Hotel Claris Barcelona: Where Art, Luxury and the Spirit of the City Come Together
Updated: Sep 18
Step inside Hotel Claris Barcelona and discover a remarkable hotel where art, history, modern luxury and Barcelona style meet just steps from Passeig de Gràcia.
STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS
PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER
"The Carpe Diem Kids"
Editor's Note: This feature was reviewed and updated in September of 2026, following a major renovation of the property.
Barcelona has no shortage of beautiful places to stay, but Hotel Claris offers something wonderfully different. Located in the heart of the city near Passeig de Gràcia, this five-star Grand Luxury hotel combines contemporary comfort with an extraordinary collection of art and historic pieces. From the moment you walk through the doors, Claris feels less like an ordinary hotel and more like stepping into a private museum -- with a distinctly Barcelona personality. For travelers who love culture, design, food and a little luxury along the way, Hotel Claris makes a memorable home base for exploring Barcelona.
ELEGANCE WITH EASE
That seemingly simple recipe for success is what puts Hotel Claris Barcelona in a league of its own. The Claris is one of four uniquely appointed, art driven properties owned by Derby Hotels, a small and superbly run group of hotels in Barcelona, Madrid, Paris and London.
Each hotel contains a fortune in art, not surprisingly, for the owner is an art scholar, owner of one of Europe's most exclusive private art collections.
WE DISCOVERED these elegant hotels through fellow museum buffs and travel writing colleagues.
They predicted we would fall in love with Claris, where one savors a blend of old-world service, antiques, artwork, Catalan spirit and contemporary amenities.
They were right. Beautifully displayed, carefully lit sculpture catch the eye at every turn at Claris. We felt as if we were guests in a museum, including overnight privileges!
The source of our enthusiasm is a man named Jordi Clos. As chairman and founder of Derby Hotels Collection, he displays a keen eye for beauty and class, sharing his sense of style and personal art collection with the hotels' fortunate clientele.
The savvy Catalan businessman and his son are experts at knowing what makes a hotel unique. First, give the well traveled visitor something special. Cultivate an atmosphere of personalized service. Make every guest feel welcome. Create an aura that says "unique." The Claris does all this and more.
WE WERE offered cava or fresh-squeezed juice as we waited briefly for our room. We appreciated this treat because we'd arrived well before check-in, following a Greek Isles cruise. (A lesser hotel would have stored our bags and asked us to return later. Instead, we were in our room with our baggage delivered in minutes.)
Hotelier Clos is a renowned Egyptologist, collector and sponsor of art. As a well known aficionado, he shares his personal collection in four stunning properties.
For our week-long Claris stay, we were surrounded by world-class sculpture and paintings in the restaurants, suites and public areas.
Retreating to our room, we relaxed amid gorgeous tapestry, antique mirrors, pre-Columbian sculpture and a headboard above the bed in the shape of a crown.
Elegance, artwork and superb service greet the Claris guest. We marveled at the designers' sense of style, color and fabric, seamlessly woven together.
Today, Hotel Claris continues to operate as a five-star Grand Luxury property, with 124 recently renovated rooms and suites. The hotel’s rooftop remains one of its signature attractions, with La Terraza del Claris offering food, drinks and city views, while the rooftop swimming pool is reserved for hotel guests.
The Mayan Secret Spa is open daily, and the hotel also offers Os-kuro Sushi-Bar & Robata for Japanese dining.
Recent 2026 updates from Derby Hotels include a new seasonal menu at La Terraza, keeping the rooftop experience fresh for return visitors. The hotel holds Biosphere and EarthCheck Silver sustainability certifications as well.
WE'D BEEN TO Barcelona many times, but wanted to revisit the famed Gaudi buildings and his Sagrada Familia, and we enjoyed strolling the hotel's distinctive neighborhood, the famed L'Eixample District.
After a day of touring, we enjoyed sunset atop the Claris. It's a time for unwinding, savoring a cocktail, admiring stately boulevards and busy city life below.
Near the hotel, another treat awaits for the next day's adventures. Clos is involved in running the marvelous Egyptian Museum of Barcelona, down the street from the Claris. He chairs the Clos Archaeological Foundation, which manages the collection. It's open to the public and exhibits the family's devotion to Egypt's culture. (Clos has funded archaeological digs for more than a quarter century. It's one of his passions.)
EACH OF the four Clos properties is well located. In Barcelona, the Claris is the grand dame of the city's famed L'Eixample district, with its celebrated dining scene, high-end boutiques and diverse nightlife.
This unique collection of hotels exhibits a distinct and finely tuned, classical artistic taste. Each hotel -- like the city it inhabits -- has its own personality.
Our suite featured a beautiful tapestry, sculpture, antiques and modern amenities: flat-screen TV and espresso maker. The Clos passion for art and culture inspired each room's distinctive decor.
The Claris breakfast buffet befits the hotel's sense of style and variety.
Then, it's out into the neighborhood, known as L'Eixample.
Its Modernista architecture complements the Claris, blending the stately and modern with nearby Antoni Gaudi masterpieces -- his famed Pedrera or Casa Mila, and Casa Battlo.
The hotel, the shops, the Egyptian museum and Gaudi's famed buildings create an ambiance hard to top.
We pledged to return as we said a reluctant goodbye to Jimmy and Alvin in the breakfast restaurant. We miss the art, roses, Mediterranean cuisine, glorious spa, impeccable service -- the Claris class and elegance that seems so natural.
Barcelona is the kind of city that keeps revealing surprises. Hotel Claris is a perfect example of why it pays to look beyond the ordinary hotel stay when you're planning a return to this exciting city.
Whether you're wandering Passeig de Gràcia, discovering Gaudí's architecture, enjoying Catalan cuisine or relaxing above the city on the Claris rooftop, there is always another story waiting to be found.
Please return often to WhereIsCookie.com for more travel stories, colorful destinations, insider ideas and the people and places that make traveling around the world so much fun.
UP NEXT: While we're in Spain, come discover another treasured property, tucked away in the hills of Tarragona, southwest of Barcelona. Mas La Boella is a small, distinguished property built around an olive plantation and still working olive packaging plant
We admired beautifully integrated antiques, dined amid the trees and gardens and learned a lot about olive oil, as you will, too. Meanwhile, enjoy learn and live and visit us each week fore a fresh slant on nature, the arts, family and travel.
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