With so many well-designed bolt-holes already in place, it hardly seems possible that Barcelona could accommodate yet another boutique hotel. Ahead of openings in Vienna, Prague and Zagreb, the Almanac group’s debut in the Passeig de Gracia neighbourhood, however, is a promising sign.
Local studio Office of Architecture has joined two 18th- and 20th-century buildings into a 91-room cocoon which, in turn, Jaime Beriestain Studio has layered with spacious white marbled bathrooms, copper accents, low-hanging white drum lamps, and panels of oak and walnut in the bright bedrooms – some of which feature broad bay windows, cleverly converted from the building’s old Juliet balconies.
Downstairs, in Línea’s high-ceilinged dining room dominated by deep blue hues and towering brass lamps, chef Sergio Ruiz works up an all-day menu based on Catalanian standards of grilled seafood, alongside gluten-free options. Otherwise, head for the expansive rooftop bar and lounge for views of the eternal La Sagrada Familia and Mount Tibidabo.
ADDRESS
Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes, 619-621
-
Venerable British car-maker AC goes OTT with the high-output, low-slung AC GT SuperSportPitched at all-American fans of the original AC Cobra, the GT SuperSport is a fearsome two-seat roadster with more muscle than ever before
-
The dynamic young gallerists reinvigorating America's art scene'Hugging has replaced air kissing' in this new wave of galleries with craft and community at their core
-
Out of office: the Wallpaper* editors’ picks of the weekWhile a few of our editors were in Europe for various showcases and launches, others stayed local, uncovering new cuisines, eccentric exhibitions and glorious gardens this side of the Channel
-
The most stylish hotel takeovers to pop up at this summerFrom Capri to Ibiza, luxury fashion brands are taking over seaside resorts with exclusive boutique pop-ups and bespoke poolside accessories
-
Ten lesser-known gems you shouldn’t miss in MadridCelebrated for its Beaux-Arts architecture, art museums and culinary creativity, Madrid continues to reinvent itself thanks to a buoyant cultural scene
-
Wallpaper* checks in at The Palace Madrid: an old soul with new sparkleOnce a haunt for intellectuals and artists, Madrid’s grand dame navigates a new era of luxury following a four-year-long renovation by Lázaro Rosa-Violán Studio
-
Sun-soaked European destinations to visit in springDreaming of Florentine palazzos and Greek islands now that the weather is starting to turn? Check into one of these beautiful European hotels and holiday homes
-
Esperit Roca is a restaurant of delicious brutalism and six-course dessertsIn Girona, the Roca brothers dish up daring, sensory cuisine amid a 19th-century fortress reimagined by Andreu Carulla Studio
-
Must-visit cinemas with award-worthy designThere’s more magic to the movies at these design-led cinemas, from Busan Cinema Centre’s ‘flying’ roof to The Gem Cinema Jaipur’s art deco allure
-
‘I explored Benidorm with an open mind’: the famous Spanish seaside town is captured in a new photo bookFrom neon lights to pink sunburns, photographer Rob Ball turns his lens on Benidorm to see what remains of a ‘pan-European holiday utopia’
-
Wallpaper* checks in at Brach Madrid: a hotel of love and passionBrach Madrid, part of Evok Collection, is a charming city-centre bolthole designed by Philippe Starck
