29 April 2015

HOTEL BRUMMELL BARCELONA

Let’s start with a visualization. Think back of your time at Federal Cafe in Barcelona. See the open windows, the beautiful flower arrangements and the delicious dishes on the menu. Now imagine a hotel with that atmosphere. I’ve found it! It’s only three weeks open and it’s called Hotel Brummell.

Yesterday the owner of the hotel, Christian Schallert, gave me a grand tour of the hotel, the restaurant, the rooms, the bar and the soon to be opened shop and yoga-space. Christian is a photographer and he rented several apartments in the city before a friend of him told him about this place: ‘It’s perfect for you. In upcoming Poble Sec, close to the city and very close to Montjuic. Nature and city in one place.’ He started working with a team of creatives: architect Inma Rabano and designers Tommy Tang and Crick King (from Federal Cafe). The first thing that catches my eye are the beautiful photos on the walls of people with a huge flower bouquet on their heads. I thought it was photoshopped, but Christian told me that the flower bouquets are real. And the people who wear them all have something to do with the hotel. From the yoga teacher to the designer and from the Australian chef to the flower bouquet girl.

We’ve started to talk about his inspiration which came from Sri Lanka, from the works of architect Geoffrey Bawa. Christian shows me the floor, the wooden cutting boards and the heavy concrete water bowl in the patio: all from Sri Lanka. The restaurant on the ground floor is a place where locals and guests can enjoy breakfast, lunch and dinner. You can sit inside or in the beautiful patio in between the bar and the restaurant. It’s a heaven of tranquility. A great place to hang out.

The big wooden doors are the original doors of the property. Christian showed me some of the before-pictures and I’m amazed. They worked more than two years on it and you can see that they’ve put their love in every single corner. We walk upstairs to see the pool and the area guests of the hotel can chill out. Although it’s quite a windy day in Barcelona, upstairs you only feel the warm sun. Why not stay here the whole day?

There are 20 rooms in the hotel. Two of them are penthouses. One faces the city and Tipidabo, the other, The Petit Penthouse, faces the mountain of Montjuic. Both of them have a terrace and with a bath on it. All the rooms have a calm interior with large beds, bathroom amenities by Malin + Goetz and a fantastic ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign. It says ‘Don’t Disturb I’m …’ (and you can fill out the rest).

But Christian does have more plans. He takes me with me to their soon to be opened travel- and bike shop next door. It was too soon to take pictures but take a look at the stairs with the yellow tiles: you will love it. Health plays an important role too. They are gonna start a running club for locals and tourist alike and soon the yogastudio of his childhood girlfriend is going to open. The place where the builders were still working on the last details already has an atmosphere of calmness and tranquility with the high ceilings and the beautiful lighting. Can’t wait to follow a lesson soon!

You see, I can’t stop talking about it. But, as always, it’s best to go check it out yourself. So book a room for your next trip or go there for lunch or dinner. And say hi to them from me!