Casa Camper

A slice of boho Barcelona: a scarlet- and charcoal-toned retreat at the heart of the city’s hippest barrio

Trendsetters seeking a sleek pad from whence to explore the city of Gaudí will adore Casa Camper, a red- and black-trimmed snoozerie owned by the eponymous Mallorcan footwear company. Refurbished from top-to-toe in cool tones and elegant materials orchestrated by Ferran Amat (of city designer boutique Vinçon fame), this bite-sized hotel at the buzzing centre of the Raval quarter is tricky to locate but worth the effort, with trendy shops, an ancient market, the opera house and the MACBA contemporary art museum on your doorstep.

The hotel embodies the Camper ethic: the very best basics and a bit of colour, with friendly people at the helm. Glass doors swish open from the deceptively sombre 19th-century façade to reveal a dimly-lit lobby eccentrically decorated with hanging bikes. Ring the bell and a black-clad staff member will usher you into the reception-cum-dining area, where easy-on-the-eye lighting bathes canteen-style tables littered with newspapers; here you can sup on grub from the free 24-hour buffet bar. A lift whisks you up to your room, where you’re greeted by a view of a vertical garden filled with potted ferns. Pull on your exclusive pair of Camper slippers and pad across the landing to your very own mini-lounge, where you can swing in a hammock and watch the buzzing life in Elisabet street below.

Highs

• This groovy little district just west of the Ramblas is one of Barcelona’s up-and-coming areas - young at heart with plenty of night life
• You can chill out in a hammock and watch life on the street below
• There are nice touches throughout, including make-up mirrors with comfy stools and a complimentary shoe-care kit so you can lavish some TLC on your footwear
• The free 24-hour snack bar will satisfy hunger pangs night and day
• You can wheel down the Ramblas on one of the hotel’s bikes

Lows

• The bedroom and lounge areas are separated by a public corridor, though you can always snuggle up in one of Casa Camper’s fluffy peignoirs and sneak across
• There are no minibars in the rooms, but soft drinks are free from the snack bar and there’s plenty of alcohol on sale at reception.
• The snacks are rather uninspired, but good for filling up when you’re in a rush
• The lively location means this isn’t the best place for light sleepers