World's Best

The Top 5 Barcelona Hotels

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Published on September 8, 2021

This year's World's Best Awards survey was open for voting January 11 through May 10, 2021, as destinations around the world were lifting COVID-19 restrictions. Survey rules have always allowed readers to reflect on their travel experiences over a three year period. We hope that this year's honorees will inspire your own travels as you get back out into the world.

Filled with elegant tree-lined streets, eclectic boutiques, and tiny old-school tapas bars, the Catalonian capital surrounds travelers with both modern luxuries and historic charm. The best hotels in Barcelona, which tend to remain readers favorites year after year, capture this beguiling mix.

Every year for our World's Best Awards survey, T+L asks readers to weigh in on travel experiences around the globe — to share their opinions on the top hotels, resorts, cities, islands, cruise ships, spas, airlines, and more. Hotels were rated on their facilities, location, service, food, and overall value. Properties were classified as city or resort based on their locations and amenities.

Cotton House, Barcelona, Spain — Cotton House, hotel sitting area, Barcelona, Spain. Courtesy of Autograph Collection Hotels

Set on the tony Passeig de Gràcia, the Mandarin Oriental, Barcelona, placed second this year after winning in 2018, 2019, and 2020. "Can't say enough about this hotel," wrote one voter. "A truly great experience from start to finish. The team is always going above and beyond to make sure that you are enjoying yourself throughout your entire stay. And the location can't be beat, as it's close to everything."

No. 4 Hotel Arts Barcelona, housed in a gleaming, Modernist high-rise, may look like an emissary from the future in this old-world destination, but but it remains devoted to tradition in its service. "The staff provided flowers and a wonderful dinner at the restaurant after hearing that this was a special trip for my wife after a serious medical recovery," confided one reader.

And when it comes to both views from the hotel and views of the hotel, there's no beating the waterside location and the sail-shaped silhouette of the No. 5 W Barcelona, which one voter called an "architectural icon."

Still, it was Cotton House Hotel, part of Marriott's Autograph Collection, that rose to the top spot. Read on to find out why readers consider it their favorite among the best hotels in Barcelona.

1. Cotton House Hotel, Autograph Collection

Opened as a hotel in 2015, Cotton House Hotel occupies a building once used by a guild of textile manufacturers. Not surprisingly, the namesake substance is used as a motif throughout the building — a chandelier is designed to look like cotton balls, and beds are made with crisp cotton linens. Among the heritage touches are boiserie ceilings and a spectacular marble staircase in the lobby .

One reader was moved to re-create the aesthetic back home: "Their décor is so amazing. We may or may not have designed our home's outdoor kitchen with inspiration from their design." Its location on the Gran Via, one of the city's main thoroughfares, is also noteworthy, putting guests within walking distance of such sights as Plaça de Catalunya and Gaudí's Casa Batlló.

Score: 93.93
More information: hotelcottonhouse.com