METT Barcelona Opens in a Landmark Setting High Above the City
A century-old icon is reborn as a contemporary urban resort high above the Barcelona skyline.
Photos: Courtesy of METT Barcelona
Barcelona has gained a new perch for contemporary luxury. The long-anticipated METT Barcelona has opened atop Tibidabo Hill, reintroducing the historic Gran Hotel La Florida as a modern urban resort with sweeping views over the city and the Mediterranean.
Built in 1925 by Catalan architect Ramón Raventós, the building was once a magnet for visiting luminaries—from Ernest Hemingway and Princess Fabiola of Belgium to Bruce Springsteen and the Obamas. After a full transformation under METT Hotels & Resorts, part of Sunset Hospitality Group, the property has reemerged as a 70-room retreat blending old-world architecture with a lighter sensibility.
Guest rooms feature natural materials and a Mediterranean palette, while the signature suites—with floor-to-ceiling windows and, in some cases, private plunge pools—frame the city as part of the décor. The Valmont Red Carpet Spa introduces the Swiss brand’s high-performance treatments to Barcelona for the first time, positioning the hotel as much a wellness destination as a city escape.
Art and design are also integrated into the experience. The Florida Lounge by Lladró brings a curated selection of the porcelain house’s contemporary works into the public spaces, while an eponymous cocktail nods to the collaboration. Dining venues include Albarada, which reinterprets Mediterranean cuisine with local ingredients, and 1925 Vermutería, a polished take on traditional Catalan tapas culture. The Pool Club, an infinity-edge terrace overlooking the skyline, extends the resort’s social energy outdoors.
For events and small gatherings, sunlit rooms and private terraces take advantage of the property’s hilltop views, which is one element that distinguishes it from Barcelona’s dense city-center hotels. The reopening also expands METT’s growing European portfolio, joining sister properties in Bodrum and Marbella, with forthcoming openings in Singapore and Milan.
The result is a property that manages to feel both connected to the city and apart from it: a revived landmark offering the intimacy of a resort with Barcelona spread out below.
