The Best Hotels to Book in Barcelona With Incredible Rooftop Swimming Pools
Once you’ve explored the Sagrada Familia and strolled through Park Güell in the scorching Catalan heat, you’ll want to cool off. Plunge into the refreshing waters of these rooftop pools, perched on top of the finest hotels in Barcelona – all bookable with Culture Trip.
Most of central Barcelona’s key attractions – including iconic Anton Gaudi structures, La Boqueria food market and the arty, bohemian Gothic Quarter – can be visited on foot, but doing so in spring or summer is seriously hot work. To help you cool off, we’ve selected some hotels in the Catalan capital offering the most incredible rooftop swimming pools. These are chic spaces where you can kick back with a cocktail, nibble on tapas and soak up panoramic views.
1. Kimpton Vividora
Hotel
Kimpton Vividora’s rooftop terrace features a bar and pool surrounded by foliage and shaded loungers, with views as far as the Mediterranean. It’s also the setting for early-morning yoga classes and DJ-and-mimosa accompanied brunches on the weekends. Accommodations take inspiration from sleek Barcelona apartments and feature locally designed furniture, Nespresso machines and yoga mats; suites also have terraces with city views. Sample Catalan cheese and artisanal vermouth at Cafe Got and Mediterranean mains at Fauna Restaurant.
2. Almanac Barcelona
Boutique Hotel
The rooftop pool at this smart five-star in Eixample is too small for swimming but perfectly sized for cooling-off on hot afternoons. It’s attached to a cocktail bar with zen beats, white leather and red wicker seating and views of Sagrada Familia. City views are also standard in most rooms, which feature box windows hanging over the traffic-packed streets below, and bedside panels that control everything from the curtains to the air con. Virens Restaurant focuses on plant-based cooking and Catalan produce.
4. Soho House
Boutique Hotel
Not only is Soho House a luxury boutique hotel, but it’s also an exclusive private members’ club and one of the trendiest hangouts in Barcelona. Come summertime, the rooftop is full of the city’s movers and shakers, topping up their tan and enjoying the view from the sunbeds by the pool. Grab a frozen margarita and have a soak while you admire the view over Port Vell.
5. Grand Hotel Central
Hotel
The Grand Hotel Central is one of the city’s most famous hotels, located on one of the main avenues in Barcelona, right in the middle of the Gothic Quarter and the trendy El Born district. Its rooftop pool is a true showstopper – a shimmering turquoise lagoon with an uninterrupted view of the city skyline. Minutes away from the best boutique shopping, restaurants and entertainment in the city, it is the perfect place to cool down after a long day of sightseeing.
6. Hotel Duquesa de Cardona
Boutique Hotel, Independent Hotel, Hotel
7. Hotel 1898
Hotel, Boutique Hotel
This historic landmark was designed by Catalan architect Josep Oriol Mestres and once served as the headquarters of the General Philippines Tobacco Company. In 2005, the building was renovated in keeping with its colonial past and opened as Hotel 1898. The rooftop bar, La Isabella, is open to both hotel residents and non-residents – making it a great place to mingle with locals – while the pool is reserved exclusively for those staying at the hotel.
8. The Serras Hotel
Boutique Hotel, Independent Hotel, Hotel
9. Ohla Barcelona
Boutique Hotel, Hotel
A five-star hotel located in the middle of Barcelona’s historic city centre, minutes away from the Passeig de Gràcia, the Portal de l’Angèl and the Gothic Quarter. The ground floor restaurant La Plassohla is run by Michelin-star chef Romain Fornell, serving contemporary tapas, plus there’s more formal Caelis, a white tablecloth affair. Make your way up to the rooftop for the real highlight – the glass-walled swimming pool and terrace bar offers exceptional views of the most famous landmarks in the city.
10. Mercer Hotel
Boutique Hotel
This five-star hotel is tucked away among the ancient buildings of Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter and boasts original architectural features such as medieval archways and original 12th-century artwork. The interior was designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Rafael Moneo to reflect the natural beauty of the edifice while offering a luxuriously modern experience. The rooftop pool is an oasis of calm, dotted with pot plants and hidden among the old rooftops of this centuries-old neighbourhood.
Mark Nayler contributed additional reporting to this article.
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