The Occidental Barcelona 1929 offers guests the very best of worlds; a haven that offered us rest and relaxation in the midst of one of Spain’s busiest and most vibrant cities.
A boutique hotel, the Occidental Barcelona 1929 offers all the facilities we needed for a short city break in this cosmopolitan metropolis. It has an excellent selection of rooms – from cosy to family-sized, a rooftop pool, excellent restaurants and one of the best locations in the city. It definitely makes the list of the best hotels in Barcelona for families.
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission, at no extra cost to you if you make a purchase through a link. Please see my full disclosure for further information.
We loved staying at the Occidental Barcelona 1929 and returned to a warm welcome each day once we’d finished exploring the magic of Barcelona.
Location of Occidental Barcelona 1929
You can’t deny that this hotel has seriously lucked out location-wise. We walked everywhere we could in Barcelona, helped along by the fact that the hotel was so centrally located for the main attractions and sights (think Sagrada Familia, Las Ramblas and the bustling port area.)
It’s less than 100 metres to walk to the Plaza de España and the entrance to the Fira de Barcelona. If you’re visiting a trade fair or event here, this is the hotel for you! You can also walk easily to the Avenida del Paralelo and carry on to the Magic Fountain of Montjuic – a must-see at either day or night.
Depending on whether you’re coming from the airport (only 10km away) or another Spanish city you can arrive easily by car or by train. The Sants AVE Train station is moments away from the hotel’s entrance. You can reserve your train tickets in advance here.
Facilities at Occidental Barcelona 1929
As well as all the standard facilities and amenities that you’d expect from a high-end hotel, the Occidental Barcelona 1929 has an impressive outdoor swimming pool situated on the ninth floor. It’s an ideal sunbathing spot to relax and enjoy an evening drink on the terrace after a long day on your feet. Check opening times for the pool – we visited during the summer, but there are plans to close the pool during the winter months.
The hotel has a fitness room with excellent up-to-date gym equipment for those who want a workout before or after their time in the city. It’s fully air-conditioned for the warmer summer months when being outside in the mid-day sun simply isn’t an option.
If Barcelona is only one stop on a larger trip you may be travelling by car, and the Occidental Barcelona 1929, unusually for a central city hotel, offers a car park with space for approximately 50 cars.
Eating and Drinking at Occidental Barcelona 1929
Barcelona is a city filled with good food. You won’t struggle to find great tapas on the street or excellent a la carte meals in any of the city’s high-end restaurants. However, the Occidental Barcelona 1929 also offers several restaurant options if you’re keen to stay close to home.
We loved Grocs Restaurant, which had a very reasonable lunchtime menu incorporating lots of delicious local produce and seasonal dishes. The staff are excellent, and the chefs are clearly extremely passionate about producing good quality food in a beautiful setting.
For a leisurely snack and very well-made drinks, we enjoyed Bar Terra, which is on the ground floor and has a sophisticated feel. However, you can also experience the Roof Top Stage terrace, which has spectacular views and is ideal for special occasion cocktails and celebrations.
Rooms at Occidental Barcelona 1929
Despite having the feel of a cosy boutique hotel, there are in fact, 152 rooms at Occidental Barcelona 1929. The majority of the rooms are classified as ‘Superior’ – a size that’s definitely enough for a solo traveller or a couple who plan to use the room solely for a place to stay whilst getting out and about in Barcelona. Everything is clean and comfortable with very good in-room amenities such as wifi and coffee-making facilities.
The ‘Premium’ rooms are on the hotel’s top floor and have incredible views across Montjuic. If you’re celebrating a special occasion or you want more of a wow factor, go for this option.
For those travelling with children, there’s the 2 x 2 family room. This comprises of 2 interconnecting smaller (20 square metres) rooms which allow you to safely and comfortably have parents in one side and up to 2 children in the other.
Who is Occidental Barcelona 1929 Suitable For?
Although it may seem cliched to say, this hotel does, in fact have something to offer everyone. It’s ideal for couples and solo travellers who want to relax and enjoy the luxury of a rooftop bar or a ninth-floor outdoor pool, along with fine wines and good food. It’s not loud, and there’s a good level of privacy here – it really does feel like a haven from the bustling city outside.
The staff are welcoming to everyone – they greet you as an old friend, and we got to know many of them in the short time that we were there. They love to chat and play with children and are helpful with requests for items such as high chairs or heating milk for babies.
Besides the 2×2 rooms, families aren’t overly accommodated for in terms of play areas or child dining times. We didn’t find it too much of an obstacle, though and had more than enough space in the room, as well as felt comfortable in the hotel restaurant eating with kids.
Our Overall Personal Experience
This was a brilliant hotel for us travelling in Barcelona. The location was absolutely perfect as there were lots of places we could walk to or simply take a short metro ride to.
Features such as the rooftop bar and the small swimming pool are really unique in such a big and busy city, so they felt like an extra luxury to enjoy.
The level of detail is perfect – everything is thought of for you in advance, and it’s on hand if you need anything extra. We hope to return one day soon.
Reviewed by Emily Eaves, Travel Writer
Related Posts:
Hotels in Barcelona Near the Cruise Port
Return to Homepage >>>
Sylvie Simpson is the founder of European Cities with Kids. For the past 6 years, she has been travelling all over Europe whenever she has the chance, both solo, for work and with her daughter. Sylvie is on a mission to help people make the most of city breaks in Europe with kids and helps over 50,000 readers per month plan and make the most of their trips in Europe with kids.