Where is it?
The glassy, contemporary Hotel Arts Barcelona sits at the bustling intersection of the northern beaches and the city centre, but its cloud-grazing height removes it from the clamour.
Why the hype?
The thing you notice about 43 The Spa, as you watch tiny jet skis cut white slices in the Mediterranean 150m below, is the cloistered silence. The spa deepens the peace with neutral tones and warm wood, low lit with candles. It is staffed by affable Spaniards who press cups of steaming tea or cool towels on chic young Catalans.
What to have?
If you’ve ever drifted off to sleep during a massage (the world’s most expensive nap) or found yourself mentally scrolling through a to-do list, the Mindful Touch treatment is essential training. It starts with a virtual reality headset – yes really – which plays morphing digital animations while a guide talks you through a meditation designed to keep your attention on the practitioner as they massage your limbs. The headset is then removed – but the audio continues remotely – for a facial using products from the C+C range by local brand Natura Bissé. The protocol includes glow-boosting ascorbic acid concentrate, plumping Vitamin Cream and a spritz of Vitamin Splash, gloriously perfumed with orange flower, bitter orange, tangerine and grapefruit.
Best by boat
Book a berth at the ultra-modern OneOcean Port Vell, which can take yachts of up to 190m and is a 20-minute stroll along the beach.
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