Yurbban Ramblas

I would never have guessed that just seconds away from the chaos and buzz of Las Ramblas, Barcelona’s busiest boulevard, there'd be such a chic little bolthole as Yurbban Ramblas. Situated right by the iconic Font de Canaletes (legend has it that anybody who drinks from this fabulously rococo fountain will fall in love with the city and always return), this 19th-century townhouse is one of three Yurbban hotels in central Barcelona. The Ramblas edition is its smaller and more intimate boutique offering, where every detail has been lavished over with care, right down to its fragrance. As we were buzzed in and whisked up in the diminutive lift to an airily modern lobby, I was hit by a delicious woody fragrance, courtesy of a luxurious custom-made essential-oil blend. (If you’re a fan, you can buy room scents and diffusers from reception.) 

Mr Smith and I were booked into the Superior category, with a view directly onto Las Ramblas from a charming Juliet balcony. The room clocks in at 20 square meters — which we found manageably cosy, but might be a little on the small side if you weren’t a couple — but the huge, comfy bed more than made up for it. The decor belies the historic façade of the hotel: all monochrome and modern, offset by bold artwork and photography by local artists. We downed our suitcases, freshened up in the surprisingly roomy rainfall shower and trotted on festival-weary legs to the rooftop bar, where there's a limited selection of beer, wine, soft drinks and pre-packaged snacks at an honesty bar. The views are sublime — you can see all the way out to Plaça de Catalunya down the street, and the tranquil haven of wicker chairs, potted plants and sofas provides a welcome contrast to the hustle of the street below. 

For dinner, we ventured out to Chido One in the neighbourhood of Gràcia, some 20 minutes away by metro (the nearest station is Catalunya, just a few minutes' walk from the hotel). It may seem counterintuitive to seek out Mexican food in Spain, but trust me — the mole ranks among some of the best I’ve eaten outside of Oaxaca. In the morning, we feasted on a substantial breakfast in Home bar, the hotel's breakfast area, which does eggs and coffee on request, and a Continental spread of bread, cereals, fruit, local cured meats and cheese — the manchego, as you expect, is excellent. 

Besides the rooftop bar, there aren’t a tonne of lounging areas at Yurbban Ramblas — if you’re dead set on some R&R, you can go to Yurbban Passage Hotel & Spa nearby to use its pool and spa. But the petite size and convenient location of Yurbban Ramblas serve as an incentive to get out and explore. Tourist attractions like the Catedral de Barcelona and the Palau de la Música Catalana are only around 10 minutes’ walk away. A 15-minute stroll takes you into the narrow alleyways of the Gothic Quarter, home to iconic tapas restaurants like El Xampanyet (top tip: arrive when it opens and be ready to queue). And the Picasso Museum in bordering La Ribera is an excellent archive of works by the Spanish artist, including classic like the Velázquez-inspired Las Meninas. 

After a pit stop for a pistachio croissant from the historic (and highly Instagrammable) pastisseria Brunells — winner of Spain’s Best Croissant Award in 2024 no less — it was time for shopping. Shopaholics can wander around nearby El Born, home to vintage and independent boutiques (the ceramics offering at 1748 Artesania I Coses is particularly impressive), while foodies should stop at Casa Gispert, where the wood-burning oven has been roasting delicious Marcona almonds and other nuts since 1851. When dinner called, we decamped further away to Racó de la Vila in the quieter neighbourhood of Poblenou, a beautifully atmospheric local favourite that does masterful renditions of classic Spanish dishes such as cochinillo (roasted suckling pig) and escudella, a Catalan soup.  

We spent our second day chasing the breeze on one of Barcelona’s beaches, one of the great perks of visiting this Spanish seaside metropolis. Lime bikes are plentiful around Yurbban Ramblas and it’s easy to cycle along the promenade to a beach — the sandy stretch near Parc del Fòrum tends to be less packed with tourists. For lunch, we stopped at the laidback Xiroi — its duck paella is gorgeously decadent and its forward-looking take on tapas (for example, prawn 'bombs' with green-curry mayonnaise) is a reminder that tapas culture in this Spanish city is still evolving with the times. 

Then it was regretfully time to head back to Yurbban Ramblas to grab our luggage — the friendly and ever-amenable staff let us leave our suitcases at reception — and rather mournfully go straight to the airport for our flight home. We didn’t quite manage to drink the water from Font de Canaletes, but somehow I think we’ll be back to Barcelona, and Yurbban Ramblas, soon.