Almost a century ago, the politician and businessman Francesc Cambó—whose devotion to preserving Catalonia’s unique cultural and linguistic contributions saw him become one of the great arts benefactors of his day—set his sights on his most towering project yet. Towering, quite literally: working with the celebrated Noucentisme architect, Adolf Florensa, he unveiled what was then the tallest building in Europe, nestled between Barcelona’s medieval districts of El Born and the Gothic Quarter. (It’s also alleged to have been the first building in the city with an elevator.)
And this summer, the historic building—which had been a hotel since the mid-2000s, but was given an extensive (and expensive) revamp by its new owners last year—reopened as the Grand Hotel Central, a new, laid-back gem in Barcelona’s already glittering hotel scene. First, there’s that unbeatable location, mere steps from all the city’s major sights and just a 15-minute stroll to the beach. Then, there’s the building’s grandiose trappings: its elegant facade of Montjuïc stone has been gently restored to make it one of the most striking exteriors along the entire Via Laietana.
Upon stepping inside the hotel’s theatrical revolving doors, however, there’s an immediate sense of calm. (You can partly thank the historic building methods for that: even though the clamor of tourists trawling through the city’s central streets is just outside, the thick stone walls mean you can’t hear a thing.) The lobby’s soaring ceilings and sturdy classical pillars are offset by slick contemporary details, from the glossy black marble cuboid reception desks to the striking sculpture that sits at an angle in front of the elevators, a fluid tangle of rippling red ribbons that resembles an enormous piece of coral dredged from the bottom of the (nearby) sea.
It’s all part and parcel with the ambitions of its new owners, who sought to create a bold, playful interior that matched the building’s impressive historical credentials. For that, they turned to the London-based studio Sagrada—known for their refined revamps of The Arts Club in London and the St. Regis in Venice—to zhuzh up the generously proportioned rooms that already existed. There are echoes of the clean lines of the building’s exterior through upholstered headboards and floor-to-ceiling gossamer curtains, but also a few wonkier, Gaudí-worthy surprises, such as the curved wooden slats that separate the dressing and bathroom and areas from the main bedrooms, or the playful organic shapes of floor lamps whose stems resemble tree trunks and botanical drawings on the wall. It’s subdued Noucentisme elegance, but with a twist.
Having found myself in the city during the baking heat of a Catalan summer, I was tempted to spend much of my time cooling off on the crisp white linens while soaking up the (mercifully high-powered) air conditioning. But if it isn’t spending an afternoon rambling around the local tapas bars that appeals—or simply following the guidance of the hotel’s concierge and visiting a local artist’s studio or trying your hand at crafting a personalized pair of espadrilles at a local maker’s workshop—then you can head over to El Raval to shop for vintage fashion and artisanal knick-knacks. Plus, you don’t even have to leave the four walls of the hotel to get a flavor of the city’s history: there are historian-led tours offering insights into the fascinating backstory of the building and the development of Noucentisme as a rebuke to the rise of Modernism in Europe at the time, as well as Cambó’s former private residence on the top floor. (But more on that later.)
If you are seeking a taste of the city’s hustle and bustle from the comfort of the hotel itself, you can head up to the eighth-floor roof terrace, which boasts—with stiff competition—one of the most picturesque rooftop pools in all of Barcelona. On a lazy Sunday afternoon, hotel guests were sprawled across the cabana-style loungers or dipping their feet into the sparkling blue waters, as the rooftops of the city baked in the heat beyond. And if you fancy a cocktail while you’re up there? They have you covered too. Under the nearby canopies are tiered layers of banquette seating where you can soak in those views while you tuck into platters of jamón ibérico, local cheese, and homemade jam, or chicken gyros and grilled fish. (The hotel also just recently opened Can Bo on the ground floor, a stylish streetside restaurant offering inventive riffs on tapas classics—think amberjack carpaccio sprinkled with salty Bonilla chips, or charred brioche buns stuffed with crispy octopus.)
But the biggest surprise up Grand Hotel Central’s sleeve lies once again in its rich history. Back up on the eighth floor—just past the small but perfectly formed spa area, where you can stop by for a killer deep tissue massage after a long day stomping the Barcelona streets, or simply take a moment to chill in their sauna and hammam—you’ll find a suite of interiors that date all the way back to the hotel’s beginnings. Cambó’s former library has now been transformed into an events space, while still retaining the romance of its original wood paneling, mahogany ceiling moldings, and parquet flooring—and indeed, part of his vast book collection.
Yet still an even greater surprise awaits, heading up a discrete staircase to the back of one of the rooms. Up on the highest level of the building, you’ll find Cambó’s penthouse apartment, an architectural marvel that is currently only available for visits by guests of the hotel. Wandering through its perfectly preserved halls and bedrooms, there’s a feeling of having truly stepped back in time: it’s like being a bird’s nest above the city, with glimpses of Gothic church spires through gauzy, fluttering curtains. Upon stepping outside, you’ll find a magnificent garden complete with palm trees and bougainvillea and a trickling pond. (One can only imagine the parties that were once held here—or, indeed, the kind of parties that could potentially be held once again if permission is granted to open it up to the public.) With the scent of jasmine and orange trees floating through the air, it’s not hard to see why Cambó chose this location for the building that would become the culmination of his entire life’s work—and now, it has another lease of life as one of Barcelona’s most stylish, low-key hotels.