The Alma Barcelona hotel is housed in an elegant building which dates back to the start of the 20th century in one of the best locations of the city. A favourite with design mags, design fans will adore the pared down but poised assets of this Barcelona beauty, from its sculptural staircase to Gaudi-esque views. Downstairs is a spa and steamroom, with an indoor pool long enough to swim lengths in. There is also a well-equipped gym and, on the roof, a sundeck with views across Barcelona that will have you sighing.
Its 72 rooms are separated into classical and modernist accommodation, providing an interior unlike any other. The front rooms make the most of the classical features — the original cornicing — while those at the back have a more contemporary feel with super modern touches, such as fingerprint scanning instead of room keys, and retro typography on the room-number plaques. The entire facade, looking over the garden, is sheet glass. Beds are supremely comfortable, and the rooms feature Malin + Goetz toiletries.
The courtyard bar on the ground floor, lush with plants and toe-tapping background music, is popular with after-work locals and guests in vacation mode.
