Having recently checked into the Pérez-Sala family’s exquisite ‘home from home,’ Primero Primera, next on the We Heart agenda was to witness what the family have done to another prestigious home in the city; this time applying their hospitality magic to the former home of one of Barcelona’s most important architects, Enric Sagnier.
Built in 1892 and originally dubbed Casa Dolors Vidal de Sagnier in honour of his wife, the Casa Sagnier building was renovated in 2021 by the Primero Primera owners, keen to transplant the ethos of their debut hotel into another project with similar character at heart. Again, warmth, comfort and attention to detail are at the heart here, this time the hotel occupying a central location amid the epicentre of Barcelona’s Modernist architecture, something Senyor Sagnier knew more than a little about.
Alongside Gaudí, Puig i Cadafalch and Domènech i Montaner, Enric Sagnier was at the forefront of one of the word’s most famous architectural movements. From the city’s law courts to iconic homes on Passeig de Gràcia, the headquarters of the Caixa de Pensions de Barcelona to the monumental Temple Expiatori del Sagrat Cor church that overlooks all from the top of the Tibidabo mountain, Sagnier, with a total of 380 classified works, is the architect credited with the most constructions in the Catalan capital where he was born. At Casa Sagnier, the Pérez-Sala family welcome guests to stay in what was formerly his family home and architect’s studio.
Following on from the Primero Primera model, Hotel Casa Sagnier is a hospitality-forward property that occupies seven storeys on the emblematic Rambla de Catalunya; 45 rooms and six suites joined by a bar and restaurant that opens up onto Passatge de la Concepció, a beautiful passageway renowned for gastronomic offerings that appeal to this neighbourhood’s affluent locals.
Rooms are large and well appointed, and ours boasts a sizeable balcony looking out over the bustle below; enough space for some lush greenery and a couple of armchairs from which we enjoy a glass of wine, some spring sunshine, and a front row seat for an indulgent bit of people-watching.
For a more secluded slice of outdoor enjoyment, a spacious guest-only rooftop terrace with honesty bar is the perfect spot to enjoy an afternoon or pre-dinner drink taking in the year-round temperate climate this Mediterranean city is famed for, or to simply sizzle under the summer sun during the hotter months.
As is the case with their own home in the city’s Tres Torres neighbourhood, here in the heart of the city, the Pérez-Sala family have sought to maximise the cosiness and convivial atmosphere, with plenty a snug corner to lose yourselves in.
With a respect for the original building and the desire to create a timeless space for heightened hospitality, the renovation’s construction and interior design were led by TurullSørensen architects’ Federico Turull; Eva Balart and Juan Carballido of studio Elefante charged with styling and art installations, that include a portrait of Sagnier made from stamps that hangs above the fireplace. In keeping with the family-first spirit, the famous TMM lamp, designed by Sagnier’s grandnephew, Miguel Milá, is one of the key components of the hotel’s contemporary décor.
Similarly to Planta Baja at Hotel Primero Primera, Cafè de l’Arquitecte is a restaurant with simplicity and seasonality at its core, Mediterranean ingredients and flavours treated with respect in an unpretentious and unhurried environment that manages to capture the laidback vibes of its sister restaurant despite its location slap bang in the middle of the city’s most central district. Following a classic cocktail sat at the lively bar, we move to the quieter dining room to enjoy beautifully fresh anchovies, boneless pork rib and potato purée, monkfish with cockles and chocolate fondant with caramel sauce and toasted white chocolate ice cream. The evening is set at a slow pace, the service is attentive but never pushy, and the atmosphere is belying the hotel’s touristic location.
A perfect partner to Pérez-Salas’ out of town home from home, the former residence of Barcelona’s most prolific architect is a hotel that truly stands apart from others. A place of calm and consideration amid the bustle of all that the city centre has to offer, Casa Sagnier is a five-star hotel richly imbibed with history, heritage and heart.
@casasagnierhotel
@cafearquitecte
@turullsorensenarchitects
Photography, courtesy Hotel Casa Sagnier Barcelona / © We Heart.
