Who's Going
Spanish Soccer Elite, Pedro Almodovar Take That-boys
Reason to Stay
Be-seen pool, designer spa, formal gardens, designer accommodations
Hotel Type
City Resort
In a removed hillside location high above Barcelona, yet still only a taxicab away, is a decadent luxury hotel palace delicately placed on top of Montjuïc Mountain with humbling views of city and sea. Built in 1929 to celebrate the Universal Exhibition in Barcelona, the hotel remained mostly unoccupied for the later 20th Century until acquired by Spanish hotel group AC Hotels and meticulously reinvented by architect Oscar Tusquets Blanca to become a modernist boutique hotel and flagship property. The original structure was augmented to include a large modernist extension, incorporating formal gardens, citrus grove and H-shape swimming pool facing the port.
Guests enter the hotel through a glass and steel motor court into the sandy-colored marble lobby area with tufted-leather sofas, Eames loungers and dramatic multi-story staircase adorned with Gaudi-inspired chandelier. An in-house gourmet restaurant by Carme Marsa offers a seasonal spin of healthy Mediterranean cuisine that's well utilized by residing guests, especially since La Rambla and central Barcelona are a 20-Euro cab ride away. But with lively bar and fashion-minded lobby scene, few desire to leave anyway.
The Room
We originally fell in love with the location while residing on one of the neighboring mountains at Stein Group’s Gran La Florida Hotel. Offering more of a hip boutique-minded hotel experience than its neighbor, guest rooms offer luxurious furnishings and oversize beds surrounded by snug terraces and plasma gadgetry. Bedrooms are bright and comfortable with free-flowing spaces including designer splurges like the Philippe Starck half-egg baths and private outdoor hot-tubs overlooking the city lights. Linens, sheets and bathroom toiletries are private label by the AC Hotels chain, which would be better served using the Natura Bisse products offered in the spa instead of their Franco-era products. The spa is in fact one of the best features of the hotel, designed by Natura Bisse with indoor pool, steam baths, sauna and signature ice-shower and Natura Bisse treatment rooms.
Preferred Room
Superior Room (with tub)
Special Features
Hip Lounge, Natura Bisse Spa, Gourmet Restaurant, Historic Location
Amenities
Restaurant, Spa, Views, Pool, Fitness center
