When I walked into the Joséphine Baker Suite at El Palace Barcelona, I felt more connected to the late entertainer than I thought imaginable. Having first learned about Baker’s astonishing life during a childhood visit to the Château des Milandes in Castelnaud, France, I’ve spent much of my adult travels inadvertently retracing the cultural footsteps she left around the world. From the Théatre des Champs-Elysées in Paris, where she performed the Charleston, to my latest holiday destination, El Palace, where the dancer-turned-resistance-fighter-turned-activist stayed during her visits to Catalonia in the 1950s.

2026 is a particularly significant year for the Catalan capital, with the city celebrating several cultural milestones. Not only has Barcelona been designated as a UNESCO World Capital of Architecture, but, come June, the Sagrada Família is expected to be completed, officially making it the tallest church in the world. 2026 also marks 100 years since the death of Antoni Gaudí, the fabled architect behind the Sagrada Família, Park Güell, and the modernist buildings Casa Batlló and La Pedrera along Passeig de Gràcia. As the city ramps up celebrations of Gaudí’s enduring legacy, the five-star hotel El Palace Barcelona will be launching a series of cultural experiences for locals and tourists alike to honour the Year of Gaudí.

El Palace Barcelona, formerly the Ritz, first opened its doors in 1919, just in time to welcome the city’s glorious Jazz Age, hosting all manner of artists, musicians, and writers. While the historic building has seen many a luxury renovation (and a coveted 5-star rating) over the past 105 years, its creative soul has been carefully preserved. No wonder arty types from across the world – and in my experience, London – have El Palace on their travel bucket lists. As one such art fiend, read on for my honest review of El Palace Barcelona.

El Palace Hotel Review:

El Palace Barcelona sits within the Eixample District, a mere eight-minute walk from Passeig de Gràcia and 25 minutes to 25-minute stroll to the Sagrada Familia. It’s an ideal location for getting the most out of Barcelona’s art scene. As well as the more traditional tourist attractions, you can get a better sense of the city’s cultural history at the Palau de la Música Catalana, the only concert hall designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, only a 10-minute walk from the hotel, the Atenue Barcelonès, a cultural centre with over 160 years of history, a 15-minute walk from El Palace, and the Moco Museum, an independent museum set inside the 16th-century Palau Cervelló with a wide range of inspiring modern, contemporary and street art works, a 21-minute walk.

El Palace Barcelona has 114 rooms and suites, each embodying the hotel’s signature neoclassical-inspired, elegant style. The Grand Deluxe and Classic rooms have stunning views of the Gran Vía, while the Superior Suites offer a living room and bedroom, and the Junior Suites offer views of a quintessential Barcelona courtyard.