A city hotel by the beach, offering you the best of urban living and some of the finest Mediterranean views? It could only be Hotel Arts Barcelona. Located right next to the marina and Barcelona’s amazing beaches, not only does Hotel Arts offer guests stunning views overlooking the Mediterranean but it is also a short stroll away from the historical city centre and right in the heart of the Barceloneta district, offering a range of bars, cafes and local seafood restaurants to visit.
Built in 1992 to coincide with the Olympic Games, the hotel was designed by distinguished architect Bruce Graham of Skidmore, Owings and Merrill as a modern Barceloneta landmark – 44 stories of blue glass and exposed steel soaring high above the seafront. Don’t let its hard exterior fool you though as inside is a world of minimalist elegance.
With 483 sea or city view rooms including 56 executive suites, the Arts suite, the Mediterranean Suite, the Royal Suite, the Presidential Suite and 26 duplex Apartments, you are definitely spoilt for choice as to where you lay your head but if you are one for endless sea views right outside your window, our recommendation would be the Arts Suite.
Located on the 30th floor, on the Hotel Arts Barcelona Club level, this one-bedroom hotel suite occupies the entire seafront facade of the hotel where wrap-around windows look out onto breath-taking, panoramic views of the Mediterranean and the marina, which you can enjoy throughout the suite.
With interiors specially created for the hotel by Josep Juanpere of GCA Architects Barcelona, the overall look is clean and contemporary. Alongside the spacious bedroom, there is also a lounge area with a cosy fireplace, a dining room with an open bar and separate kitchen area, and a spacious bathroom with dressing room, separate rain shower and bathtub.
Guests staying at the Arts Suite can also enjoy a range of special amenities, such as a separate reception, private access to the Club floors and the Club Lounge, an exclusive living and dining area, and use of their own electric Smart car to discover the city.
Venture on ahead and there is still plenty more to do. You can take a dip in the outdoor pool or relax in the hot tub while enjoying a private view of Frank Gehry’s monumental golden fish sculpture, one of Barcelona’s most iconic works of contemporary public art. There is also an exclusive collection of Spanish contemporary art on site for culture vultures.
You can also sample a range of taste at one of the five restaurants of the hotel offering a range of fine food, from Mediterranean cuisine at the two Michelin star restaurant Enoteca, overseen by renowned Catalan chef Paco Pérez to quick bites at the aptly named Bites where you can sample salads, beef or tuna tartare, a selection of cheeses, a royal club sandwich, a foie gras hamburger or a selection of desserts. You can of course burn the calories at the fitness centre or with a shopping spree at a range of luxury fashion boutiques located right on site, and there is always sight-seeing of course – after all you have your own Smart car to hit the road and find out what Barcelona has on offer.
