Aparthotel Arai ★★★★ Sup

We arrive excitedly in the gothic quarter of the city, with its enchanting surroundings set with historic buildings, archetypal streets and a unique atmosphere; everything that makes the Catalan capital such a rich tapestry. Already awestruck by the building's imperious and ornamental sgraffito façade, an original feature, it's not hard to see why this entirely-renovated ancient palace is classed among the finest gems of Barcelona's architectural heritage. As recently as 1935, the buildings - known as the House of the Four Rivers for the motif of the delicate white tracery on its outer walls - was home to an association that hoped to restore art and traditional trades to their former glory, and this spirit of culture and preservation still prevails today.

We are warmly welcomed inside by an ever-available staff with an encyclopaedic knowledge of the best restaurants and bars in town. What we find behind the mansion walls is a veritable hotel-museum. Indeed, the renovation is extraordinarily forgiving of the building’s origins; natural materials like wood and stone are all around, a marble staircase sweeps upwards. Yet there are touches of modernity here and there, which make the Arai Hotel a unique marriage of old-world charm and contemporary comfort.

Our visit continues in the bedroom. The hotel's signature style flows through here too, expressed through elegant details, unprocessed materials and warm tones. We particularly love the wooden floor in the bedroom, the black slate tiles in the bathroom and the lofty ceiling. The room has been designed with comfort and ease in mind; a leather sofa, a headboard with traditional Catalan tiling and even a small kitchen corner. We want for nothing to help us enjoy our stay in Barcelona to the full, in luxurious and intimate surroundings that are as unique as they are functional.

With our heads still spinning, we head in search of the historic centre, which is easy enough given the hotel's location. A stroll through the nearby Boqueria market allows us to soak up the smells, colours and ambience of the city stalls. Next we walk towards the cathedral with its miraculous architecture; its impressive vaults and the courtyard that's worth a visit in its own right. We return wearily to our hotel, luckily just two minutes away. As we sink back into the comforting surroundings that have us drifting off to sleep almost at once, we luxuriate in the knowledge that the vibrant city awaits us in the morning, just outside the door.

The perfect trilogy! That's the feeling I'm left with when I reluctantly leave the Hotel Arai ****. An intimate hotel in a unique location, exclusivity with a full range of services, a pied-a-terre that calls us back for another magical moment even before we’ve left it behind.