Staffers at the Midmost Hotel Barcelona love to tell the story of how guests went to sleep in the Inglaterra Hotel and woke up in the newly branded, completely renovated hotel, which opened officially in July.
The four-star, boutique hotel was redone floor by floor and is still so new that its custom-ordered towels haven't even arrived yet, said hotel manager Ingrid David during my recent visit.
The designers retained the 1919 facade of the Midmost Hotel Barcelona while completely renovating the interior.
The 100-year-old Midmost was once a private apartment building, and the feeling of exclusivity remains in its current incarnation. The designers retained the 1919 facade, for example, and preserved the original iron staircase while adding such modern elements as an industrial-style front door and chic chandeliers in the lobby.
The hotel's 56 rooms are more or less uniform in size, layout and decor, David said, so that every guest has a similar experience.
The name Midmost refers to the location of the property, which sits between Plaza Catalunya and Plaza Universitat, smack in the center of the city in the so-called golden triangle. You can walk to Las Ramblas in five minutes, and many of the city's most interesting sites are nearby, including various buildings designed by famed architect Anton Gaudi.
A highlight is the small but elegant rooftop bar and pool area, with views of the city and the Montjuic Mountains in the distance.
Rates are from $189 per night.
The property is owned by Majestic Hotel Group, whose five-star sister property, the Majestic Hotel and Spa Barcelona, is known for having hosted such luminaries as Pablo Picasso, Joan Miro, Josephine Baker and Ernest Hemingway.
Open since 1918, the Majestic manages to straddle the line between grande dame and trendy, thanks to a mix of modern and traditional decor elements. The rooftop bar is so popular that reservations are a good idea, and the light meal options include a whimsical chef's gastronomic tapas menu, with miniburgers that are actually made of beets and an Oreo cookie that is made of tomatoes and burrata. The three eateries at the property, including the gastronomic El Restaurante del Majestic, are overseen by Michelin star chef Nandu Jubany.
The hotel underwent a $30 million-plus renovation in 2013, during which the number of guestrooms was trimmed from 303 to 271.
There are three types of penthouse suites, including the Penthouse Sagrada Familia, which features a massive private terrace with its own Jacuzzi.
Rates start at about $300 per night.
Other properties in the Majestic Hotel Group include the four-star Murmuri, where we dined on seasonal fare at the El Passatge restaurant; the three-star Denit Hotel in the Gothic Quarter; and the five-star Hotel Sant Francesc in Palma de Mallorca.