Barcelona the provocative
Now is a good time to visit Barcelona. Under a mild sky, not too hot like in Summer, the Catalan capital has returned to a slower pace and is the ideal winter getaway. Luxe Magazine shares with you its crush for the Claris, a "treasure" of a hotel for a unique and memorable experience.
An iconic neighborhood
Direction to the “Eixample” district, typical for its modernism, where it is impossible to get lost thanks to its geometric configuration where the houses are arranged in a grid. The facades compete in originality : this is the place where the architects of the art nouveau, with at the forefront of course Antoni Gaudí, could freely express themselves. Wherever the eye wanders, it’s all about curves and colours, culminating in the famous Sagrada Familia, Gaudi’s absolute masterpiece. It is in the heart of this district, with its many luxury boutiques and close to the Passeig de Gràcia, Diagonal Avenue, Plaza Catalunya and Las Ramblas, that the hotel Claris is housed in a recently renovated 19th century palace.
As much to say from the outset, the Claris, with its 5-star grand luxury, has nothing in common with the establishments that are undoubtedly luxurious, but too uniform and where originality is cruelly absent. Belonging to the Derby Hotels collection, founded by Jordi Clos, the hotel is a reflection of this atypical personality of the Catalan entrepreneur, who is also an Egyptologist, collector and patron of Art, president of the Fundació Arqueològica Clos, property of the Museu Egipci de Barcelona - the largest private collection of Egyptian art in Europe open to the public, which has been funding archaeological excavations in Egypt for more than 20 years.
An atypical hotel, just like its founder
It is thus in this unique and exceptional hotel, with its strong identity, that we are invited. Each of the rooms is decorated individually with original works of art. Some offer mezzanines overlooking the cosy room and we enjoy breakfast in the small lounge. The bathroom boasts Venetian mirrors and handcrafted furniture in a contemporary style. Venetian chandeliers made of Murano glass from the 17th century, Chinese ceramics from the Ming and Shang dynasties, ceremonial objects from the natives of Kenya or pre-Columbian art pieces are marrying in a happy alchemy of contemporary design.
We are surprised, but immediately conquered, and we let ourselves be carried away by this invitation to a "journey in a journey". After a day of visiting Barcelona, including the Sagrada Familia, which is definitely worth a visit, we return to the hotel a little tired, but we immediately go up to the terrace of the hotel, this elevated place of the most exclusive and festive nights of the city, from where the view on the city of Barcelona at dusk is superb.
A gourmet stopover
On its terrace where is nestled a small restaurant, The Claris, offers you the memorable sight of the illuminated roofs of Barcelona while enjoying some delicious Catalan products. We continue the next evening the "journey in the journey"; with a tasteful getaway at Kao, a Dim Sum Club, a restaurant that merges Mediterranean and Asian cuisines. We savour traditional Chinese recipes revisited in a Spanish “tapas” style. After a sweet night in the cosy suite of The Claris Hotel, Barcelona invites us the to (re)discover Gaudí and his original pieces of architecture, like the Guëll Parc, Palau Güell, Casa Mila and Casa Batllo...
Février 2018
