You can´t go far in Barcelona without seeing some pretty impressive buildings. Modernism is thecity’s architectural hallmark and Antoni Gaudi the creator supreme. Many of his best designs are to be foundin and around the area of Eixample, where the five-star Claris Hotel is located. Just around the corner is his sinuous apartment building, Casa Mila, while a few blocks east is the majestic, if unfinished, cathedral of Sagrada Familia. Art features prominently in the hotel, too. The Claris has retained the façade of the former palacio it occupies, but inside it’s a mix of classic and contemporary styles. There’s a private museum of Egyptian artefacts, while the 124 rooms and suites are furnished with antique furniture and sculptures from as far back as the second century. From the modern era there are some quirky objet d’arts, such as a stumpy tree tipped with large orange leaves in the central courtyard, or precariously balanced spiralled spheres in the lounge area of my split-level room. This contrast of new and old is a real draw for fashionistas – Jean Paul Gaultier is among the Claris’ recent guests.
The hotel has managed to retain its grandeur without being stuffy. In summer, food and drinks are served up on the hotel rooftop, beside a swimming pool. Guests can also use a courtesy Smart car for a few hours of city sightseeing: it’s just great for scooting up to the Parc Guell or other Gaudi sites that you can’t get to on foot.
If the Claris has a good location, then the Grand Hotel Central’s is even better, and most certainly central. It sits on a bustling street parallel to the leafy main avenue, Las Ramblas – where locals and tourists alike take leisurely strolls while buskers and hawkers try to catch their eye. Nearby is the Gothic quarter, a labyrinth of twisting streets and historic buildings, including the old cathedral, outside which locals meet each week to join hands and dance the sardana, Catalunya’s national folk-dance. Yet while the surroundings are old, the Grand Hotel Central is very new indeed, having officially opened its doors in January 2006. Its style too, is very modern, but very approachable – the funky main lobby is characterised by shiny metallic surfaces, comfortable lounge chairs and peopled with friendly young staff who booked a table for me at Actual, the hotel’s Michelin-starred restaurant. More impressively, they managed to reserve tickets for the Barcelona football match that evening.
Stylish, spacious bedrooms focus on simple luxury and pure relaxation, with electronic blinds at the windows and a host of Molton Brown goodies in each bathroom. If you have to work instead, then each large desk has an internet connection and the safe is wide enough to stash a laptop. At the very top is a small rooftop pool, which affords splendid views of the mist-shrouded Collcerola Mountains and the sea, providing a visual escape from the hectic city below. When you do decide to venture down to street level, take your pick of guidebook attractions in the neighbourhood.Or just take a stroll as the locals do. Barcelona is about artistic licence, after all.
Book a room in Grand Hotel Central
Book a room in Hotel Claris