Primero Primera — Barcelona, Spain

Situated within the quiet, leafy streets of Barcelona’s residential Les Tres Torres neighbourhood, Primero Primera might not be immersed in the buzz of the city centre, but what it lacks in location, is more than made up for by the charming offerings that await inside. Built by entrepreneur, Carlos Pérez-Sala almost 60 years ago, the upper levels of the premises were rented out as long-stay apartments, while the first floor (the primero primera) and garden became his family quarters. Today, the initial concept has been spruced up by the next generation of Pérez-Salas and the property has been transformed into a 30-room boutique hotel, with Carlos’ widow still taking up residence in their original home. Outside, the 1950s architecture remains, while inside, classic details - including the staircase and the odd original furniture pieces - have been updated with contemporary elements. The result is warm and inviting; in the public spaces, aged timber flooring, worn leather armchairs, heavy wooden furnishings and rich Persian rugs sit against neutral oatmeal and dark grey shades, while the guestrooms – each with a different design – are light and airy, scattered with thoughtful details. Unwind, amongst the lush shrubbery that surrounds the garden pool, or enjoy a cocktail from the hotel’s honesty bar, before heading into town, a mere 10 minutes away.
ADDRESS
Carrer del Dr. Carulla 25
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Lauren Ho is the Travel Director of Wallpaper*, roaming the globe, writing extensively about luxury travel, architecture and design for both the magazine and the website. Lauren serves as the European Academy Chair for the World's 50 Best Hotels.
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