Kimpton Vividora Hotel

Stayed here for a day before a cruise. Adorable boutique hotel in charming area (although at first glance street isn't adorable). When we got here turns out I made the reservation for the previous day. They said no problem, didn't charge us for the missed night (even though it was all my fault). Very nicely appointed room (not huge but certainly big enough). Free wine hour 6 to 7 every night. Rooftop bar looked great but it was misty out so we didn't use it. Had a sandwich snack and then full breakfast. All tasty. Most importantly every single staff member we came in contact with was amazing. Super friendly, helpful, charming. All spoke English. Would definitely stay here again.

Fabulous hotel in the heart of the city. All of the staff were amazing and couldn't do enough for you and so a huge thank you to everyone for making our 4 day event run seamlessly. From a personal perspective the hotel was fantastic, the bedrooms had all the 5* additions you would expect which made my stay very comfortable and enjoyable. The rooftop bar was a wonderful bonus!

Stayed here for 2 nights. One thing to note is that if you are taking uber from the airport...you will be dropped nearby the hotel since only certain cars are allowed in the gothic district. Nice check in and was upgraded to a nice room with a welcoming wine. Room was spacious. If there's something you forget then you will be able to whatsapp the team to ask for it like mouthwash etc. Breakfast was nice. Ability to order off the menu or utilize the continental breakfast. Location-wise it is in the gothic quarter and you can walk everywhere. Only minor mistake is I noticed an extra charge that was added after to the fact which was to my surprise. A little disappointed there.

Really great hotel! Yes the rooms are small, but staff are friendly and the hotel contains the standard kimpton amenities of complimentary bikes and wine hour. Two great value adds in my opinion. The rooftop bar was also great and had fantastic views! Furthermore great location for the gothic quarter and marina areas. Had a great stay.

You’ll be hard-pressed to find another five star lodging option closer to the heart of Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter, nor one that immerses guests in the unique terrior of the city without sacrificing any modern creature comforts. Located in one of the oldest parts of the city dating back to the 14th century, the moment you pull up – or in my case have been dropped by your taxi several blocks away to avoid a 15-minute detour around restricted access one-way streets – and part the automatic doors at the entrance, you’ll immediately realize you’re not in Kansas anymore. Designed by local architecture firm El Equipo Creativo, the hotel offers quirky touches that reflect its insouciant, upbeat personality. As I checked in, my responses to the front desk were greeted universally with an enthusiastic, “Amazing,” with a comprehensive, enthusiastic explanation of the hotel’s features and amenities delivered in flawless English. I’ve been a fan of the Kimpton brand since the mid-1990s when I would stay at San Francisco’s Vintage Court in no small part to dine at the Wolfgang Puck restaurant Postrio. IHG acquired Kimpton in 2015, but happily has left each property with the flexibility to create unique hospitality experiences rather that replicate soulless outposts. The Kimpton Vivadora had the unfortunate timing to debut in 2020, only to be shuttered shortly after by the pandemic. But if that put a hitch in the giddy up at one point, it no longer shows any lasting scars. Ave Bradley, Global SVP of design and creative director at Kimpton has noted, “Kimpton guests are looking for wit… they want levity and joy.” Vividoro delivers, right down to the neo-retro yellow “dial” telephone in the guestrooms along with companion black versions of these whimsical phones by the elevators. My room also had the unusual feature of having the toilet directly to the right of the front door with the remainder of the bathroom accessed by walking through the room and around a wall. This isn’t necessarily bad, but a layout I haven’t previously experienced (witty?). Remember to put your key in the master switch to turn on the lights or you’ll find it is pitch black in the WC. I stayed on the side of the hotel along the Carrer de Francesc Pujols in a room that features Juliet balconies that offer commanding views of the streetscape, but is not for the faint of heart. Not only do the balconies look down from a vertiginous height, the slick floors slope downward and the railing only comes up to about waist high. If you have been cocktailing, I’d advise against wandering out for a breath of air lest you slip and tumble to the pavement below. During the day the street functions as a thoroughfare, albeit one with restricted vehicle access. Come dinnertime, say around 9:30 or 10 PM, however, it becomes an outdoor restaurant complete with cavorting revelers, barking dogs and assorted celebrants whooping it up. The sound insulation of the rooms is excellent, but you still might catch the occasional excited utterance or sounds of nightly nocturnal rubbish collection and street cleaning. The staff are professional, friendly, upbeat, helpful and the antithesis of stuffy; the concierge wears a t-shirt. I suspect one of the hosts might suffer like A-Lister Brad Pitt from prosopagnosia – inability to recognize faces -- as he inquired whether I was checking in not five minutes after we just had an enjoyable conversation on the mezzanine level about how much I was enjoying my stay. Speaking of Brad Pitt, in marked contrast to the rest of the staff are omnipresent stone-faced security personnel who stand sentinel either outside the front doors or just inside the GOT entrance lobby. I couldn’t tell whether a high value guest was in residence, if this is a high crime area or whether their presence was simply to deter incursions from rabblerousers. Should you encounter them, I advise you to mind your Ps and Qs lest one of them inquire, either in Catalan, English or Spanish, “How’s that workin’ out for ya?” as Pitt’s character Tyler Durden says in Fight Club. If you’re looking to get into Fight Club shape, it's a bit of a stretch to call the gym a “fitness center.” Bu if you’re simply looking to get jacked, this is your place. About the size of a standard guestroom, the gym features a stationary bicycle, a rowing machine, a structure to hang from and a whole bunch of weights. Along with the weights is a list of eleven rules to maintain harmonious gym relations, e.g., “Avoid dropping weights or blasting your music.” Tellingly, these rules are only written in English. There’s not a single treadmill, stair climber or other cardio option. Happily, if you want to run, Parc de la Ciutadella, the oldest in Barcelona, is a short 15-minute walk (or even shorter run) from the hotel and features trails that wind among gardens, a mini rowing lake, monuments and perhaps most importantly, a life-size sculpture of a woolly mammoth named Júlia who has provided photo ops for visitors and locals alike since 1906. The sculpture is named as a homage to an actual elephant the Sultan of Morocco donated to the Barcelona Zoo in 1915. Breakfast in the Fauna restaurant both plentiful and tasty. One morning I ordered Spinach Eggs Benedict that were inexplicably served on a raw English Muffin. This was easily rectified by grabbing a few pieces of bread from the buffet and toasting them. Pastries are a standout as are six different types of sliced fruit, all chilled on platters sitting on anti-griddles. The super-central location, the witty, comfortable rooms and the infectious enthusiasm and overall positive vibes among staff (with the possible exception of one of the GOT bartenders who seemed to be having a bad day) and guests alike make the Kimpton Vivadora a solid choice for a Barcelona sojourn. My one regret was not being able to visit the storied rooftop/pool as it was closed during my stay. I’ll have to return for another stay to check it out.