The Bar/Lounge at Cotton House Hotel, Autograph Collection

"Embodying the building’s neoclassical character, the public spaces are sumptuous – off the dramatic mirrored reception, there’s an octagonal hall leading to two distinctive staircases, a lofty library-lounge and the bar-restaurant Batuar"

"The hotel also houses an elegant library, a restaurant and cocktail bar, a conservatory, a terrace with lush vegetation, as well as a rooftop pool"

"There’s also a narrow rooftop pool, bordered by cushioned sun loungers, and with a view of Gaudí’s Sagrada Família, just a mile away"

"The Ottoman and Damask suites, located on the first or ‘noble’ floor, with colorful ceiling frescoes, decorative moldings, and balconies looking onto Gran Vía are the rooms to book if you want to see how a cotton baron might have lived when the industry was at its height"

"Batuar restaurant, which has an old school marble bar and a lush terrace, is just as good for a fancy dinner as it is for a swift breakfast pre-touring"