Barcelona’s
eclectic mix of all-night bars, delectable tapas restaurants,
architectural gems and vibrant atmosphere draws international visitors
for long weekends of late nights and little sleep. But for parents, it’s
still easy to enjoy Barcelona with children.
The majority of the city’s restaurants and hotels are accessible for
children, and Spanish families rarely seem to hit the town without their
little ones in tow (whether you’re heading to an early breakfast or a
late, post-Flamenco supper, you’ll see people travelling en famille).
Kodomo.com’s
Founder and Director Cass Chapman profiles five of the city’s best
hotels that combine luxurious accommodations with premium,
family-friendly amenities:
Le Meridien Ra Beach Hotel
If you’re up for exploring Barcelona without being smack in the center of the city,
Le Meridien Ra Beach Hotel
is situated a tranquil 40-minutes out of town in the direction of
Tarragona. Located on the white sands of San Salvador, this 1920s beauty
combines beaches, gardens, and a swimming pool, while private terraces
are attached to each room to allow for seclusion from other guests.
Children are kept happily occupied by the kids’ club that operates
throughout the summer months, and the adjacent beach goes down
especially well after an afternoon of sightseeing in the city. Parents
have plenty of relaxation options, too: the hotel’s Spa After Dark means
you can enjoy some pampering once the kids are in bed.
The W Hotel
If you want to spoil yourself, the newest addition on the Barcelona luxury hotel block is the always-extravagant
W Hotel. A little like Dubai’s
Burj Al Arab
in exterior design, the hotel’s prominent Barceloneta address will
place you at the base of Las Ramblas on the sea, so you can sip Cava by
the water’s edge or head straight into Barcelona’s heart. Many rooms
offer direct beach access, and the immediate location on Playa Sant
Sebastia makes the hotel perfect for older children looking to hang out
near the sea. Though there are a few areas (such as the Eclipse club)
where kids are not permitted, there are plenty of family-friendly
evening options, including Salt, the on-site restaurant-cum-beach-club.
If you have animals to consider in addition to children, the hotel is
also pet-friendly and offers dog-walking services, beds, and even pet
welcome kits.
Le Meridien Barcelona
The elegant city-centre Le Meridien Hotel ©
Le Meridien
If you want to show your children the Barcelona’s sights,
Le Meridien in
the city centre is perfectly located; everything from the zoo to the
aquarium to the world-famous Boqueria market is within walking distance.
In a quirky touch, the hotel’s bedroom keys are designed by local
artists (so they don’t look like keys at all), which proves a hit with
the little ones.
Le Meridien excels in providing all the amenities a travelling family
would require. The resident housekeepers are happy to meet any need on
demand, and the 24-hour concierge can arrange everything from
babysitting services to tours of the city. An in-house hairdresser and
fitness center will keep parents looking, and feeling, their very best.
Medical facilities are available on-site for those who need them (or
just want the reassurance that they are there) and, if you want to see
the city by night, the hotel’s limousine service is a fun way to cruise
the streets in style. In the lobby, chalk-filled vases adorn each table
so children can draw and decorate them with their own designs. The
vitality pool and outdoor spa are a big hit for kids and parents, while
Le Meridien’s chef is happy to provide home-made smoothies, purees, and
warm milk bottles for babies, or whip up special children’s dishes when
asked.
Hotel Miramar
Hotel Mirarmar’s deck offers gorgeous city views ©
T.W. van Urk, 2013. Used under licence from Shutterstock.com
On the edge of Montjuïc Mountain,
Hotel Miramar
offers elegant surroundings in addition to its enviable vistas (you’ll
find private terraces in each room that offer unrivalled views of the
city’s skyline). Near to Las Ramblas, where street performers, flower
stalls and musicians line the walkways, the hotel is still distanced
enough to offer some respite from the city’s non-stop liveliness. The
top of Montjuïc Mountain (where the castle of the same name can be
found) can be reached using the Funicular de Montjuïc, a railway that
operates as part of the Barcelona Metro, and then a gondola lift, which
children will adore.
Design-loving parents will appreciate the Miramar’s Philippe Starck
baths, controlled-climate indoor pool and a decked outdoor pool for
hotter summer days. The hotel’s Preferred Family Certification also
means it’s very well equipped for children, with special amenities
ranging from extended dining hours (so kids can eat earlier than adults,
who tend to dine much later in Spain) to babysitting services from a
company that is licensed, bonded and insured. Also available are bottle
warmers, an outdoor playground, family-friendly spa services, and
connecting rooms. In addition, the entirety of the hotel is stroller
accessible.
The Hotel Arts
Hotel Arts’ pool is nothing short of paradise ©
Hotel Arts
Barcelona can’t be written about without a nod to the original
Hotel Arts.
Distinguished by the Frank Gehry fish sculpture out front, the hotel
provides a fair dose of luxury, with enormous bathrooms, high-tech
entertainment systems and views of the sea in every room. Two on-site
restaurants cater to different needs: Bites always has a featured
children’s item and the menu doubles as a drawing book, while the
Michelin-starred Arola restaurant is ideal for parents seeking a night
to themselves. Other special touches include the reception desk’s fun
questionnaire for children (asking a waiter for an autograph, for
example, is one such task), which, once filled out, earns kids a free
ice cream. All family rooms are adorned with coloured balloons and
sweets to welcome families with aplomb, while bunches of flowers line
the corridors.
Kodomo.com
recently launched with the aim of providing parents well-researched
recommendations on where to eat, stay and play across the world with
children in tow. The site provides specific information on everything
from spa hotels to ski weekends, Malay suites to Apulian villas, all
with family-friendly facilities in mind.
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