"From the moment we arrived at El Palace Barcelona, the hotel made an impression. The building is beautiful from the outside, with its elegant façade, red touches and curtains, which somehow reminded us a little of the Plaza Athénée in Paris.
We were greeted by a lovely doorman who deserves a special mention. He was extremely kind, helpful and friendly throughout our stay. We also saw him interacting and playing with children arriving at the hotel, which was genuinely lovely to see.
As soon as you enter, you can immediately feel the history of the property and the old-world luxury for which the hotel was once known. The large chandelier in the entrance is beautiful, and continuing straight ahead brings you into a very impressive salon and bar area with a grand, ritzy atmosphere.
You can still feel some of the old Ritz character throughout the hotel, which is fitting considering its former name, although of course it should not be compared directly with properties such as The Ritz Paris or The Ritz London.
That said, some parts of the hotel could benefit from a thoughtful refurbishment. We noticed several modern and very colorful paintings in the main salon area, and personally, we did not feel they matched the atmosphere of the hotel. They almost seemed placed there simply to make the surroundings feel more contemporary, but the contrast with the traditional décor was quite noticeable.
The hotel certainly does not need to lose its historic character or undergo a complete transformation. In fact, that character is part of its charm. However, some new upholstery and more refined patterns for the sofas and chairs in the salon could make a big difference while still respecting the original style. The reception area could perhaps also benefit from refreshed wallpaper and some careful updating. At the moment, certain areas feel more dated than intentionally historic.
We stayed in a Junior Suite, which was spacious and comfortable. The bedroom and living area are not separated, but overall the room did not feel particularly outdated. We were actually surprised to find a USB-C charging port, something that even some brand-new hotels still do not provide.
The bathroom was huge and felt much more recently renovated.
One issue, however, was the sofa bed. When someone slept on it, it made an unbearable metallic squeaking sound throughout the night with almost every movement. This definitely needs to be looked at.
Another surprising point concerned the complimentary water. There was only one bottle of water per person in the room. Considering we stayed during summer, with temperatures above 30°C, we naturally requested additional bottles from housekeeping, as we routinely do when staying at five-star hotels around the world.
At checkout, we were surprised to discover that every additional bottle we had requested had been charged as though we had consumed it from the minibar. This was honestly a first for us at a five-star hotel, and something we have rarely, if ever, experienced even at four-star properties.
Of course, if this is the hotel’s policy, we have to respect it. However, it would have been much better if this had been communicated when we requested the water, especially since we were not informed of the charge beforehand.
Breakfast was served in the Winter Garden, which is a beautiful setting. It was peaceful, elegant and had a wonderful atmosphere. The quality of the ingredients was also very good.
We have seen considerably larger breakfast buffets at other luxury hotels, although in fairness, the buffet here did not really lack anything essential. A little more variety would simply have made the experience feel richer.
What surprised us more was that dishes ordered from the table, such as omelettes, eggs Benedict and pancakes, carried an additional charge. This was another first for us in a five-star hotel, as these types of freshly prepared breakfast dishes are normally included when breakfast itself has already been paid for.
The concierge, on the other hand, was wonderful. He was extremely helpful, assisted us in securing restaurant reservations and even sent confirmations and reminders directly to our room. This kind of traditional service suited the character of the hotel perfectly.
Speaking of tradition, El Palace still uses actual room keys rather than electronic key cards. You collect your key from the concierge when returning to the hotel and leave it with them when going out. It is certainly charming and contributes to the old-world feeling of the property.
However, there is only one key per room, which can become quite frustrating in practice. If one person is already inside the room, perhaps showering, while another person returns to the hotel, something as simple as entering the room suddenly becomes unnecessarily complicated.
The location is excellent. You are just steps from Passeig de Gràcia and within easy reach of La Rambla, with much of central Barcelona right around you.
The rooftop is another highlight, particularly during summer. The pool is very pleasant and refreshing after a hot day exploring Barcelona, and the rooftop offers wonderful views over the city. The gym, however, is quite small.
Overall, El Palace Barcelona is a beautiful and historic hotel with genuine old-world charm, an excellent location and some truly wonderful members of staff. The doorman and concierge in particular left a very positive impression on us.
At the same time, a few thoughtful updates to the public areas and some reconsideration of certain policies, particularly the charges for additional drinking water and cooked breakfast items, would bring the experience much closer to what one expects from a five-star luxury hotel today.
There is something very special about this hotel. It simply needs a little polishing to make the palace shine again."
