It was 1918 when…
108 years ago, Finland was internationally recognized as an independent state, Moscow became the capital of the new Soviet Russia, and the legendary Red Baron was shot down while flying at low altitude. Europe was experiencing the final stages of World War I, a conflict that ended that same year. In Barcelona, meanwhile, a young Joan Miró exhibited for the first time in public at the Galeries Dalmau in Portaferrissa. It was a resounding failure: he sold no works and critics were especially harsh on the little-known artist.
A twenty-minute walk from that art gallery, Italian businessman Èrcole Cacciami opened his second hotel in the city. After the success of the Inglaterra, at Fontanella with Plaça de Catalunya, he opened the Majestic Inglaterra on Passeig de Gràcia, convinced that Barcelona was ready for a new concept of urban luxury hotel.
Adding the term Majestic to the establishment's name was no coincidence: it already hinted at an ambition and a philosophy. The building, with a neoclassical facade and French inspiration, evoked late 19th-century Paris, and opened its doors on April 28, 1918. It had barely thirty rooms, although the idea was very clear: to attract the local and international elite in a city experiencing a moment of intense economic and cultural effervescence.
The curved chamfer not only took advantage of the privileged perspective over Passeig de Gràcia but also symbolized a Barcelona that wanted to be modern, European, and cosmopolitan, surrounded by architectural icons such as Casa Batlló or La Pedrera. Marble, glass, spacious lounges, and careful artistic decoration turned the Majestic into a hotel designed to be both lived in and observed.
From its early years, it was more than just accommodation. It transformed into a true social and cultural epicenter. Perhaps it sounds cliché, but it is absolutely true: during the 1920s and 1930s, its halls hosted artists, writers, intellectuals, and politicians who found a natural meeting space there. In 1923, Victoria Eugenia Julia Ena de Battenberg, Queen of Spain and wife of Alfonso XIII, slept in the hotel. The photograph of her arrival was used as advertising material for the establishment, in what we would today call a flyer. The playwright and poet Federico García Lorca stayed at the Majestic during his visits to Barcelona; a more recognized Joan Miró was closely linked to the house and exhibited works in its spaces, this time with success. Pablo Picasso was also a regular visitor, connecting the hotel with the artistic avant-gardes of the moment. International figures such as Josephine Baker joined this universe, whose presence filled Barcelona nights of the thirties with glamour.
Open in war
The Civil War marked a turning point. The building was requisitioned by the Generalitat and used for propaganda functions and accommodation for foreign correspondents. The poet Antonio Machadofound refuge here during that turbulent period, adding a new layer of memory to rooms with a lot of history and stories. Like the city, the Majestic survived the conflict and adapted to new times.In 1940, the name England was dropped from the sign, and the name Hotel Majestic was definitively adopted. During the 1950s and 1960s, it underwent significant expansions that led it to exceed 270 rooms, incorporating an annex building without renouncing its classic identity. The hotel continued to be a discreet, though relevant, setting for Barcelona's political, economic, and cultural life. It is no coincidence that in 1996 it was the place where the well-known Pact of Majestic was signed, a key political agreement in democratic Spain at the end of the 20th century, by which the Popular Party came to power for the first time with the support of Convergència i Unió.
The continuity of the project is largely explained by the arrival in the sixties of the Soldevila-Casals family, who took over management with a long-term vision. Under their direction, the Majestic has managed to combine tradition and modernity, maintaining family management, something unusual in a hotel of its category. In 2007, it obtained the distinction of five-star Grand Luxury and, in 2013, a deep renovation updated rooms, suites and the spa, adapting it to contemporary luxury standards without losing its character.
Only one closure
The hotel only closed briefly during the Covid-19 pandemic, in 2020, and it did so for a few months: a minimal pause in more than a century of uninterrupted activity that reinforces its image of resilience and continuity.Today, with 108 years of history, the Majestic is part of The Leading Hotels of the World, one of the most prestigious hotel associations on the international scene, which brings together establishments with a strong historical personality and a high level of excellence. A membership that does not respond to trends or ephemeral awards, but to a sustained trajectory over time. As for celebrities who have slept and enjoyed the hotel in recent years, the list is as extensive as the discretion of the house staff. It is not only about scrupulously respecting the privacy of figures from the stage or screen, but also that of heads of state or personalities from the world of finance.
In 2026, the hotel looks to the future without paralyzing nostalgia. In March, it will begin a phased renovation that will update rooms, common areas, and the spa, with special attention to sustainability and new luxury experiences, without closing its doors or altering the daily life of the establishment. At the same time, the Majestic group continues its expansion with new projects in La Rioja, Andalusia, and the Costa Brava.
From its chamfer on Passeig de Gràcia, the Majestic continues to be much more than a hotel: it is a privileged observer of Barcelona's history. A place where the city not only passes by, but stays... for 108 years now.
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