Antiga Casa Buenavista

Style

Contemporary Catalan crashpad

Setting

El Raval-ation

Barcelona is no slouch when it comes to looking sharp, from the bells, whistles and loud sirens of the Modernista icons, to the Gothic Quarter’s spires and reliefs, and contemporary structures resembling spacecraft. And, chic city-pad Antiga Casa Buenavista has straightened up its collar and polished its brogues, with a modernist look of textured glass, industrial ironwork, exposed brick and Catalan floor tiles, plus highly prized furnishings (the Mies Van der Rohe Barcelona chairs are a nice touch). But, it’s designed for living – and very well too – with warm service, a vast lounge with spaces for tapping away at a laptop or murdering a bottle of rioja, a just-for-guests rooftop pool and sociable bistro, plus all of El Raval’s revelry right on your doorstep.

Facilities

Номера

43, including three suites.

Checkout

12 noon, but flexible, subject to availability. Earliest check-in, 3pm.

Больше сведений

Rates don’t usually include the buffet breakfast (from €22 a person).

Also

There’s a lift at the property, accessible public areas and one specially adapted room, with grab rails and a shower seat in the bathroom and lowered switches, for guests with mobility issues.

Фитнес-центр

Бесплатный доступ в интернет

Бассейн

Рестораны на территории

At the Hotel

Roof terrace, lounge with a co-working space, gym, laundry service, free WiFi. In rooms: TV with Chromecast, Nespresso coffee machine, Sans & Sans teas, minibar, desk, free bottled water and La Roche-Posay bath products.

Our Favourite Rooms

Rooms have a sophisticated look with captain’s mirrors, mid-century pieces, stained glass that subtly nods to art nouveau, Catalan tiles, and rich woods. But, the Superior Room with Terrace has all the goodies: a Marshall Bluetooth speaker, honesty bar, furnished outdoor space overlooking the city and an alfresco soaking tub for two.

Poolside

We like the discrete unheated rooftop pool (open 8am to 8pm), which is an intimate size with just a handful of loungers and feels far removed from Raval’s urban bustle. Sunk into the terrace, it has wide entry steps and a leafy border to shelter you from any errant winds, and staff will bring drinks to you.

Spa

The hotel have teamed up with a local spa if you're in need of some pampering. The hotel’s gym is equipped with modern fitness equipment for keeping active during your stay.

Packing Tips

Working on holiday may put the ‘bleh’ in ‘bleisure’, but the hotel’s lounge is so stylish and snug that you won’t mind tending to a few emails here and there (or maybe working on that novel), so slide that laptop into its carrier.

Дети

Kids don’t really fit in with the aesthetic here, and, while they can stay, there are no extra beds, so you’ll need to book a second room.

Галерея

Food & Drink

Top Table

Tucked away at the back of the restaurant is an eight-top which can be curtained off for privacy. Or, watch the comings and goings of lively Plaza Muntaner from the front.

Дресс-код

Build your outfit like a Modernista marvel, with Liberty prints, sensual curves, every colour of the wheel and all the adornment you can muster.

Hotel Restaurant

Casa de Comidas may be laidback, but it looks the part, with spiffy checkerboard flooring, black-leather banquettes, plenty of bronze, Deco lighting and a long marble bar to anchor the action. Plus, there’s a small interior courtyard with a few tables. The hotel’s still cooking up its ideas for a tempting menu, but dining will be typically Catalan in style, with tapas and sharing plates.

Hotel Bar

There’s no dedicated bar, but Casa de Comidas has a wine list that uncorks Spain’s most fruitful terroirs: Catalonian syrahs, Madrileño tempranillos, Andalucían sherries and a big hearty glug of rioja. The lobby is a little more private (for guests only) and has secluded ante-rooms and ample mid-century seating – fittingly, there are a few Mies Van Der Rohe Barcelona chairs. And, you can ask for drinks to be delivered to the suntrap poolside terrace on the top floor.

Last Orders

Breakfast runs from 7am to 11am, lunch from 1pm to 3.30pm, and dinner from 8pm to 10.30pm.

Room Service

If you’re in the Superior Buenavista with Terrace, you can choose from the special in-room dining menu (from 7am to midnight) for a feast in your pyjamas.

Planes

The Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat airport is the closest international hub, just a 20-minute drive from the hotel. It’s well served, with flights arriving from all over the world, and the casa’s staff will happily arrange transfers.

Trains

Trains from across Catalonia pull into the Plaça de Catalunya station, which is just a five-minute walk from the hotel. It also lies on the L1 (red) and L3 (green) lines of the Metro, so you can zip across the city with ease. And, if you’re arriving from the airport, you just need to hop on the L9 (orange) line and change to the L1 at Torassa. If you’re chugging in from other major cities in Spain, most routes terminate at Barcelona-Sants a 15-minute drive away.

Automobiles

Make life easier for yourself and invest in a Hola BCN pass, which allows you to hop on and off public transport. Car hire is easy, but parking can be hard to find, plus the hotel is in the ZBE (low-emission zone), so you’ll have to register your vehicle and pay a charge of a few Euros. If wheels are essential, there’s no parking at the hotel, but several charged garages close by.

Worth Getting Out of Bed For

El Raval had a bit of a bad-boy rep back in the day, with thieves, street walkers and bohemians all getting up to no good (there are still a few light-fingered sorts, so keep an eye on your belongings), but it’s largely redeemed itself and is now rather erudite and cultured, with a nightlife scene that still rouses the rakes. The Centre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona (the largest of its kind in Spain) informs and engages through film, art, workshops, debates, concerts and festivals. It’s programme is wildly diverse, but there’s always something going on, whether it's a debate about threats to global journalism, exhibitions about political use of masks or proposals for public lighting using luminescent bacterium – it’s meaty stuff. The Museu d'Art Contemporani de Barcelona houses a collection of very important artworks (by the likes of Man Ray, Miro, Calder, Beuys…) from 1929 to now in a building by Richard Meier that’s quite the looker itself. And housed in a baroque palace along La Rambla is La Virreina Centre de la Imatge, whose shows of contemporary art get stuck into ideological quandaries. And, the Gran Teatre del Liceu is very gran indeed, with its garnet-velvet upholstery, gilded curves of tiered seating and frescoed ceilings. And, while Barcelona isn’t exactly lacking in monumental buildings, El Raval can claim its oldest church, 10th-century Sant Paul del Camp (Saint Paul of the Country), named thusly because it was originally outside the city walls. It’s also home to Palau Güell, Gaudí’s medievalist masterpiece, that’s not quite as fanciful as his other structures, but still a stand-out. For his more famous works – Sagrada Familia, Casa Milà, Casa Batlló – and other Modernista marvels (say, Cadafalch’s Casa Amatller), then cross the border into the Eixample. While you’re over there, check in at toy factory turned co-working space Fàbrica Lehmann to see if they’re holding an arts and crafts market in their courtyard. Rummage through treasured trash at Mercat Els Encants (the city’s largest flea market), then get caught up in the colours and scents of Boqueria food market. Assemble a picnic from your finds and head to the Joan Miró park to enjoy it and see some of its namesake’s large-scale sculptures.

Earn or Redeem Points with World of Hyatt

This Mr & Mrs Smith hotel participates in the World of Hyatt loyalty program. As a member, you can earn and redeem points and enjoy exclusive benefits for qualifying nights. .