Hotel Astoria

Most modern hotels are designed by accountants and focus groups, resulting in glass-and-steel boxes that feel the same whether you’re in Barcelona or Boise. Hotel Astoria is the antidote to that soul-crushing uniformity. Built in 1954, this place doesn’t just nod to the past; it lives there. It’s a mid-century monument sitting on a quiet corner of Carrer de París, and the moment you push through those doors, the frantic, tourist-choked energy of the city center evaporates, replaced by the cool, composed atmosphere of a noir film set.

The lobby is a masterclass in old-school restraint. We’re talking dark wood paneling, polished stone floors, and a sense of permanence that you just don't find in the pop-up boutique era. But the real kicker—the thing that separates the Astoria from every other three-star joint in the Eixample—is the art. This isn't just 'hotel art' meant to match the curtains. The hotel houses a permanent collection of Ricard Opisso, a legendary Catalan illustrator who hung out with Picasso at Els Quatre Gats. His sketches and paintings are everywhere, turning the hallways and common areas into a living museum of early 20th-century Barcelona life. It’s gritty, beautiful, and deeply local.

Let’s talk about the rooms. If you’re looking for a high-tech 'smart room' where you control the curtains with an iPad, you’ve come to the wrong place. The rooms here are classic. They are comfortable, clean, and carry a certain weight of history. Some might call them dated; I call them honest. They feature parquet floors, traditional furniture, and, if you’re lucky, a terrace that looks out over the Eixample’s iconic octagonal blocks. It’s the kind of room where you can actually imagine someone sitting down to write a letter rather than just scrolling through TikTok until they pass out.

When the Barcelona heat starts to feel like a physical weight, you head to the roof. The rooftop terrace is a sanctuary. There’s a pool—it’s not an Olympic-sized lap pool, so don't get your hopes up—but it’s cold, wet, and surrounded by a deck that offers a 360-degree view of the city’s skyline. Watching the sun dip behind Tibidabo with a gin and tonic in hand while the church bells of the Eixample ring out below is about as close to a perfect moment as you’re going to get in this town.

The location is another win for the traveler who hates being a 'tourist.' You’re in the Eixample Esquerra, a neighborhood of wide boulevards and hidden courtyards where real people actually live and work. You aren't being harassed by guys selling plastic light-up toys or overpriced frozen paella. Instead, you’re a short walk from the high-end madness of Passeig de Gràcia and the architectural heavyweights like Casa Milà, but you’re far enough away to find a decent vermouth at a price that won't make you weep.

Hotel Astoria isn't for everyone. If you need a 24-hour juice bar and a lobby that looks like a nightclub, move along. But if you appreciate a place with a sense of self, a place that respects its own history and offers a quiet, art-filled corner in one of the world's most chaotic cities, then this is your spot. It’s a reminder that hospitality used to be about more than just a bed; it was about providing a sense of place. And the Astoria has that in spades.