The Best Hotels for Exploring Sarrià-Sant Gervasi, Barcelona

With an eye for design that is distinctly Catalan, interiors at the Hotel Primero Primera blend mid-century chic with a cosy home-style vibe. The family-owned 1950s hotel has 30 spacious rooms, each personalised with its own unique decor and one-off objects. A free minibar, top-end toiletries and a pillow menu add to the rooms’ upscale appeal. A tidy garden features a small pool and sun loungers, while during cooler months the snug bar with a fireplace beckons.

While the Michelin-star dining by rockstar chef Jordi Cruz takes centre stage at the ABaC, this is more than a restaurant with rooms. The sublime gastronomic experience is supported by equally impressive accommodation where eye-pleasing design meets a supremely serene space. First-class wellness facilities emphasise its five-star credentials. Its location on exclusive Tibidabo hill – the tallest tuft of the Serra de Collserola – puts it in well-heeled company, while a large Zen-style garden provides the perfect spot for quiet contemplation.

Set in an imposing 1920s mansion, few places in Barcelona can match the towering grandeur of this self-styled urban resort. Its setting on the slopes of Tibidabo makes for commanding views over the city, enjoyed from each of its Art Nouveau-inspired guest rooms. There’s no doubt of its five-star status, with a luxury spa, outstanding gastronomy and superb indoor-outdoor swimming pool, all wrapped up in on-trend design and liberally sprinkled with contemporary artworks.

A smart, business-like facade sets the tone for this boutique hotel that prides itself on “elegance and sobriety”. It sits on the east side of the Sant Gervasi–Galvany neighbourhood, within walking distance of the top of Passeig de Gràcia and Gaudí masterpiece Casa Milà. Guest rooms are tidy and chicly understated, with wooden floors and good soundproofing. There’s a decent breakfast buffet offered each morning, though no restaurant. Be sure to check out the beautiful central staircase before you leave.

Positioned overlooking busy Avinguda Diagonal, this glitzy 1960s hotel puts you in the heart of one of Barcelona’s most buzzing quarters. Its soaring proportions mean rooms on higher floors provide knockout views over the city, but anyone can survey the spectacular scene from its rooftop terrace. There’s a small gym up here, too, while a bright first-floor restaurant serves guests breakfast, lunch and dinner daily.

Just on the northern outskirts of the Sant Gervasi-Galvany district, this understated hotel would suit travellers happy to be away from the city bustle – but still with easy access to it. It’s a three-minute walk to the nearest metro station, and five stops into town. Simple modern rooms mix blond wood, velvet and contemporary art, while suites add jetted bathtubs. The hotel café provides a daily continental buffet breakfast, or you can order it up via room service.

Certainly one of the neighbourhood’s most impressive additions, Seventy Barcelona stitches together sharp 21st-century design with top-end features. Colourful bookshelves and fireside couches add to the inviting, soaring lobby space, while crisply stylish guest rooms come with upscale amenities like Bluetooth tech. De-stress in the atmospheric spa with its heated pool, sauna and vegan body treatments. Alternatively, head to the rooftop terrace for a cooling swim in their swish glass-sided pool.

If you are looking for an intimate, homestay-style experience, Casa Filomena is a tiny guesthouse with a big heart. There’s a choice of just two bedrooms, each serene and light-filled with lovely crisp cotton bedlinen and organic toiletries. The owner, Patricia, is passionate about cooking and healthy eating, so breakfast is a real treat, and she even offers cooking classes. Stepping outside, you’re in lovely, leafy Sarrià and a 20-minute metro ride from central Barcelona.

Taking its name from actress Mae West, the vibe behind this upscale hotel was inspired by the silver-screen icon’s sassy sense of style – as interpreted by famous “interiorista” Jaime Beriestain. There are some impressive features, too, the highlight being a rooftop terrace with plunge pool, cocktail bar and views that stretch beyond the city. Rooms combine contemporary chic with old-school glamour, plus an Avinguda Diagonal address that puts you right in the thick of it.

Elements of its former incarnation as a concrete office block have been artfully integrated into the sleek, contemporary and oh-so-chic interiors of Barcelona’s “other” Ohla hotel. The marriage of the old and new extends to guest rooms, which also feature streamlined tech and transparent showers. Up on the roof, a heated infinity pool is open year-round, long enough for laps, and lined with comfy cushioned loungers. There’s a great Sky Bar up there, too, while downstairs dining is seasonal, creative and Michelin-starred.