chic&basic Velvet Hotel

Walking into chic&basic Velvet is like stepping into a mid-century fever dream that actually makes sense. It’s a love letter to the 1950s, a time when velvet wasn’t just a fabric, it was a lifestyle. Located on Carrer del Consell de Cent in the Eixample, this place doesn’t try to sell you the usual corporate beige-on-beige soul-crushing boredom. Instead, it gives you red curtains, gold trim, and a vibe that feels like a David Lynch set designer got a job in Barcelona and decided to keep things functional.

The name tells you exactly what you’re getting. It’s chic—meaning it looks damn good in photos and feels even better when you’re leaning against the bar—and it’s basic. Let’s be clear: 'basic' here isn't an insult. It means they aren't charging you for a gold-plated bidet or a concierge who looks down his nose at your sneakers. You get a clean room, a comfortable bed with a headboard that looks like it belongs in a high-end lounge, and enough style to make you feel like you’ve actually arrived somewhere, rather than just checked into a holding pen for tourists.

The rooms are compact. If you’re traveling with three steamer trunks and a sense of entitlement, you might feel the squeeze. But for the rest of us, it’s a masterclass in using space. You’ve got the essentials: a decent shower, a place to hang your coat, and a Marshall speaker to drown out the hum of the city. It’s the kind of room where you drop your bags, splash some water on your face, and immediately head back out because the city is calling, but you’re happy knowing this is where you’ll crash later.

One of the best things about this joint is the honesty bar. It’s a concept that relies on the radical idea that guests are adults who can be trusted to pour their own drinks and write it down. It’s a quiet, cool space to decompress before hitting the streets. Then there’s the rooftop terrace—'La Terraza.' It’s not the highest view in Barcelona, but it’s one of the most honest. You’re looking out over the rooftops of the Eixample, watching the laundry dry and the sun dip behind the hills of Montjuïc. It’s where you want to be for a gin and tonic when the heat of the day finally starts to break.

Location-wise, you’re in the sweet spot. You’re a five-minute walk from Plaça d'Espanya and the old Arenas bullring, which is now a shopping mall with a view. But more importantly, you’re on the edge of Poble Sec. If you want to eat like a human being instead of a mark, walk ten minutes to Carrer de Blai. It’s a gauntlet of pinchos bars where you can eat your weight in small bites and drink cold beer for the price of a coffee in the Gothic Quarter. You’re also close to the Fira, making it a favorite for the business crowd who have enough taste to avoid the big chain hotels.

Is it perfect? No. The elevators can be slow, and if you’re on a lower floor, you might hear the rhythm of the street. But that’s Barcelona. If you wanted silence, you should have stayed in the suburbs. This is a place for people who want to feel the pulse of the city, who appreciate a bit of theatricality in their surroundings, and who know that the best part of a hotel is often the neighborhood it sits in. It’s stylish, it’s straightforward, and it doesn’t pretend to be something it’s not. In a city increasingly filled with overpriced tourist traps, that’s a win in my book.