Located in a prime location in Barcelona’s elegant Eixample neighbourhood, the four-star Alexandra Hotel (a Double Tree hotel by Hilton) offers contemporary design within strolling distance of the city centre and Antoni Gaudí’s Modernist masterpieces.
Excellent dining facilities and a leafy internal courtyard (complete with pool, bar and birdsong) inspires moments of romance and tranquility.
The Vibe
The handsome and historic façade features intricate stonework and ironclad balconies, with the ornate design features that typify Barcelona’s ritzy Eixample neighbourhood.
It feels slick and stylish – no expense has been spared in its recent makeover.
The hotel’s interior is contemporary, with a lounge full of dark wood and sultry sofas. A huge window floods the space with natural light.
The Service and Facilities
The staff members are immaculately dressed and make a concerted effort to welcome all guests. Service is efficient and hushed. No request is too much and staff portray a strong sense pride over their work.
A leafy internal terrace filled with tropical plants, a cocktail bar and an elegant little pool adds to the overall sense of luxury. It echoes with the sound of birdsong and the rustle of leaves – you can quite easily forget that you are in the heart of a large city.
There’s also a small fitness centre with sauna, massage centre and solarium, as well as meeting rooms, free Wi-Fi and a 24-hour business centre.
Parking: Onsite parking is available for €35/£26/$41 per day, which I think is a little steep, especially as the hotel is within walking distance to Barcelona’s must-see sights. On the other hand, car parking in Barcelona is extremely hard to come by, so if you do plan on driving and would like to have your car close by, this is a good option.
I’d generally only recommend renting a car in Barcelona if you plan on exploring the surrounding areas, such as Cadaques and the Costa Brava, or of course if you plan on visiting other cities in Spain.
The Rooms
I stayed in Suite 118, a spacious and elegant room with period Modernist design features, including Barcelona’s famous mosaic floor tiles and a sinuous balcony overlooking the uptown shopping and dining boulevard of Rambla de Catalunya.
It was pristinely clean, with a humongous whirlpool bathtub that I could have stayed in forever. Wi-Fi is free and fast and I managed to get quite a bit of work done at the desk and on the stylish sofa (with a glass of red).
In all honesty, I’d say this was the most stylish and comfortable room I’ve ever stayed in, even compared to all of the more luxurious 5-star hotels I’ve stayed in in Barcelona and elsewhere.
The Food & Drink
The buffet breakfast features everything you could possibly wish for from a European-style ‘continental breakfast’ and costs €20 pp – £17), which is good value for money compared to other similar hotels that charge around the same for less.
The ground floor Charcuteria bar is modern and sleek. Open to the public, the ambience is more akin to that of a normal bar (in a good way – I hate drinking alone in empty hotel bars).
Although, I must say, I’d quite happily spend a whole week alone at the poolside terrace bar, exploring the cocktails and indulging in sunshine siestas.
On a mezzanine level you’ll find the moodily-lit Solomillo restaurant, which offers the sort of brasserie style dining experience you might expect in France (don’t forget how close France is to Catalonia – there are many influences).
The idea is that you order cuts of meat by weight and choose a selection of sauces and fresh vegetables from the hotel’s private garden. Solomillo means sirloin, and here they cook it perfectly. If you’re a meat lover, you won’t find a better fix for your euros in Barcelona.
The Verdict
I really can’t say enough good things about Barcelona’s Alexandra Hotel. It was as comfortable a stay as I’ve ever experienced. I like that, even though it’s a modern hotel, the little design touches here and there constantly remind you that you are in Barcelona.
Facilities are spotless, as is the service, and the food and drink will make you think twice about going out for dinner. The location is ideal, especially if you want to be in the thick of Barcelona without being smothered by the hubbub of the Old Town.
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Double rooms available from £100/$129/€110