ABaC Restaurant & Hotel

Barcelona, already one of Europe’s hottest destinations, has in recent years consolidated its position as a worldwide culinary capital. It’s no longer just about tapas bars that stay open long after other countries have gone to bed, it’s about cutting-edge culinary experimentation as well, pushing high-end dining beyond its traditional limits. And so we see hotels like the Àbac Restaurant Hotel, hotels that quite literally put the restaurant first.

And why not, when you’ve got a kitchen that’s been awarded three Michelin stars under chef Jordi Cruz. A restaurant of this quality doesn’t depend on walk-up business, and the slight remove contributes to the hotel’s atmosphere of privacy and exclusivity.

As for the rooms and suites, there are just fifteen of them, outfitted in a smart contemporary style, a century-old building modernized with a few touches of real luxury: high-end beds and bath fixtures, Bang & Olufsen televisions and sound systems, and remote-control infrastructure. Most fifteen-room hotels stop there, but the Àbac adds a full-service spa, complete with a thermal pool and a separate cold-water pool.