Gran Hotel La Florida

Perched on Tibidabo, the hill that looms over Barcelona from the north-west, the Gran Hotel La Florida opened in 1924 and immediately became the retreat of choice for anyone who wanted to see the city spread out below without actually having to be in it. Hemingway stayed here during the Spanish Civil War, using the distance as much as the view. The hotel closed in 1970 and sat dormant for three decades before a spectacular renovation brought it roaring back in 2003. 70 rooms, and the enduring sense that you've been handed the keys to Barcelona's own private balcony.