Faceless hotel chains have their place but there are far more interesting places to discover. Especially in Catalonia’s capital, where there are innovatively designed Barcelona hotels cropping up all over the place. After all, a city break is as much about your living quarters as your surroundings, so when staying in such a historic place as Barcelona, why not consider a more unique place to rest your head. The following are some of the more quirky, but nonetheless excellent and up to date abodes.

Hotel Chic and Basic Born

Close to the Picasso Museum, this relaxed designer hotel is perfectly situated to explore all the delights which Barcelona has to offer. This unpretentious hotel is all about atmosphere; you won’t find any pompous or stiff upper lip arrogance here. This hotel’s ‘raison d’etre’ is to give you, their guest, a place to chill and relax. How about rooms that change colour, or beds so comfortable that you consider staying in them all day instead of going out to see the sights? For a hotel with a difference, this really is ‘the’ place to stay.

Hotel Silken Diagonal

Designed by Jean Nouvel, the pleasure of staying at the Hotel Silken Diagonal begins the moment you set eyes on its unusual facade. The clever architecture creates an optical illusion whereby light and chrome make you question what you can and can’t see. And the optical feast doesn’t stop when you step inside. From the reception area, restaurant and bar right through to the individual rooms, style and design is what this hotel is all about.

Petit Palace Museum Hotel

Combining early 20th century architecture with the most futuristic of design, the Petit Palace Hotel is a designer base slap bang in the center of the city. The building was built in 1904 and is a master piece by the famous architect Enric Sagnier. Renovated in 2005, it now offers a unique combination of new and old under one roof.

La Casa de las Lletres Apartaments

This apartment hotel offers luxury but traditional living quarters in the city’s old quarter. The beautiful old building has been sympathetically restored into six apartments, each boasting the high ceilings and grand furnishings so typical of the Art Nouveau period.

Hotel Omm

This boutique hotel is situated in the heart of one of Barcelona’s hippest barrios – Passeig de Gracia. Designed by the architect Juli Capella with interior deco by Sandra Taruella and Isabel Lopez, Hotel Omm is the perfect place for an authentic Spanish experience with locals flocking to fill the bar and terraces.