If you’re interested in a combination of tourist sights and simply experiencing the daily rhythms of spending time in a foreign city, The One is a hotel uniquely located at the intersection of prime tourist Barcelona and the locals’ Barcelona. It’s within walking distance of the Sagrada Familia and the Gothic Quarter, but also puts you in proximity to the residential neighborhoods off of the Avinguda Diagonal—and all of the charming cafes, shops, and tapas restaurants the locals haunt. (The gorgeously decorated and delicious Jewish-Spanish fusion cafe Lady Babka, the local Barcelona designer Gabriel Forsach, the avant-garde boutique Vasquiat, and natural wine and tapas joint Bar Torpedo are all in the neighborhood, as just a few examples.)
The hotel is also one of the city’s more design forward, with interiors imagined by Spanish AD100 designer Jaime Beriestain, and featuring everything from a striking glass-lined open atrium running through the hotel, down to thoughtful details like switches by the bedside for closing the curtains. The rooms are spacious—especially for their reasonable price—and have luxurious separate shower rooms, while in the basement, you’ll find a spa with Finnish saunas, a heated pool, and a treatment area that uses iS Clinical products.
The downstairs restaurant, Somni, is bright, airy, and modern, making for a relaxing spot to enjoy a leisurely breakfast before heading out to explore the city. And for dinner, Somni serves classic Catalan cuisine with a twist. The highlights are a dozen or so takes on the canelon, in which fillings are encased in a tubular vessel reminiscent of the Italian cannelloni. Usually, the shell is pasta, but here the wraps are made of everything from Spanish jamon to vegetables to Japanese-inspired fish. The rooftop, which has a pool and a magnificent view of the city, also houses a laid-back restaurant and lounge that focuses on classic tapas. —Z.D.
- Amenities: Restaurants, fitness center, rooftop pool, spa
- Address: C/ de Provença, 277, 08037 Barcelona, Spain
Courtesy of Mandarin Oriental
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