Hotel Arts
- T+L 500 Winner
COST: $$$$
Parked over the Malibu-like Olympic Port and a 20-minute hike from the rollicking El Born neighborhood, this glamorous Ritz-Carlton skyscraper may be slightly estranged from Barcelona life, but it offers a wide range of compensations. Artwork by Antoni Tàpies and Eduardo Chillida, not to mention the leviathan-size Frank Gehry goldfish sculpture out front, make the Arts an exciting (and aptly named) base camp. Catalan chef Sergi Arola’s namesake restaurant, which has two Michelin stars, has emerged in recent years as one of Barcelona’s finest dining experiences, and remains the hotel’s top dining option. The 397 neutral-toned guest rooms (59 suites, 27 apartments) are outfitted in handsome Thomas O’Brien–style furnishings and teched out with flat-screen televisions and Bang & Olufsen sound systems. Perched on the top two floors (42nd and 43rd), the Six Senses Spa features three-hour tag-team massage sessions and glass-walled saunas overlooking the Mediterranean.
Insider Tip: Be prepared to run into anybody from Woody Allen to Penelope Cruz in the halls and salons of this rambling tourist colony. Hollywood has had a soft spot for the Arts ever since Arnold Schwarzenegger inaugurated Planet Hollywood here in 1992.
Room to Book: Any room on the south façade offers views of Barcelona as well as panoramas out to sea and over the Collserola hills behind the city.
As Featured In...
From Travel + Leisure, Jun 2005
“Then you actually taste these tidbits. Having earned two Michelin macaroons...” MORE>>
From Travel + Leisure, May 2003
“The only beachfront address in Barcelona—not to mention the first Ritz-Carlton in Europe...” MORE>>
Last updated January 2008 lastArticle = 6/2005 and lastAward = 01/2008
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