Majestic Hotel & Spa Barcelona
"How did it strike you on arrival?The Majestic is over 100 years old, and, while the seniority shows a little in the fancy staircases and posh doormen, the hotel still manages to feel distinctly modern and in no way tacky. What’s the crowd like?A veritable sea of matching luggage and good shoes. This grande dame attracts a wide variety of nationalities, but what they have in common is that they are all decidedly well heeled. Tell us about your room.The 430-square-foot Junior Suite Passeig de Gràcia is spacious and offers killer views of the iconic boulevard below. The color scheme is understated (muted creams and beiges) and the ceilings are very high. The Majestic itself may be more than a century old, but the room is stocked with all the requisite contemporary luxuries, from a Nespresso machine to complimentary Wi-Fi. The Majestic Royal Penthouse is the largest suite in the city and includes access to exclusive services like a driver, luxury car and private butler, as well as a sprawling private rooftop terrace with an outdoor jacuzzi. How are the beds?As expected, the beds, sheets, and pillows are of the highest quality. You’re sure to sleep like a (very overprivileged) baby on the top-notch mattress. How's the bathroom?The all-marble bathroom is spacious, and comes with both a tub and shower. The bathroom products are by the prestigious French Atelier Cologne, which has also developed the hotel’s bespoke scent, Musc Impérial. Anything stand out about other services and features?The superior spa offers a long list of treatments well worth pampering yourself with. As for the roof terrace, you’d be hard-pressed to find one with better views of Barcelona or one that attracts a more fashionable crowd. On summer weekends, you’ll discover that the crowd on the roof is younger and hipper than elsewhere in the hotel, as the Majestic mixes things up with top DJs spinning under the stars. Last but certainly not least, slow-food focused SOLC restaurant serves up some of the freshest local, seasonal produce money can buy—much of which comes from its own kitchen-garden in the Maresme region north of Barcelona. The midweek three-course prix-fixe lunch, is a steal at only $30. Bottom line: worth it, and why?We can start by assuming that nobody looking for budget accommodation books the Majestic. With that in mind, the hotel is more than worth it, considering everything you get." - Isabelle Kliger
