Batuar Restaurant & Bar

Walking into the Cotton House Hotel isn’t just entering a lobby; it’s a sensory ambush. You’re hit with a signature scent—something like expensive linen and old money—and then you see the staircase. But you aren’t here for the rooms. You’re here for Batuar, a space that occupies the ground floor of what was once the headquarters of the Cotton Producers' Guild. It’s a 19th-century neoclassical beast that somehow manages to feel intimate despite the soaring ceilings and the weight of its own history.

Batuar is named after the machine that used to press cotton, a nod to the building’s industrial DNA. The vibe is unapologetically colonial—think dark woods, leather, and enough greenery to make you forget you’re a stone’s throw from the chaotic hum of Gran Via. It’s the kind of place where you expect to see a novelist nursing a gin and tonic in a corner booth, or a group of locals plotting something significant over a plate of Iberico ham. It’s sophisticated, sure, but it lacks the stiff, soul-crushing formality that usually plagues high-end hotel dining.

The real magic, the thing that makes people pay the premium, is the terrace. In the rigid, grid-like geometry of the Eixample, finding a courtyard this lush and quiet feels like winning the lottery. It’s an oasis of palms and wicker chairs where the sunlight filters through the leaves just right. It’s the best area to stay in Barcelona if you want to feel insulated from the tourist throngs while remaining right in the thick of it.

Let’s talk about the food. This is Mediterranean market cuisine that doesn’t feel the need to perform circus tricks. They respect the ingredients. You start with the croquetas—crispy, golden shells giving way to a creamy interior that tastes like a hug from a Spanish grandmother. Then you move to the Arroz de Pals, a local rice dish often served with red prawns from Palamós. The rice has that perfect bite, the socarrat clinging to the pan, and the prawns taste like the Mediterranean sea just slapped you in the face. It’s honest, well-executed cooking that doesn’t hide behind foams or gels.

The bar is a destination in its own right. They take their cocktails seriously here. The 'Gossypium'—their signature drink involving gin, blue curaçao, and lime—is a blue-hued tribute to the building’s heritage. It’s cold, sharp, and exactly what you need after a day of dodging selfie sticks on Passeig de Gràcia. The service is professional, bordering on the old-school, which means they know when to hover and when to leave you the hell alone with your thoughts.

Is it expensive? Yeah, it’s a five-star hotel restaurant in the heart of Barcelona; you aren’t getting out of here for the price of a kebab in El Raval. You’re paying for the atmosphere, the history, and the privilege of sitting on that terrace. It’s one of the best Mediterranean restaurants in Barcelona for a long, boozy lunch or a date night where you actually want to hear what the other person is saying. If you’re looking for a rowdy, grease-stained tapas crawl, go elsewhere. But if you want to feel, even for an hour, like a 19th-century industrialist with nothing but time and a very cold drink, Batuar is your spot. It’s a reminder that sometimes, the 'hotel restaurant' can actually have a soul.