Hotel Neri: Medieval Goes Modern in Barcelona

Some stays are so thoroughly chic they needn’t announce themselves with fanfare and drama. They can merely exist, and let the tastemakers of the world come flocking. With a simple metal nameplate above a medieval door buried in the heart of Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter, Hotel Neri, a Relais & Chateâux property.

The 22-room boutique hotel is set across two buildings in El Call, the center of the city’s Jewish community for centuries. Part of the property dates back to the 12th century, and in bringing Hotel Neri to life, great care was taken not to disrupt the few original features that remained. 

A medieval palace, with its imposing stone walls and great wooden doors, might not conjure warmth and coziness, much less modern style, but Hotel Neri pulls off the juxtaposition with ease. Through that ancient front door, guests—a fashion-forward, international clientele of couples and families who all look as if they have enviable collections of art or vinyl or both—enter into a lobby lounge scented with bergamot, where tomato-red Eames rockers and a cushy rug in shades of magenta and indigo take the edge of solemnity off all the stonework. 

That contrast continues throughout: oversaturated crimson rugs and medieval wood beams, modern Dutch light fixtures next to timeworn stone arches. On the second floor, a Campana brothers Boa sofa (a massive tangle of red velvet and purportedly one of only five in the world) serves as both seating area and art piece beneath a colorful multistory tapestry that billows down from the top-floor landing. Hotel Neri is undeniably chic, yet low-key, its coolness so indisputable it needn’t prove itself with thumping club music or an all-hours bar scene. 

But even the most stylish stay would feel hollow if not for good service. Thankfully, every single staff member at Hotel Neri will leave you relaxed and smiling. (You might, for example, meet Tomas, a bellhop so warm and personable he should give TED Talks on charisma.) This easygoing but attentive service creates a familial vibe—a hotel where you can be in vacation mode, but also fully at home. With an assist from the in-the-know concierge team, even the labyrinthine Gothic Quarter will quickly feel like your own neighborhood, favorite haunts and all.

Head to A Restaurant for creative small plates and a sophisticated vibe. (Photo courtesy of Hotel Neri.)

Speaking of the world outside: With all the fantastic food available in Barcelona, it takes a noteworthy hotel kitchen to lure guests away from the siren song of big-city chefs. Hotel Neri’s small but mighty (and aptly named) A Restaurant pulls it off, drawing both hotel guests and locals out on the town with a sophisticated vibe and a menu that feels innovative but never overwrought. The restaurant backs up to Plaça de Sant Felip Neri—a sweet little square across from the church where Gaudí once worshipped—and, on a warm evening, you can opt to sit out on the terrace and work your way through small plates like crispy cod croquettes and anchovies with smoked butter and grilled bread. Also, don’t overlook the tomatoes with gelée and tomato-olive oil sorbet. Sweet and bright, the dish tastes like the purest distillation of a perfect summer tomato. 

The Room

Rooms at Hotel Neri echo the hotel’s public spaces, with saturated red rugs, stonework bathrooms and simple yet striking ovoid light fixtures in a creamy alabaster hue. There’s little in the way of adornment (a large rectangle in silver or gold leaf behind the bed, perhaps a black-and-white photo or two and a woven throw pillow), but the furnishings seem chosen with shape and texture in mind, and the interplay of all these elements makes the rooms sing. 

The rooms aren’t massive—this is a European city hotel, after all—but the layouts maximize comfort. Snag a terrace room in warmer months so you can soak in the outdoor tub after a full day sightseeing, or book the Suite Neri if you want to spread out. All the rooms sleep two in twin or king configurations, but the Suite Neri has the most spacious sitting room plus a desk, if you’ll need to knock out some work or you’re a night owl traveling with a morning person. 

You might also prioritize a room on the first floor; they have the highest ceilings and better light, despite the surrounding buildings. They also bear the original wooden beams that have held this place together for hundreds of years, and there’s something oddly profound about lying in bed at night, thinking of the generations of others who’ve drifted off beneath those very same ceilings. 

The Features

The rooftop garden is an oasis of tranquility above the crowded city streets. 

Don’t miss: The lush rooftop garden and pool overlooking the Plaça de Sant Felip Neri. Take a dip on a hot day, read a book under a fig tree, lounge amid the tropical flora—what more could you want? The rooftop may be pint-size, but it’s a welcome addition nonetheless. 

Favorite features: The library off the lobby, with its scarlet accent rug and wood beams overhead. It’s got a selection of books in dozens of languages for leisure reading, a long work table should you need to crank out a few emails and a picture-window view of the winding alleyway for prime people watching. 

Can’t stop thinking about: The heavenly fragrance in the lobby. The lavender-bergamot blend wafts from the massive pillar candles that seem to be eternally lit. The hotel sells a candle with the same scent, and if you don’t remember to snap one up, you’ll be mired in regret for weeks. 

The Lowdown

The duck croquettes with hoisin sauce at A Restaurant are a must-order. 

The dish you’re re-creating at home: Even if your cooking can’t hold a candle to that of French-Catalan chef Alain Guiard, you’ll still be dusting your chicken in ras el hanout and serving roasted beets on a smear of tangy cream cheese moving forward. 

The perfect spot for your Instagram post: It has to be the medieval stone stairs in the lobby. Frame them just right beneath the arch of the entry, snap a section with the disused wooden door on the first floor or catch the lower portion at night, when it’s aglow in the light of a row of candles trailing down the steps. 

What you’re buying from the minibar: A bottle of BdeBeeR, an organic weissbier from Spanish brewery BdeGust, and a disk of locally made single-origin dark chocolate from Be Chocolat. 

If you could add just one thing: A full-fledged design boutique. There’s a small armoire featuring items for purchase—blankets from local weavers used around the hotel, the candles that give the space its signature fragrance—but the design at Hotel Neri is so on-point you’ll crave a full shopping experience from the same curatorial minds. 

The local spot everyone’s talking about: Los Féliz & Muy Frágil, a shop less than a five-minute walk from Hotel Neri, with excellent designer vintage pieces from the 80s and 90s, plus a small selection of housewares, jewelry and skincare products from indie and K-beauty brands. 

Hotel Neri spans two buildings in El Call, the center of the city’s Jewish community for centuries.

Fast Facts

• Number of rooms: 22
• Number of pools: 1
• Fitness center? No, but the hotel can provide passes to a nearby gym for 40 euros per day.
• Spa? No
• Salon? No
• Number of bars/restaurants: 1
• 24-hour room service? Yes
• Childcare and kids club? No, though babysitting services are available for a fee and must be arranged one week in advance.