Majestic Hotel & Spa Barcelona hotel video tour by Rosie Bell

1) The backstory

Set on a handsome corner of one of the city’s top streets, think of Majestic Hotel & Spa Barcelona—which is comprised of 272 rooms, a sublime rooftop, and Barcelona’s largest penthouse suite—as the closest Grande Dame hotel to Antoni Gaudí’s architectural masterpieces.

Majestic Hotel & Spa Barcelona swung open on Passeig de Gracia in 1918. Since then, the likes of Ernest Hemingway, Pablo Picasso, Josephine Baker, and Barbra Streisand have been lured to its neoclassical charm and opulence. The hotel is ground-breaking in many ways, with the largest penthouse suite in Barcelona, and it was Spain’s first hotel with fully adapted rooms for people with disabilities.

Image courtesy of the hotel

2) The rooms

Each of the 272 rooms at Majestic Hotel & Spa Barcelona is a testament to timeless design, blending neutral, soothing tones like beige and taupe with both antique and contemporary furnishings.

The room categories range from 215-square-foot Deluxe Rooms to the Majestic Royal Penthouse spanning 5,000 square feet. The Majestic suites are particularly notable and are comprised of a living area, bedroom, and a separate office, so all guests have ample space to spread out and enjoy their stays.

To my delight, I was upgraded from a Deluxe Room to a Junior Suite with Passeig de Gracia views for my weekend stay. This suite, 202, opened up to two balconies from which I thoroughly enjoyed watching the world go by on the bustling, tree-lined street below.

Sound-proofed windows and weapon’s grade blackout curtains shut out noise and outside interference come night time, and my bed, a plush king-sized centerpiece, was draped in the finest linens.

Vertical and horizontal frames holding diverse artworks adorned an otherwise cream-coloured palette in the suite which was spritzed with a scent that was evocative in its potency and depth.

There were a few pleasant surprises during my stay in Suite 202, including ever-so-fluffy slippers, full-size toiletries custom-scented by Atelier Cologne in the marble bathroom, a hydro-massage tub, monogrammed towels, and Natura Bisse C+C Vitamin Cream that was provided during the turndown service.

In addition, balloons and desserts were carefully placed in the elegant quarters ahead of my arrival, as I had mentioned being in Barcelona to celebrate a birthday.

3) Food & drink

Majestic Hotel & Spa Barcelona has three dining venues: El Bar de Majestic on the main floor, La Dolce Vitae rooftop, and Restaurant SOLC.

At La Dolce Vitae rooftop, you can feast on fresh-from-the-farm food as well as covetable views of Barcelona’s skyline, including Gaudí’s masterpiece, La Sagrada Familia. Hotel guests get priority for tables at this fabulous spot, and it’s unsurprisingly popular just before sunset, when you can find a DJ livening things up.

After a rejuvenating afternoon at the spa, we headed to the rooftop (the spa and the rooftop are both on the 10th floor) right after our treatments for a sundowner and a very light snack ahead of our 8 pm dinner reservation at Restaurant SOLC. We opted for the bread with tomato and extra virgin oil, and the tomatoes tasted of sunshine.

Open for dinner, Restaurant SOLC on the first floor nourishes guests with a focus on local, seasonal produce underneath a painted ceiling of delicate blue flowers. The menu isn’t very extensive and portions aren’t gargantuan but the ingredients are of high quality and showcase the richness of Catalan cuisine with ingredients sourced from the hotel’s own gardens, a fact that is sure to delight locavores. Wines also come from the hotel’s own winery. Sometimes, extremely popular dishes have their lifespans extended, but for the most part, if you return months after your initial visit, the menu will differ entirely.

We arrived all dressed up for our dinner reservation at Restaurant SOLC, famished and ready to delight our taste buds. Therefore, we chose the peas from Maresme with heavenly scallops and bilbaína-style puree, which our charismatic and chirpy server lovingly drizzled onto the plate. Every morsel that touched my lips was mouth-wateringly good, including dessert, which was a delta rice pudding with rice liqueur ice cream and caramel served in a martini glass.

Albert, our sprightly server who thoroughly deserves his own variety show, was the star of the evening for me. Everything from his terminology and bilingual humor to his deep-rooted knowledge, passion for the dishes, and his hand gestures and finger movements that were akin to a Flamenco dancer elevated the experience. We looked forward to each time he came over to our corner table. Overall, my culinary experience to celebrate a friend’s birthday was nothing short of spectacular and crowned with a complimentary candle-lit chocolate cake.

Breakfast is served in the same location as Restaurant SOLC within the serene confines of the hotel’s interior courtyard, and the various breakfast offerings are on opposite ends of the establishment. One corner has the savory selection, where you’ll find cold meats, cheese, the salad bar, bread, fresh juice, and water. On the other side of the hall is the sweet corner with yogurt, fruit, cereals, jam, pastries, and all the sugary good stuff. Only two items are brought to the table. and that’s the egg selections — there is a veggie egg omelet option with seasonal mushrooms — and coffee or tea. Breakfast can also be served in your room between 6 am and 12 noon.

Majestic Hotel & Spa Barcelona’s breakfast is an elaborate affair and was even crowned the Best Hotel Breakfast in Europe at the 16th edition of the Prix Villégiature. On Sundays, the hotel runs a brunch that has also garnered fans and awards such as Best Luxury Hotel Brunch 2023 at the Beyond Luxury Awards.

Image courtesy of the hotel

4) Services & amenities

The service is what makes Majestic Hotel & Spa Barcelona one of the finest five-star establishments in the city.

Professional travelers will find the business center and meeting facilities to be of a high standard, and 24-hour room service means there is always someone to deliver tea and coffee, a chilled bottle of cava, or a late-night snack of fresh fruits.

It’s easy to weave in wellness and keep active at the hotel as there is a spa, a small rooftop pool, and a gym with ample weights and Technogym equipment. Pay a visit to the gym on a Saturday morning, and you might just have it to yourself as I did. It’s on the lower ground floor and is fully accessible for wheelchair users.

The spa, which smells like a perfumed garden geared up for global attention with an infrastructural facelift in 2022 and uses luxury Natura Bisse products as well as myrrh and incense for its extensive range of treatments.

After a series of long flights ahead of my Barcelona trip, my back was in urgent need of TLC, which I got during my 60-minute full-body Touch of Calm massage with Alqvimia essential oils, which was administered by the lovely Ewelina while lullaby-esque music played. Besides technical prowess, I am of the belief that the energy of your massage therapist and their ability to read the room and what your body needs is what makes the spa experience genuinely gratifying.

Image courtesy of the hotel

After the one-hour treatment, we were kindly offered a selection of soothing teas (we picked vanilla), which we sipped in the small waiting area as we slowly came back to life.

It’s worth mentioning that the spa at Majestic Hotel & Spa Barcelona also has a private hydrotherapy center, which can be all yours for 45 minutes of bliss in a circuit that includes a jacuzzi, dry sauna, steam room, and a sensation shower.

Image courtesy of the hotel

5) Style, decor & character

Everything is monogrammed at Majestic Hotel & Spa Barcelona. The brand’s emblem is a recurring motif on everything from the 100 percent plastic-free slippers given at the spa to the chocolate topping on the celebratory dessert that was placed in my suite before my arrival.

Majestic Hotel & Spa Barcelona feels opulent from the moment you step in, with solid pillars in the lobby and an inviting scent. The corridors, grand staircases, sparkly chandeliers, and marble columns deliver old-world glam. However, this grandeur is elegantly balanced with modern design elements and artworks, creating a space that feels both palatial and inviting.

The hotel’s commitment to art and culture is palpable, with over 1,000 pieces of art displayed throughout, including works by Anish Kapoor, Antoni Tàpies, and Joan Miró, and it’s affectionately referred to as “The Hotel of the Arts.” Knowing that there was so much art scattered around the building inspired me to take the stairs over the lifts to see what each corner and floor had to offer.

6) Location & nearby sights

Located on Passeig de Gracia, Majestic Hotel & Spa boasts one of the most enviable addresses in Barcelona. This boulevard is not only the city’s most celebrated avenue for shopping and dining, but it also serves as a cultural corridor housing masterpieces by Antoni Gaudí, including Casa Batilló and Casa Milà (La Pedrera), which are three and four minutes away, respectively, on foot. For retail therapy, stores like Guess, Mango, Lululemon, Pepe Jeans, and Sandro are visible right across the hotel.

7) Who it’s right for & what to pack

Art and architecture lovers will revel in Majestic Hotel & Spa Barcelona’s proximity to famous buildings and the hotel’s own art collection. It’s also suited for luxury shoppers, enthusiasts of the local food movement, and business travelers who expect a high standard of service and facilities. Families are welcome too, in Privilege Family Rooms.

Bring sunglasses for obligatory visits to La Dolce Vitae rooftop, where you should spend at least one of your afternoons.