BOUTIQUE rendezvous
A hotel in Barcelona is making a dynamic first impression, a hit with locals and travellers alike.
fact a specially crafted iron. “Public space is paramount,” say the duo who have been visiting Barcelona for years. “It’s the city square, the place where you meet people. It’s where you find yourself connecting; a place where locals are coming. We believe that projects should be in the context of the city they are in so it was important for us to understand the people here and how they connect to one another. We regularly stayed in this hotel until it changed hands so we understand the building and know the people. We have experienced it all.”
The 91 guestrooms and suites are clean-cut with a modernist vibe, furnished with B&B Italia and Cassina pieces and contemporary handmade rugs by Nanimarquina. In the rooms – as elsewhere – are works by Catalan artists and a thoughtful anthology of analogue material: indie magazines, limited-edition books, pocket-sized pages and fat tomes with slick, glossy pages. It’s fitting decor considering the hotel’s moniker, a tribute to female author Caterina Albert i Paradís who wrote under the male literary pseudonym Víctor Català.
Less like a docent, more like a friend, the hotel’s Sir Explore experience is hosted by city residents and offers an off-the-grid tour of the city on foot. But if sitting or swimming is more your style, hip mix masters pour, flip and twist cocktails, probiotic drinks and biodynamic Spanish wines on the terrace. The vibey rooftop hosts a roster of DJs and live music against a backdrop of Gaudí’s Casa Milà and La Sagrada Família. It’s the perfect place for a siesta. sirhotels.com/en/victor
The hotel’s rooftop pool offers panoramas over Gaudí’s Casa Milà.
The in-house luxury bar and Mr Porter restaurant draws locals and guests in a moody palette which is reflected in oxblood marble and rich leather stools. The rooftop bar and restaurant often showcases live music. Architects Baranowitz
+ Kronenberg designed the multipurpose lobby with disparate pockets in which to congregate.
Visit for the interiors alone and hang with socialites and celebs at this cool eatery and bar.
bocagrande.cat
EL NACIONALE
A warehouse turned
gastronomic powerhouse with bars, restaurants and delis under one huge roof. elnacionalbcn.com
MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART
Find avant-garde displays on the ’50s to now and everything in between. macba.cat
DOMESTICO
Delightful designer furniture and eatery. domesticoshop.com
CASA BATLLÓ
Visit Gaudi’s masterpiece then shop on the chic Passeig de Gràcia. casabatllo.es
NOMAD COFFEE
Experts and roasters who teach the art of coffee making. nomadcoffee.es
ENTREPANES DIAZ
Enjoy traditional bocadillos (sandwiches) and unfussy old-school tapas with vermouth.
@entrepanesdiaz