I probably stay at twenty or so hotels a year, and have been fortunate to stay at a few of the world-renowned greats, but Casa Camper could teach a few things to luxury hotels the world over. Other reviews will no doubt explain their amenities and service (both were great, shout out to Willem's hosting in particular), but I'll try to explain why Casa Camper is fundamentally different from other high-end hotels below.
1. Clearly—and perhaps this is because Camper is also a shoe retailer—this hotel was created with Experience Design in mind. Every process, every sign or label, and every piece of furniture was carefully selected to be simple, useful, obvious, and welcoming.
2. Everything is wrapped up in a distinct aesthetic. Whereas most high-end hotels chase after a Tiffany's-esque ideal of "luxury" (even though they more often land closer to Kay Jewelers), Casa Camper chose an aesthetic that's amenable to a much more livable, useful experience. The bold red color palette and playful handscript font are applied consistently throughout, from the analog clocks mounted on the elevator panels to the illuminated numbered signs above each room. The consistent visual design is so refreshing as to be disarming. You can't help but find yourself rooting for the hotel from the first moments, which no doubt covered over any minor negatives I experienced.
3. Little touches abound. A giant map is painted on the wall aside (not behind) the front desk, enabling staff to walk guests through points of interest in the city interactively. The elevator reminds you that it's better to take the stairs. Doors that lead to staff-only areas merely read "no!". Along with the aesthetic design, the playful, cheery branding is really potent.
4. The food is fantastic. The 24 hour "snack" area includes kitchen-prepared chilled food like salads. In fact, calling it them "snacks" is euphemistic. Including their great made-to-order breakfast service, all of my best meals after give days of paying top dollar at restaurants in Barcelona were at Casa Camper. If I go back, I'm just going to plan my visit around watching tv and eating their food all day.
5. Two rooms in one. Most rooms come with both a main bedroom (large for Barcelona), as well as a totally separate room across the hall intended for lounging. I've stayed in suites with four or five rooms in the past, but to have both my rooms separated by the main hallway was a strangely novel (and psychologically rewarding) experience. We would pig out in our lounge room and watch the World Cup in the evenings and make a decent mess, then cross the hall to our yet untainted clean and sterile bedroom. Loved it.
6. The rooms have a bunch of useful touches. The safe can provide 24 hour power to a device locked inside it. A rack of pegs on which to hang clothes lines the entire length of each room, which really made drying our clothes after washing them in the sink a breeze. The indoor hammock near the open-air terrace in the lounge was also a very nice touch.
If you're still reading this, just book your reservation now. We travel really light (two 46L backpacks), and this hotel felt perfectly suited to our desire for minimal, comfortable, usable experiences.