Hotels

Barcelona has long been something of a hotbed of boutique-hotel style, and the original Ohla Barcelona stands out even in a crowded field. So it’s with great enthusiasm that we report that Ohla Eixample is, essentially, more of the same. The façade, with its repetitive geometric patterns, announces that this is no ordinary hotel. And what’s behind that façade is modernism of the most utopian, optimistic sort — if not for the blazing Mediterranean sun outside, you might just wonder if you were in Stockholm or Copenhagen.

It’s more than just eye-catching, though — while the rooms perhaps stop short of pure luxury-hotel extravagance they’re highly efficient, livable, and more than comfortable enough. They strike a thoughtful balance between high-fashion minimalism and welcoming warmth, and the fixtures and electronics are state-of-the-art. A few come with terraces or balconies, and all come with rain showers, most visible, as is the racy modern style, from the bedroom.

As for the public spaces, a rooftop pool is always a fine attribute for a city hotel, especially when it’s accompanied by a rooftop bar. And it certainly never hurts to have a Michelin-starred restaurant — quite an achievement for so young a hotel, and even more impressive considering it’s the second star for chef Fran Lopéz.