Room Mate Carla — Barcelona, Spain

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
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox
Daven Wu is the Singapore Editor at Wallpaper*. A former corporate lawyer, he has been covering Singapore and the neighbouring South-East Asian region since 1999, writing extensively about architecture, design, and travel for both the magazine and website. He is also the City Editor for the Phaidon Wallpaper* City Guide to Singapore.
-
Allday Goods’ nakiri knife is inspired by bao buns
This nakiri knife by Allday Goods features a bun-inspired handle made from London restaurant chain BAO’s plastic waste
By Tianna Williams Published
-
Ron Arad classics made by Dakar artisans on view in London
The work of Ron Arad is part of Opera Gallery’s ‘Untitled Rencontres’, on view until 7 January 2024
By Amah-Rose Mcknight Abrams Published
-
Andrés Reisinger stages an all-pink IRL takeover in Miami
Andrés Reisinger’s otherworldly virtual images come to life for the first time in Miami
By Rosa Bertoli Published
-
Mallorca hotel Can Auli is full of laidback allure
A haven of relaxation in the heart of Pollença, Mallorca hotel Can Auli embraces its locality
By Claudia Donaldson Published
-
‘Where To Now’: Zara and Wallpaper* launch offbeat travel guides
Zara and Wallpaper’s ‘Where To Now’ travel guides launch with five off-the-beaten-track adventures, from California to Naoshima, for armchair and actual explorers, available to buy now
By Simon Mills Published
-
Villa One at the One & Only Palmilla — Los Cabos, Mexico
By Chadner Navarro Published
-
Martim — Wroclaw, Poland
By Daven Wu Last updated
-
Nobu Hotel — Barcelona, Spain
By Daven Wu Last updated
-
Tattersalls Hotel — Armidale, Australia
By Dimity Noble Last updated
-
KLoé Hotel — Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
By Jennifer Choo Last updated
-
Casa Hoyos — San Miguel de Allende, Mexico
By Daven Wu Last updated