The Best Hotels to Book in Barcelona With Incredible Rooftop Swimming Pools

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.

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.

There are two pools at H10’s Olympic Village hotel – one in the Despacio Spa, where you’ll also find a sauna, Turkish bath and jacuzzi, and another on the sleek Skyline bar and terrace. From here, you can see the Mediterranean stretching away into the distance. Head to the lobby bar’s plant-filled terrace for a cocktail before having dinner at Dionissos, where the walls are adorned with modern art and mirrors framed by green window panes. Barcelona’s main beaches are less than a ten-minute walk away.

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.

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.

Just opposite the Marina Port Vell harbour, Barcelona’s historic waterfront and luxury super-yacht port, you’ll find the Hotel Duquesa de Cardona. It’s housed within a restored 16th-century townhouse, carefully designed to preserve the historic spirit of the building. The rooftop swimming pool is secluded, away from the busy streets below, boasting views towards the harbour.

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.

This modern hotel is an urban retreat, complete with soundproofed walls, wireless sound-systems in each room and an in-house restaurant serving dishes from Michelin-starred Catalan chef Marc Gascons. The lobby reflects the colours of the Mediterranean – azure waters and golden sand – while the rooms offer a stylish yet comfortable setting to unwind. The rooftop pool and bar is the perfect place to grab a cocktail and relax with views of the harbour below.

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.

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.