Hotel 1898
by the TopOfHotel team
Hotel 1898 is a heritage building on La Rambla where you walk to everything, then climb to a rooftop pool or drop into a spa built in the old tobacco cellar — strong on location and character, traded against the crowds on the street below.
Hotel 1898 is a heritage building on La Rambla where you walk to everything, then climb to a rooftop pool or drop into a spa built in the old tobacco cellar — strong on location and character, traded against the crowds on the street below.
In-Depth Review
Rooms and decor
Picture walking into a stately stone building that has stood on La Rambla since 1881 — first the mansion of the López y López noble family, later the head office of the Philippine Tobacco Company, with the name 1898 taken straight from that firm's founding year. When it reopened as a hotel in 2005, the restoration kept the classic colonial feel and added contemporary comfort on top. The 169 rooms run warm and quietly upmarket: soft dark tones, wooden furniture, heavy curtains and bathrooms that read modern. Plenty of reviewers note the rooms are larger than expected for the old town, clean to the point of immaculate, and the beds are comfortable. Inner-facing rooms feel hushed, like stepping out of the chaos of the street below, while the higher suites come with a surprise — a private terrace and a small plunge pool looking over the rooftops.
Food and amenities
The feature everyone talks about is the rooftop pool on the top floor, on a terrace called La Isabela, ringed with teak sun loungers, a bar serving tapas and cocktails, and a wide-open view across Barcelona. Reviewers agree it's the spot to climb to for an evening drink, with light music, a cool breeze and the sun dropping behind the old town's tiled roofs. The bigger surprise sits deep below: a spa and indoor pool tucked into an old vaulted cellar that once stored the company's coal and tobacco, so it carries a hushed, cave-like calm. There's a heated pool with hydromassage jets, a sauna, a steam room and an ice fountain for a full thermal circuit. Food holds its own too — the main restaurant serves Catalan and international dishes, the street-facing H1898 bar is good for a drink, and the breakfast buffet draws extra praise for local cheese and ham, olives, eggs, sausage, pastries, fresh fruit and even cava for the morning.
Location and getting there
On location, this place is close to perfect. It sits right on La Rambla, the pedestrian heart of Barcelona, so you step out the door straight into the life of the city. A few minutes' walk reaches Plaça Catalunya, the hub where every metro line converges, and Catalunya and Liceu stations are only a 3-5 minute walk — easy for the airport train or any metro hop. Around you, the Gothic Quarter, its narrow stone lanes, the cathedral, La Boqueria market and a run of small shops are all walkable for a full day without a taxi. That's exactly why the location score climbs to 9.7. Guests describe the hotel itself as elegant and tranquil, a quiet oasis hidden on the busiest street in the city, so when your feet give out you can duck back into the calm right away.
Things to know before booking
The trade-off for being right on La Rambla is that the street is heavily touristed and known for pickpockets, so keep an eye on your bag and valuables every time you come and go. Street-facing rooms can catch the noise from below and a faint rumble from the metro, so light sleepers should request an inner room for a better night. Some reviewers also flag that the curtains don't block out every bit of morning light. Check the rooftop pool before you book, too — it's seasonal, mostly open in summer, so a winter visit may mean no swim up top. The spa and indoor pool usually need a reservation and come with time limits, and extras like the breakfast buffet, bar drinks and spa treatments all run on the pricey side, so pad the budget a little to avoid surprises.
Our take
After reading through thousands of real reviews, Hotel 1898 lands as the right fit for anyone who wants to be in the dead center of Barcelona and walk to everything, wrapped in the character of a heritage building with a real story. The rooftop city view and the spa in the old cellar are the two corners that lift it above an ordinary well-located hotel, and guests call the service warmer than they had imagined. If you can take the bustle of La Rambla and keep your bag close, the experience is well worth it — but if you're a very light sleeper, don't forget to ask for an inner room. Overall we give it 8.9/10, best for couples and first-time visitors who want to roam the old town all day and come back to a sunset swim.
Score Breakdown
Assessed by our editorial team from data and real guest reviews
The Honest Verdict — pros & what to know
- Sits right on La Rambla, a 3-5 minute walk from Catalunya and Liceu metro and from Plaça Catalunya where every line meets — guests score the location an unusually high 9.7.
- The La Isabela rooftop pool runs along the top-floor terrace with teak sun loungers, a tapas-and-cocktail bar and a wide view over the old town's tiled roofs, which reviewers call the best spot for an evening drink.
- A genuine heritage building from 1881, once the head office of the Philippine Tobacco Company, restored in 2005 with a classic colonial feel kept intact.
- The spa and indoor pool sit in the old vaulted basement that once stored coal and tobacco, with a heated hydromassage pool, sauna, steam room and ice fountain for a full thermal circuit.
- Rooms come across as cleaner and roomier than expected for the old town, service is warmer than guests anticipated, and the breakfast buffet draws praise for local cheese, ham and cava.
- It is right on La Rambla, which is packed with tourists and known for pickpockets, so keep an eye on valuables every time you walk in and out.
- Street-facing rooms pick up the buzz from below and a faint rumble from the metro; light sleepers should request an inner room, and a few guests note the curtains don't fully block the morning light.
- Extras add up fast — the breakfast buffet, bar drinks and spa treatments all run pricey, the rooftop pool is seasonal (mostly summer), and the spa needs booking ahead with limited time slots.
Who It’s For
Match Score by travel style
Amenities
Location & Nearby Spots
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Insider Tips
- Request an inner-facing room if you sleep lightly — it dodges the buzz from La Rambla and the faint metro rumble far better than a street-side room.
- Head up to the La Isabela rooftop pool in the early evening for sunset over the old-town rooftops with a cocktail, but check first, since it only opens seasonally.
- Book the spa and indoor pool in the old cellar ahead of time — slots are time-limited and fill up quickly.