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Praktik Bakery Hotel Andrew Forbes Review 5

Praktik Bakery Hotel – Sometimes, simplicity can be the most delicious of luxuries

Wake to the smell of freshly baked bread at this affordable, well-located Barcelona hotel

It’s no secret that I am seduced by upscale hotels – the ‘better-than-at-home’ high thread count linens, the plush, designer interiors, the indulgent bathrooms…well the list could go on. Of course this kind of luxury comes with a price, and so often nowadays luxury can be more about extravagance than the pleasure and excitement of discovering a new place.

During my last visit to Barcelona I enjoyed a night at the Praktik Bakery Hotel, by the Hoteles Praktik group that is creating individualistic, well-priced hotels in buzzing locations across Barcelona and Madrid.

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This place is not about ostentatious extravagance; on the contrary it is simply and fairly modest, but has a welcoming atmosphere and is in a great location.

 Location

This pared-back, unpretentious hotel has a tasty location, close to Gaudí’s La Pedrera (Casa Milà), in the posh Eixample district of Barcelona. It’s just minutes away from Barcelona’s Passeig de Gràcia; a fusion of New York City’s Fifth Avenue and London’s Bond Street.

Ambiance

As the hotel’s name implies, this is also a working bakery, a striking feature that goes beyond the gimmick of a gourmet bakery store in reception. The ground floor is in fact a working bakery operated by the upscale Baluard Company. This certainly lends a distinct flavour to the property, with reception, the bakery and the coffee shop (which in summer opens onto a small internal terrace) all kind of merging together in the informal, relaxed open plan ground floor.

Yes, indeed the lobby is shared with the bakery, so expect beautifully presented cakes, breads and treats beside the front desk, whilst behind glass walls you can watch the bakers at work as you tuck into your buffet breakfast.

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Other design details include industrial lighting, exposed brickwork, and wood panelling, as well as hotel signage on bread panels and humorous Spanish quotes about bread on each floor opposite the lift.

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Highs

  •  Great location, close to Passeig de Gràcia
  •  Relaxed, friendly atmosphere with quirky design
  •  Comfortable rooms at an affordable rates

 Lows

  •  Limited public areas for relaxing – a couple of sofas in the coffee shop – no separate lounge
  •  Rooms compact – the entrance, bathroom area felt a little tight for space
  •  No towel rail

Guest rooms

The rooms are fairly basic, as this is after all a more budget orientated hotel. Yet in my mind the property focuses on the things that matter. The hotel’s designer Lazaro Rosa-Violán, has chosen a few distinctive elements and allowed them to define each space.

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Smart, all white, super clean rooms are minimalist, but furnished with the things that count, like the very comfortable beds. The vintage style oversized bedside lamps add interest as well as practical functionality.

The entrance to the room is compact but manages to combine the wash basin, the clothes rail (made from vintage water pipes fixed to classic white tiles on the wall), shelves and safe – somehow it all works, but it does feel a little crowded. However in my room there was the benefit of a sliding door than allowed the sleeping area to be closed off from the entrance and bathroom area, making the room more tranquil.

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Others rooms had slightly cosier styling…

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Whilst others were even more compact…

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In my room layout, opposite the clothes rail and washbasin was the cavernous shower decorated with compelling, bespoke blue octagonal tiles that added a touch of warmth to the otherwsie cold colour palatte.

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I guess one of the most distinctive features is that the chances are, one wakes to the comforting smell of freshly baked bread in the morning!

Dining

The hotel does not offer food – just a modest buffet style breakfast in the lobby coffee shop with of course plenty of freshly baked croissants and other baked goods – there is a Nespresso machine too.

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Wow factor

This hotel doesn’t try and impress – it has a friendly, fun personality, but its real wow factor is its location. A classic building within one of Barcelona’s finest neighbourhoods; an affordable place to stay in one of the city’s poshest postcodes.

Praktik have a number of small hotels in Madrid and Barcelona. The latest is the Praktik Vinoteca Hotel, which features a much warmer, cosier atmosphere ideal if you are more of an oenophile than a carb addict.

Hotel Praktik Bakery
Provença, 279 · 08037 Barcelona
Tel. (+34) 93 488 00 61 · Fax: (+34) 93 315 57 38

Disclaimer:

I was an invited guest at Praktik Bakery Hotel but this has not influenced my piece. Please bear in mind that this site and my articles are intended as entertainment and hopefully inspiration for travel – but not a definitive resource for purchasing decisions. Before making any travel or purchasing decision I recommend that you seek as much information as possible from various sources including review sites, guide books and other blogs. If you wish to add anything to this piece, simply comment using the WordPress or Facebook comments section below.

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About the Author

Andrew ForbesTravel and Lifestyle Marketing Communications Consultant | Travel Editor and Content Writer Web: www.AndrewForbes.com Twitter: @andrewaforbes Instagram: @andrewaforbes and @luxurynavigatorView all posts by Andrew Forbes »