Review of Mercer Hotel, Barcelona
One of several great luxury boutique hotels in Catalonia’s capital:
The beautiful city of Barcelona is one of our family’s most popular city breaks in Europe. We like to stay at luxury boutique hotels and Catalonia’s capital has a lot to offer in this segment. Last time, we opted for Alma Barcelona, a minimal and modern hotel just off the city’s shopping district, Passeig de Gracia. Find my review of it here.
This time, we chose another one, the Mercer Hotel, in the Gothic Quarter. This not because we were not satisfied with the Alma Barcelona but because we love to try out other places and wished a change of location, too. We wanted to be in one ofthe oldest and most beautiful districts in Barcelona, the neighborhood of the Gothic Quarter.
Another boutique hotel that sounds promising is The Serras Hotel, which is only 5 minutes away from the Mercer Hotel opposite of the Marina Port Vell, the old port of the city. I have not stayed here but critics are raving. But now to the main subject of this post, the review of the Mercer Hotel.
This time, we chose another one, the Mercer Hotel, in the Gothic Quarter. This not because we were not satisfied with the Alma Barcelona but because we love to try out other places and wished a change of location, too. We wanted to be in one ofthe oldest and most beautiful districts in Barcelona, the neighborhood of the Gothic Quarter.
Another boutique hotel that sounds promising is The Serras Hotel, which is only 5 minutes away from the Mercer Hotel opposite of the Marina Port Vell, the old port of the city. I have not stayed here but critics are raving. But now to the main subject of this post, the review of the Mercer Hotel.
Location
As already mentioned, the hotel is situated in the old town of Barcelona, in the centrally located Gothic Quarter. This is really one of my favorite neighborhoods in the city, a labyrinth of small streets and in proximity of most major sights. The Mercer is a little difficult to reach by car as the streets are extremely narrow but a taxi driver who knows his business will manage it.
Ambiance
The hotel’s exterior is old, precisely what you expect from a building in the old town, but the interior is contemporary. It is beautifully decorated in a modern style with an eye-catching glazed courtyard. The hotel is built on top of a section of the ancient Roman city and this can be seen at various points, a successfully made integration of the old and the new!
Service
One of the highlight of Mercer Hotel is certainly its staff. All the employees we met were extremely accommodative, attentive and helpful. Everything was done to make us feel comfortable and nothing was too much trouble for them. I was really impressed by this high level of service!
Facilities
The Mercer has 28 rooms, which are refurbished in a contemporary way but with some parts that are in their original state (walls) etc. In terms of places to eat and drink there are the Mercer Restaurant (a gourmet restaurant), Le Bouchon (a gastrobar), a cocktail bar, where you still find the old walls,
and a glazed courtyard where the breakfast is taken.
On the roof top there are a small pool, a sun deck and a bar with beautiful views over the roofs of Barcelona’s Gothic quarter.
Rooms
My husband and I opted for a deluxe room. I immediately fell in love with the one we had! It is of a good size (34 – 38 sqm), featuring oak floors and upscale furnishings
and with a view of the lovely vertical garden.
The bathroom is very stylish with a bathtub
and a huge shower.
Food
We did not have dinner here so I cannot comment on this. However, we had breakfast here, which is served in the orange tree courtyard. This is a nice setting for having a meal indeed. The breakfast is great too. There is an a la carte menu to order from and a buffet with a large selection of cakes. Everything we had was nicely prepared and of an excellent quality.
Pricing
Although being one of the best five star hotels in Catalonia’s capital, prices here are fair given the favorable location, the immaculate facilities and the high service standard. Though some will miss a fitness room on the premises but after all it is a boutique hotel where some limitations have to be accepted.
Overall
The Mercer is a premium boutique hotel and combines staying in historical surroundings with modern design and comfort. Its favorable setting in the Gothic Quarter together with a high performing staff makes it certainly one of the best choices for luxury lodging in Barcelona.
Date of stay: July 2016
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