Hotel chic&basic Born, Barcelona
Tucked away in Barcelona’s trendy El Born neighborhood, the chic&basic Born Hotel feels like a design playground hidden inside a history book. It is set within a beautifully restored, 18th-century modernist palace, seamlessly blending majestic old-world architecture with a bold, minimalist interior created by the renowned lagranja design studio.
The coolest feature here is the futuristic, interactive light setup. Instead of traditional walls, the rooms use glass-enclosed shower cubes placed right in the center of the space. Guests can use a control panel to change the color of the LED lights inside the cube, projecting a custom glow across the entire white room to completely change the mood.
Step out of your room and you will find a stunning communal area featuring high ceilings, grand marble staircases, and a massive crystal chandelier that looks like a classic heirloom. Yet, true to its playful style, the hotel stretches a giant, brightly colored beaded curtain right down the middle of the space.
It is a brilliantly unconventional spot where historic details meet quirky, modern fun—perfectly capturing the artistic spirit of Barcelona.
Expert reviews
“A soothing retreat from downtown Barcelona, the Chic and Basic is a study in cool, with clever lighting in the comfortable modern bedrooms and a cream-and-white color scheme. The Chic and Basic also puts you very close to the Picasso museum.”
“Hotel Chic & Basic Born has all-white airy rooms with inventive lighting housed in an old palace. The location — across from the Ciutadella park on a lively corner of the Born — can’t be beat.”
Featured in New York Times’ 36 Hours in Barcelona.
“If you don’t need a great deal of space, but you do need a touch of style in your surroundings, the Chic&Basic chain is just for you. Rooms and furnishings are all-white, with perspex curtains round centrepiece showers, so the spaces seem larger than they are, and the common areas have a playful Tim Burton touch.”
What guests liked
- Friendly staff
- Free coffee
- Perfect location
- Boutique style
- Great food
Location
Recent guest reviews
12 June 2025
We thoroughly enjoyed Barcelona, the hotel was perfectly located.
The location was perfect for our stay and the room was very comfortable. The bedding an towels were fresh and clean.
The staff were courteous and helpful.
The room needed some maintenance and a bit of a facelift! The shower door didn't close properly and the toilet was very difficult to flush.
12 May 2025
Perfect location, very comfortable room
The location was perfect! Rooms very quirky and unique, staff lovely!
The shower had a drainage problem so would leak onto the floor
30 April 2025
The staff were exceptional; made one feel at home
Location. Close to everything I wanted to do in the short time I was in Barcelona
Nothing was unlikable
2 March 2025
Everything was excellent! Thank you
Location
Amazing Design
Big room
Everything you need in room and hotel
Comfortable temperature in the room, when it’s freezing outside
Free lockers on reception for you luggage
22 January 2025
I really recommend this hotel
The room was clean, staff very helpfull more then enough space, even a balcony, good location, what do you wish more!
15 January 2025
Perfect stay in the centre of the city
The rooms were so stylish, spacious and modern but with old charm. The communal areas were fabulous. Location is perfect for exploring Barcelona.
2 January 2025
Perfect in the born
We like everything, it’s a little far from the center but is cute and the staff is really helpful and nice
Just a small thing to have a smaller light in the room we’re the toilet is, it’s a little to bride in the night
1 January 2025
We will stay there again because overall we enjoyed staying there.
Interesting decor, with an imaginative modernisation of an older property. Also a good location for access to the restaurant area of Barcelona.
No phone charger points in our room.
Full breakfast was not available 45 minutes before the designated closure time.
14 December 2024
Great location. Friendly staff
Quirky decor. Lounge area with coffee, tea and water.
2 December 2024
Good value for money
The staff is super friendly, the hotel is located in the heart of El Born - lots of nice restaurants, tapas bars and supermarkets around. Water, tea and coffee are provided free of charge. The common area is quite nice.
Little to no privacy with the bathroom inside the room and the toilet next to it but with a door that can’t be properly closed. Quite noisy from the street in front of the hotel.
29 November 2024
Ok, sacrificing safety for chicness
Great location
Internal stairs in the room next to the shower and by the window,an accident waiting to happen. Had to be really careful not to slip and fall
24 November 2024
Good value for money on a central location in Barcelona
Friendly staff. I enjoyed also the common space where you could take coffee/tea, water, read a book, ... Breakfast buffet was also excelent.
The location is pretty central, however at night it may not be the safest neighbourhood.
23 November 2024
A top, top stay, perfect for my wife Ange and I.
The lounge was fabulous, as were the coffee, tea and sparkling water offerings and of course the lolly jar!!!
The finishing of some aspects of the refurbishment are ordinary to poor visually.
14 November 2024
Great value for money!
Room was so clean, had so many extra little surprises (crisps, wine, water etc). Lovely staff, loved the refreshments ie being able to get coffee and water. Great location.
I enjoyed it all.
6 November 2024
Would return if price is right
Location is excellent
30 October 2024
Lovely and intersting hotel that ticked all the boxes .Thankyou
Great location , chic , cookie and interesting interior design of hotel and rooms . It was like staying in an art installation !
Very helpful staff , facilities, breakfast , dinner ,smart tv ,lovely communal lounge with tea and coffee and water supplied .
Nothing
25 October 2024
Perfect, also because of my company ;)
The design, the room, the location
Nothing :)
7 October 2024
Lovely hotel in a great location
Great location, nice room and good to have little extras and the communal seating areas with coffee and tea etc
2 October 2024
Would recommend this hotel.
Good value for money,have stayed in their sister hotel as well.It does the job.
21 August 2024
Excellent stay in a fabulous location with great facilities.
The location was excellent and overall the hotel was really modern and clean. The items offered via the hotel cafe at no extra charge (unlimited tea and coffee, fresh dispenser water, mini muffins etc) were excellent and very much appreciated. The little bottle of wine, crisps, tote bag etc with the room was also excellent. Loved the street view and the balcony in the room!
Some shelving of some sort in the shower would be really good to help store items you’re using.
29 July 2024
Great location which enabled us to pack
Great location. Quick check in and pleasant staff.
A little expensive compared to other Hotels
in Barca
27 July 2024
Ok hotel with great amenities and friendly staff
Great location and friendly staff. Also, free coffee and water!
The chic design stuff was a little unpractical. The building is old and the construction as a hotel only, well.. basic
18 July 2024
Over all great.
The location is excellent , close to every place we wanted to go.
Shower room needs a little more privacy.
11 July 2024
comfortable - great area - friendly staff
character, clean , shared area w coffee water and little sweets
nothing
23 June 2024
We loved the stay and if it wasn’t for the stuff, we would come back
We liked the interior design of the hotel, the ambience and the vibe. Our room had a balcony which we loved.
The receptionist was arrogant and not what you call “customer friendly”. We were quite surprised about his behavior.
20 June 2024
Liked the hotel. Had a lovely stay.
The size of our room.
The large comfortable bed
The location
The concept
The bathroom itself could do with a little TLC .
14 June 2024
Overall, pretty cool hotel, obviously trying to be trendy. The staff made it worthwhile.
The breakfast was wonderful, staff great and attentive
Bathroom was right next to the bed with a glass door you had to pump the button above the toilet many times for it to flush properly very strange design and noisy
Hotel facilities
Food & Drink
- - Bar
Services
- - 24-hour front desk
- - Laundry (additional charge)
- - Ironing service (additional charge)
- - Tour desk
- - Luggage storage
- - Concierge service
- - Vending machine (drinks)
- - Daily housekeeping
Activities
- - Fitness centre
- - Fitness
General
- - Non-smoking rooms
- - Lift
- - Safety deposit box
- - Heating
- - Non-smoking throughout
- - Air conditioning
- - Adults only
Miscellaneous
- - Key access
- - Key card access
- - Smoke alarms
- - CCTV in common areas
- - Fire extinguishers
- - Access to health care professionals
- - Thermometers for guests provided by property
- - Face masks for guests available
Reception services
- - Invoice provided

More photos

6 September 2025
Lovely central location stay!