We’ve said it before, but the rate at which the Room Mate group is expanding should give even its most aggressive competitor cause to pause. Its newest property is one more example of its talent for scouting prime locations in agreeable neighbourhoods. Steps from Barcelona’s golden retail strip of Passeig de Gracia, the 81-room Anna is contained within an early 20th-century Modernist pile that was, till a few years ago, the University of Chicago campus and venue for the 20th anniversary of Casa Décor.
Interior designer Lorenzo Castillo has parlayed previous outings with Room Mate on their New York and Florence hotels, into an assured, grown-up bolt-hole where breakfast is served till noon and the circular rooftop pool features views of the Agbar Tower and Gaudi’s Casa Batlió.
In keeping with Barcelona’s proximity to the sea, turquoise and aquamarine hues dominate, alongside bespoke timber furniture, brass finishes, and the occasional maritime tchotchke by way of red Trapani coral and shells. Castillo says his design scheme is a deliberate move away from the contemporary penchant for neo-industrial Nordic chic in favour of a return to Barcelona’s Catalonian Mediterranean roots.
And just in case one needed more proof of Room Mate’s ambitions and bullish optimism for Barcelona, the group has plans to open two more properties in the city by next year.
ADDRESS
Carrer Aragó 271
-
Premium pocketable audio scales up with the new SP4000 from Astell&KernThe Astell&Kern A&ultima SP4000 is a serious piece of audiophile equipment, a high-res portable player that offers endless ways to shape your listening experience
-
The ultimate amenity in this Canadian apartment building? A trio of scene-stealing restaurantsPart of Citizen on Jasper, a new residential tower, Va!, Olia, and Mimi offer a thrilling day-to-night dining experience
-
These sculptural mirrors embody the relaxed spirit of the MedPhotographed in a Mallorcan residence designed by local studio Munarq, these new sculptural mirrors by New York furniture company Ready To Hang are inspired by the sea
-
This chic new restaurant in Ibiza looks like a gallery and feels like a partyMira by Gathering marries contemporary art, Mediterranean fare, and laid-back glamour in a space designed for both contemplation and celebration
-
Do luxury hotels need a farmer-in-residence?From Ibiza to Indonesia, hospitality brands are cultivating a new travel experience, where wellness begins in the soil and ends at the table
-
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
