Where? In the centre of Barcelona, within walking distance of the Sagrada Familia (Gaudi's modernist church), La Rambla - the city's famously stylish thoroughfare - and the Picasso museum.
Heaven for culture vultures? In a nutshell. The lobby of the hotel (owned by an art collector) is decorated with mosaic floors two millennia old, and the mezzanine floor boasts a museum of Egyptology, stuffed with mummies, masks and decorative tombs.
Sounds a tad fusty? Not at all. Described by Vogue magazine as Barcelona's chicest hotel, this former neo-classical palace blends old and new with minimalist aplomb. A glass and steel 'hat' adds a modernist feel to its 19th-century facade. A jewel-bright palette prevents the public areas from appearing overly academic.
What are the rooms like? Stylish and unusual. Blond-wood panelling and parquet floors provide the perfect canvas for the purple bedspreads, sexy suede sofas and rare artworks, including 13th-century Hindu sculptures, Victorian antiques, Turkish kelims and the odd contemporary Spanish piece.
Any mod cons? All 80 rooms and 40 suites has satellite TVs, CD players and fax and modem connections. The suites have whirlpool tubs and saunas, and all the bathrooms are done in stripy marble. The Claris is deliciously fragrant, thanks to vanilla and sandalwood essences being pumped through the air-conditioning vents.
Who goes there? Art buffs and Hollywood heavyweights such as Antonio Banderas and Penelope Cruz.