Reach for the Barcelona skyline from this horizon-busting hotel

A new look and feel is breathing fresh life into one of Barcelona’s largest and most recognised hotels. Set in a 44-storey skyscraper of glass and steel, Hotel Arts was originally built for the Olympic Games in 1992. It’s a waterfront landmark in the Catalan capital – and New York-based design studio Meyer Davis is now transforming it from head to toe, in a multi-phase renovation that aims to create appeal for a new era.

Meyer Davis unveils a new look for Hotel Arts Barcelona

The first milestone – unveiled in summer 2025 – was a redesign of the property’s nearly 500 bedrooms and suites. All are exterior-facing, offering vistas across either the Mediterranean coastline or the city and its mountainous backdrop. A view-centric philosophy therefore lies behind the redecoration: half the rooms are now themed ‘mountain’, with an earthy, fertile colour palette, while ‘sea’ rooms feature soft blues against sandier tones.

Svetlana Samardzic, senior associate at Meyer Davis, says one of her main objectives was to break down internal walls, allowing natural light to fill the sleeping, living and bathroom spaces. Mirrored interiors also accentuate the sense of openness and light, with reflections of the outdoors visible from nearly every angle. ‘Now, when you open the door, the view is right there,’ says Samardzic. ‘That’s the wow moment.’

This area of Barcelona was once known for textile production, explains Will Meyer, co-founder of the design firm whose wider hotel portfolio includes projects for Four Seasons, Mandarin Oriental, Rosewood and W. His team drew from this local trade heritage when creating elements like the upholstering of their custom-made armchairs. ‘We looked at the different weaves and textiles made here,’ Meyer says, ‘which inspired our layering and patterns.’

Other designers have also created bespoke pieces, all evoking marine life: Ayus Design has crafted lampshades from sugarcane sculpted into shapes inspired by waves, while turquoise-coloured wall sconces by SkLO are moulded to resemble floating buoys. Translucent aquamarine tables by Extra Ordinario are made of lava stone, featuring glazed crackled tabletops, while hand-tufted rugs by Spanish atelier Nanimarquina are embossed with a pattern recalling droplets of water.

Catalan creatives bring a flavour of local creativity – like ceramicist Rosa Cortiella, who has created decorative clay pieces, and artist Lorena Canals, who has designed abstract textile wall hangings hand-woven by artisans in India. Smart new tech installations, meanwhile, support greater eco-consciousness: Lutron systems automatically switch a room’s energy supplies off when guests leave, and taps for osmotised drinking water reduce needless bottle usage.

The rooms are just the start of Hotel Arts’ overall revamp, estimated for completion in 2027; valued at 220 million euros, it’s set to be Spain’s most expensive hotel renovation on record. It will include a reworked layout merging indoor and outdoor space and a wellness centre spread across four floors; new F&B spaces will add to the existing gastronomical offer, which currently includes Paco Perez’s two-Michelin-starred restaurant Enoteca.

These aren’t the only changes afoot in this part of town: the multimillion-euro redevelopment of the surrounding Port Olímpic district includes new docking, walkways and leisure spaces. ‘The city is trying to redefine that area,’ says Meyer, ‘and the hotel is one of the most important features.’

Hotel Arts Barcelona is located at Carrer de la Marina, 19-21, Ciutat Vella, 08005 Barcelona, Spain.