Ofelias Hotel

The climate, the seaside, the food, the famously late-partying populace — Barcelona’s got quite a lot going for it, even aside from its hotels. By local standards, Ofelias Hotel is a hotel whose charms are quite subtle — but that says perhaps more about the the quality of the competition than it does about Ofelias itself.

Let’s step back and view the big picture. It’s located in the quite central Eixample district, just off the Parc de Joan Miró, literally steps from the Las Arenas commercial center and a short walk from the old city. At 44 rooms, it’s in the sweet spot size-wise, large enough to offer some proper hotel services while small enough to remain manageably intimate. And the design is impeccable in its restraint — this place is elegant above all else, and while it’s far from the boldest and brightest of Barcelona’s boutique hotels, there’s much to be said for maintaining one’s composure.

Presumably that’s part of the key to why Ofelias manages to draw stylish business travelers in more or less the same proportion as design-hungry leisure guests. Here, as well, convenience is key — while there’s no in-house restaurant (beyond breakfast, that is), you’re close enough to a practical infinity of very fine options to make the distinction rather an academic one.