The Best Bed & Breakfasts in Barcelona, Spain

Owner and creative force behind The5rooms, Yessica, knew she wanted to do things a little differently. The result is this sophisticated-but-welcoming boutique hotel, brimming with artful charm and spread over two levels of an elegant turn-of-the-century building. Five rooms have grown into 12, and two apartments, handy for families, have also been added. Top-quality beds and big showers provide comfort where it matters, while soundproofing keeps the busy L’Eixample neighbourhood outside, where it belongs.

While it might be set on a busy intersection in the honking heart of Barcelona, you leave it all behind upon stepping into THE8 Boutique B&B. With a calming colour scheme, guest rooms are immaculately modern, with upscale touches such as super-smart bathrooms with premium toiletries. Hot drinks are available around the clock in the airy breakfast room, which also regularly treats guests to free wine and tapas.

While Barcelona is well-known for an abundance of modernist architectural gems, you generally can’t stay in them. ANBA Boutique, however, occupies the first floor of a superb example of the form, where an ornate façade of twirly wrought iron and geometric patterning is just the beginning. Inside, original frescoes have been beautifully restored, and Art Deco flourishes are artfully integrated into a chic contemporary update. Egyptian cotton sheets, parquet floors and thick bathrobes also bring a touch of luxury to all of the seven rooms.

With tall ceilings, airy light-filled spaces and breezily chic decor, this bed and breakfast is imbued with a real sense of tranquillity. Unfussy, tastefully rendered rooms are simple yet inviting, many overlooking the leafy street outside from Juliet balconies. Breakfast on local and seasonal produce before stepping out into the lively L’Antiga Esquerra de l’Eixample district – it’s a just short stroll from the Passeig de Gràcia and Gaudí’s Casa Milà.

The husband-and-wife team behind La Casa Gran has converted one floor of an elegantly historic building into this homely bed and breakfast. With just a few rooms, the vibe is intimate and personal, with a bright lounge and garden terrace – a great place to enjoy organic breakfast during the warmer months. It’s also a pleasant spot for an evening vermouth (accompanied by jazz from an impressive vinyl collection) before stepping onto Avenida Diagonal to explore the city.

With a palette centred on purples, reds and aquamarine, the Umma Barcelona is certainly one of the more colourful bed and breakfasts you’ll find in the city. The cheerful colour scheme extends to the rooms, which add shimmering drapery and velvet upholstery. A continental breakfast can be taken in-room if you’re feeling lazy, or there are numerous eateries to explore in the surrounding L’Eixample neighbourhood. If the budget’s tight, there’s also access to a kitchen to prepare snacks and light meals.

With a combination of eye-catching tiles, high ceilings and hip-yet-homely decor, there’s something rather endearing about the Factory Suites Barcelona. Breakfast here isn’t just a morning affair, but available around the clock, plus there’s a lovely little terrace on which you can enjoy it. Located equidistant from Passeig de Gràcia and La Sagrada Familia, you also have the best of Barcelona within walking distance – friendly staff can point you in the right direction.

Despite the central location opposite Gaudí’s Casa Batlló in the middle of Passeig de Gràcia, Margot House provides privacy and rest in nine spacious rooms. The suites feature contemporary and custom-made furniture and decor. (Some of the items seen at the hotel can be purchased at the store). The breakfast is prepared by chef Jaime Santianes, using locally sourced products. The hotel also provides 24-hour customer service, a library displaying books and magazines, and a Brompton bike for exploring the city.

Set in a modernist building within walking distance of Passeig de Gràcia, Circa 1905 is a boutique bed and breakfast that preserves original furniture and an early 20th-century charm. Cosy external rooms feature a balcony or terrace with a garden view, and internal ones overlook the interior courtyard. Breakfast will help you discover local produce, and coffee and tea are provided throughout the day. The attention to detail here is evident in the high-quality amenities such as egyptian cotton sheets and complimentary L’Occitane toiletries.

Half ecotourist apartment complex, half luxury boutique B&B, yök Casa + Cultura is a charming turn-of-the-century building renovated by Petz Scholtus and Mari Rodríguez. The three apartments, or “casas”, feature original mosaic floors, contemporary Catalan furniture and a terrace or balcony, which altogether evoke the feeling of a high-end private household. Breakfast is served on the rooftop overlooking the El Born district. The B&B also offers original tours and activities such as a morning vinyasa yoga, a visit to the fishermen of La Barceloneta, along with a seafood tasting, or a trip to the nearby Montgat seaside village to watch the fish auction. Sustainability and slow living are some of the concepts behind this hotel.

Chic&basic boutique hotels and apartments provide accommodation in some of the most prominent neighbourhoods in Barcelona. Chic&basic Born, in the lively El Born district (on Carrer Princesa), is located inside a modernist building featuring large windows, high ceilings and a marble staircase at the entrance. Enjoy a tea and coffee room, crystal shower cabins in the middle of the rooms and a gym. There’s also an electric scooter and bike rental service and a special discount if you want to visit the nearby AIRE Barcelona spa.

Ca La Maria boutique B&B is located at the top of Passeig de Gràcia, near Avinguda Diagonal, and features six rooms with high ceilings, modernist interiors and ensuite bathrooms. The luxury bed and breakfast offers a sun deck, a garden, a covered dining table and a spacious and peaceful inner patio – which is a typical feature of the turn-of-the-century rational architecture of the L’Eixample district. A stay here comes with a buffet breakfast of house-made jams, cupcakes and pies. Business travellers also have the opportunity to work at Cowork Rambla Catalunya, located in the same building.

We Boutique Hotel offers an excellent location right by the Arc de Triomf and the most central park in the city, La Ciutadella. The trendy El Born district, full of bars and restaurants, is also nearby. This tiny boutique hotel showcases traditional Barcelona hydraulic tiles on the floors and large french windows with small balconies, which testify to its origins as a stately modernist building. The furniture inside is a mix of contemporary and vintage classic pieces.

Composed of 16 rooms, Mihlton Barcelona is close to the Diagonal train stop at the upper end of La Rambla. Set inside a traditional Barcelona finca (property), it has an ample inner courtyard for sunbathing and relaxing and even harbours a small art gallery. The hotel offers a Mediterranean buffet breakfast with traditional Spanish cold cuts and different cheeses. The owners, Austrian Juergen Hutterer and Catalan Miquel Prat, are keen to help you discover the city and provide insider tips. You can also book guided city tours at the front desk.

Quiet, coquettish and cosy, Casa Mathilda is located in a refurbished early-20th-century bourgeois building near the central Diagonal station. It features soundproofed rooms and a peaceful inner patio. Mediterranean breakfast includes typical Catalan pa amb tomàquet (toasted bread rubbed with garlic and tomato), jams, fuet (cured sausage) and pastries and bread from Baluard Bakery. A bike rental service is also available.