by Paul Heney
Last updated: 6:00 PM ET, Wed April 25, 2018
There's a reasonable chance that on your first trip to Barcelona, you'll find yourself falling in love with the city and pondering what it would be like to live there-for a week, for a summer, or maybe even a few years. I certainly found myself in that situation last month and am already excited to return to this enchanting capital of Spain's Catalonia region.
A new luxury all-suite hotel on the city's grand Passeig de Gracia, El Palauet Living Barcelona ("Little Palace" in Catalan), gives you the chance to experience the city like a local. Located near high-end shopping and some of Gaudi's most famous buildings, the property is ideally situated. My partner and I found it incredibly easy to navigate the city and were able to walk to a lot of attractions. Great dining was easy to find nearby, as well. Further out, it's easy to take public transportation through the nearby metro stop (Diagonal).
This boutique hotel is small-it's comprised of just six two-bedroom/1,600 square foot suites. But small isn't really an apt term for El Palauet Living Barcelona, because the suites themselves are enormous. They'd be ideal for families, groups of friends, or even couples traveling together. The rooms come complete with on-demand butler service and access to the hotel's relaxing rooftop, which features a Jacuzzi and a Finnish sauna.
Our suite, the Principal Tibidabo, was stunning. It featured a grand sitting room with a curved wall of windows that flooded the room with light throughout the day. It featured two separate bedrooms, each with its own bathroom. The furnishings in the suite were modern and comfortable, with warm earth tones throughout.
The kitchen was fully stocked and ready for a gourmet chef to come in and take over. Elegant details, like stencils, projected light and backlit patterns on some bathroom surfaces, added just the right amount of drama. A small outdoor sitting room truly made us feel like locals, sipping drinks in the warm Spanish sun while the streets below buzzed with activity.
The design of the property is quite spectacular, from the ornate common spaces on the ground floor to the incredibly detailed molding that decorated our suite-even on the ceilings. Opened in 2011 by a native Catalan family, El Palauet was designed and built in 1906 by renowned architect Pere Falqués, who also designed the ornate benches and streetlights that line the 42-meter wide boulevard outside.
On Thursday evenings, the property opens up its lobby for evening drinks, inviting in the neighborhood residents for a free glass of wine or sangria. It's a great opportunity to visit with locals and hear their take on this corner of Barcelona.
Rooms start at $560 per night during the low season (August, November-March) and up to $3,300 per night in the high season (April-October).
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