At the rate the Room Mate hotel group is turning out new properties, it’s only a matter of time before it completely corners the market in bright, cheery, well-priced lodgings located in glossy outposts like Mexico City, Florence, Istanbul and Miami Beach. For now, the focus seems to be Spain with Room Mate Carla just opening in Barcelona, which brings the city’s haul to three properties and a fourth scheduled for later this summer.
Tomas Alia headlines the interior design of the 81-room Carla with an almost futuristic bent. The public spaces are splashed in swathes of deep blue and lime green. In the lobby, customized geometric-shaped armchairs set off screens of enameled ceramic and furnishings that were apparently inspired by Gaudi’s brand of kooky modernism.
Meanwhile, the white-on-white bedrooms are dressed in a kind of stark minimalism that alternates between pop-art overhangs and graphic motifs, and high-ceilinged mouldings – courtesy of the building’s 19th-century provenance – that are more reminiscent of an art gallery.
The Carla’s location – near Paseo de Gracia – is a particular plus, as well as a reflection of the group’s penchance for interesting locations. The retail and culinary delights of Las Ramblas, the colour and tastes of La Boqueria market, and Barri Gotic cathedral are all within easy reach.
ADDRESS
Carrer de Mallorca, 288
-
Veronica Ditting’s collection of tiny tomes is a big draw at London's TenderbooksAt London bookshop Tenderbooks, 'Small Print' is an exhibition by creative director Veronica Ditting that explores and celebrates the appeal of books that fit in the palm of your hand
-
How Beirut's emerging designers tell a story of resilience in creativityThe second in our Design Cities series, Beirut is a model of resourcefulness and adaptability: we look at how the layered history of the city is reflected in its designers' output
-
A day in Ahmedabad – tour the Indian city’s captivating architectureIndia’s Ahmedabad has a thriving architecture scene and a rich legacy; architect, writer and photographer Nipun Prabhakar shares his tips for the perfect tour
-
Enter a metallic, maximalist playground for pasta lovers in BarcelonaRelleno’s first flagship restaurant pushes casual dining into a chrome-lined future, wrapping guests in a sculptural grid that riffs on the geometry of filled pasta
-
Reach for the Barcelona skyline from this horizon-busting hotelHotel Arts Barcelona gets a luminous new look from New York studio Meyer Davis
-
A striking new cinema glows inside Madrid’s Reina Sofia MuseumBarcelona-based studio Bach reimagines a historic auditorium as a crimson-and-blue dreamscape
-
This boutique hotel in Seville is an unmissable cabinet of curiositiesLocated in the city’s Jewish quarter, Hotel Casa del Limonero is a modern and contemporary art and design enthusiast’s dream
-
Peek inside Madrid’s best-kept art secretSolo’s labyrinthine new art space in Madrid presents a surreal opportunity for exploring contemporary art and architecture
-
Has the ice cream parlour come of age?A global wave of architecture studios is treating the scoop as spectacle, turning parlours into immersive social spaces
-
Jaç Hi-Fi Café brings Japanese listening-bar culture to BarcelonaIsern Serra Studio unveils a sound-sculpted interior that brings Japanese listening traditions into Catalonia’s contemporary design landscape
-
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
