Sir Victor Hotel

"What's the vibe?When you’re neighbors with La Pedrera, one of Gaudí’s most surreal feats of stone craft, there’s a tiny problem: How on earth do you get noticed? The building that houses Sir Victor went modern, and its façade—with architect Capella Garcia’s white balconies that curve out like the open pages of a book—has become Barcelona-famous in its own right. Below, the reception is minimal and sceney; a marble pool table hangs out with midnight-blue velvet chairs and enough intentionally positioned art books to let you know that you’re in a Design Hotel. Give us the backstory on this place.From 2003 until 2018, Sir Victor lived as the Omm, which shook up the Barcelona hotel scene. When it opened, there was simply nothing like it: a lobby that locals loved for drinks, a downstairs nightclub that over-25s could still call home, and, over time, Roca Moo, a deserving Michelin-starred restaurant. In 2019, the hotel was reborn as Sir Victor. Today it's nestled under the trendy wing of Amsterdam-based Sir Hotels (part of Sircle Collection), a boutique brand famous for popping up in the coolest places (Berlin, Ibiza) with the coolest décor, and restaurants full of the coolest people. Tell us about your room.Our Sir Supreme, third in the room hierarchy, was huge, with a vibe that perfectly blended cozy and cool. Down pillows (the former), denim bathrobes (the latter), and a minibar heaving with local delights like Casa Gispert’s almond biscuits rounded out the amenities. How's the Wi-Fi?Wi-fi is free and strong, making it easy to upload your hotel shots to Instagram Stories. What's the dining and drinking scene like?MR PORTER, the ground-floor restaurant is one of Barcelona’s best. Sister to Amsterdam’s flagship MR PORTER steakhouse, the Catalan outpost puts out memorably good veggie and fish dishes. The meat is also addictive; the roast beef carpaccio is kitten-soft with a tingly, peppery crust, while the pork ribs will make you do impolite things to steal the last one. But the best dish on the menu is king prawns with sweet corn, avocado, and a real plate-scraper of a chili sauce. For dessert, get the chocolate egg—not its official name, but the staff will smile, nod, and know exactly what to do. Who stays here?Influencers snapping, hipster Northern Europeans and—reassuringly—locals nattering over a coffee and a notebook in the foyer. Any standout features?Get to the rooftop, immediately, a real-life Google Map of Gaudí’s back catalogue—La Pedrera straight ahead, La Sagrada Familia to the left. The slither of a pool may not be built for laps, but relax with an Old Fashioned (the bar adds a splash of beer for extra quench) and you’ll be horizontal and happy. What's the bottom line?This is an elegant refurb of a Barcelona institution that’s easy on the eyes, respectful of its roots, and era-relevant. Take its name, which pays homage to esteemed 19th-century Catalan writer Víctor Català, actually a woman—Caterina Albert i Paradís—who was forced to use a male pseudonym in order to get published. Sir Victor now has an on-site library dedicated to female authors." - Gemma Askham