October 23, 2026
Good to know
- Rooftop garden
- Spa
- Restaurants
Why we recommend it
Before it was El Palace, this hotel was The Ritz, and its suites still honour figures linked to its history, from hotelier César Ritz to Salvador Dalí, who stayed here, and Carlos Ruiz Zafón, who wrote about it. The public rooms keep the gilded grandeur of a classic European palace hotel.
The five-star hotel's Grand Hall and El Jardín breakfast room set a formal tone, while Amar, led by chef Rafa Zafra, focuses on seafood. In warmer months the Rooftop Garden offers drinks with city views, and there is a Mayan-inspired spa. It is a short walk from Passeig de Gràcia, making it a central base for the Eixample and old town.
Reviewed by Lifestylemetro · Details checked October 23, 2026
El Palace Barcelona FAQs
Was El Palace once The Ritz?
Yes, the hotel was originally The Ritz and has since been reimagined as El Palace.
Does it have a rooftop?
Yes, the Rooftop Garden offers panoramic views over the city.