Hotel of the Week: A Dedicated Art Floor and Artist Residency Animates this Barcelona Property

Home to the Sagrada Familia, Casa Battló, and La Pedrera, three of Antoni Gaudí’s most famous landmarks, the Eixample district in Barcelona draws a creative and curious community looking to experience the bold monuments by the Catalan architect and designer, who is currently being celebrated in Barcelona with a year-long series of events commemorating the centennial of his death.

Furthering the art activations in the vibrant neighborhood, the hotel Almanac Barcelona recently debuted a full floor of artist-conceived accommodations, a series of one-of-a-kind suites with dynamic, expressive works of original art that turn the airy rooms with sweeping views into welcoming residential-like retreats.

Spread across the the top floor of the hotel, the suites draw from the colorful output of both local and international talents, who have been commissioned to transform the spaces with dynamic installations of their art. This month, French artist Catherine Parra reimagines Terrace Suite 702 with her colorful oeuvre.

This latest activation continues the hotel’s earlier Hidden Art program, which runs through the end of the year. As part of a special two-night stay, guests can take a behind-the-scenes guided tour of Parra’s Barcelona atelier, then return for an exhilarating scavenger hunt to discover a unique work secluded in the suite. If the guest discovers the piece, it’s theirs to keep.

“Selecting the artists for the new Art Floor was a deeply considered process, particularly in a destination with such an extraordinary legacy of art, design, and architecture,” says Tina Haselbacher, owner of Almanac. “We sought locally based artists whose work resonates within Barcelona’s vibrant cultural landscape and reflects a thoughtful, transformative approach to their practice. Each artist brings a distinct medium and point of view, whether reshaping everyday objects into art, inviting guests to participate in their daily creative rituals, or reimagining a beloved object with new life.”

This latest initiative with Parra builds on previously unveiled collaborations that debuted in October with Romanian-born, Barcelona-based painter Alex Voinea, whose expressive spirit launched the hotel’s Art Floor program with a redesign of Terrace Suite 704. Guests booking the “Art of Transformation” experience also had the opportunity to connect with the artist to rework a piece of furniture or cherished objet, turning a “lost its luster” relic into a functional work of art.

In November, Almanac unveiled a renovation of Terrace Suite 701 by Catalan interior designer Mariona Espinet, whose geometric designs explore the idea of architectural rigor to evoke a sense of peace and calm. Integral to her concept, the accommodation hosts “The Notebook of Living,” an ongoing journal for guest sketches and words.

In the coming months, the Almanac will release additional suites with contemporary artist Vasty, Barcelona conceptual talent Gastón Lisak, and Spanish creative Jimmy Millán, who will turn the penthouse suite into an ever-changing gallery, elevated by a multi-sensory experience, including a tasting menu by Chef Giovanni Esteve and custom-crafted tableware by the artist.

But more than just a static moment, the Art Floor is conceived to be ever-changing as all of the works displayed on the suite walls and from the hotel’s annual marketplace, Almanac House, are available for purchase.

Pop-up installations and events, such as a site-specific work by Asis Percales at the hotel’s rooftop bar, Azimuth, or a family art workshop guided by Espinet, further elevate the creative symbiosis between the vibrant community and the hotel.

“The expanded program was really designed to turn stays into interactive journeys,” says Haselbacher, “where guests can engage directly with contemporary art, take home original pieces, and connect with the city’s creative spirit in a truly personal way.”