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The opulent El Palace Barcelona combines history and character with an unbeatable location and excellent food offering.

El Palace is the pinnacle of old Barcelona glamour. The 103-year-old hotel, formerly the Ritz, is in the very centre of the city in the historic Eixample district, making it a stone’s throw away from every major shopping and tourist destination.

I moved just a few blocks away to the historic El Palace, which bills itself as Barcelona’s most famous hotel. When it opened (originally as a Ritz) in 1919, it was the city’s first five-star hotel.

If Barcelona’s luxury hotels have a grande dame, it’s El Palace. This ornate, centrally located residence began life as the city’s Ritz in 1919, and many of its stately gilt clocks and Greek statues have been present ever since.

Head straight to El Palace Barcelona for Gaudi-inspired cocktails with a view. This glamorous grand dame first opened its doors in 1919, welcoming a long list of well-heeled guests – from Salvador Dali to Josephine Baker.

From tucked-away vermouth bars and much-loved neighborhood tapas spots, to traditional seafood restaurants and inventive late-night cocktail bars, here’s where Chef Rafa Zafra likes to eat and drink.

It's been 100 years since the death of fabled Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí, and the city is gearing up to celebrate his legacy. When I walked into the Joséphine Baker Suite at El Palace Barcelona, I felt more connected to the late entertainer than I thought imaginable.

Best for palatial style - With its grand staircases, gilded ceilings, and parlor palms, Barcelona’s original luxury haunt first opened in 1919 as the Ritz hotel on one of the city’s major avenues.

Our suitcases buckle and roll through Eixample’s streets until El Palace comes into view on Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes like a mirage.
 

Just off Passeig de Gràcia, El Palace marries a classic energy (it launched in 1919 as the city’s Ritz hotel) with modern flourishes. The grand hall has an air of French opulence, with its arched mirrors and glinting chandeliers, and is still a place for smart afternoon teas and evening cocktails.

Opened in 1919 as Barcelona’s first five-star hotel, Hotel El Palace is woven into the city’s history. For anyone visiting Barcelona this year and going all-out for the occasion, this luxury stay will meet expectations.

Those looking to experience the height of Catalonian luxury should book El Palace Barcelona.

Few hotels capture Barcelona’s glorious heritage quite like this one, occupying a privileged corner on the Gran Via for more than a century. The former Ritz retains its Baroque opulence throughout, from the stately marble-columned entryway to the ballrooms dripping with ornate chandeliers to the vast main hall: all mirrors, gilt and elegant Louis XVI-style furniture.

Classic luxury abounds at this opulent five-star property that lets guests moonlight as royalty. Best for: Classic luxury lovers, couples.  If you want to moonlight as royalty, there's no better place to bed down in Barcelona than at El Palace.

Effortless luxury, impeccable service, and belle epoque flair with a Wes Anderson wink—this Catalan landmark has it all. Originally the Ritz Barcelona, in keeping with his Ritz properties in Paris, London, and Madrid, the hotel opened its doors in 1919, a year after his death, on a broad, tree-lined boulevard in the city center.

Legends never die. That’s the idea behind guitarist Ronnie Wood’s collaboration with El Palace Barcelona, the storied hotel marking its 107th year.

The 114-room El Palace Barcelona has hosted an array of celebrities over the years, some of whom (most notably Salvador Dalí, Joséphine Baker, and Ronnie Wood of The Rolling Stones) have had suites designed in their honor.

Easy to spot by the scarlet accents adorning its exterior, this opulent 120-room property has a rooftop pool offering 360-degree views of the skyline—the Sagrada Familia included.

Youngsters used to the finer things in life will be at home at Barcelona’s most venerable luxury stay — this stately grand dame with a neoclassical façade was formerly a Ritz hotel.

As you make your way down the hidden flight of stairs from the imposing lobby of El Palace Barcelona, it's not so much like stepping onto a different floor of the hotel as right into a time warp. Bluesman is the kind of spot where you never know what might happen or who you might spot.