Arai Aparthotel Barcelona

In Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter — site of the city’s original Roman settlement — an 18th-century structure is practically brand new. But to modern-day visitors, there’s no doubt that the Hotel Arai is housed in a building from another century. The exterior is still decorated with the original sgraffito — a large-scale wall decoration that falls somewhere between a fresco and a carving — and the lobby features a healthy dose of brickwork that hasn’t been altered for three centuries.

The hotel’s 31 guest rooms are simpatico with the public spaces, in that the original building materials come through in a natural way, without overpowering the modern flourishes. Exposed beams make the big rooms seem positively cavernous, and the high ceilings allow for some fairly stunning floor-to-ceiling windows. The spare furniture complements the more off-kilter choices, such as the columns that flank the king beds, to produce a sort of half-rustic, half-urban grandeur. This aesthetic mind-meld is best expressed in the bathrooms, where steel and glass meet stone walls in shades of charcoal.

To make up for the lack of on-site dining, each room is equipped with a kitchenette. For the full luxury-apartment trappings, three top-floor suites feature private terraces and hydromassage baths. The outdoor pool isn’t exactly Olympic-sized, but it’s as neat and charming as the rest of the hotel. If you get restless, Las Ramblas is a few minutes away, along with all the dining and drinking that the heart of Barcelona has to offer.

Please note: Arai Hotel does not have a restaurant, and does not offer food service of any kind (breakfast, lunch or dinner).