24-Hour Room Service: Casa Camper, Barcelona, Spain

Ever since the 1990s, when it opened its first shoe shops outside Spain, Camper has been a byword for simple, stylish footwear – and now fans of this fashionable Spanish firm can stay in a dedicated Camper hotel. Barcelona's Casa Camper opened in 2005, and it quickly became a cult classic, with a hip, no-nonsense attitude that echoes the ethos of its shoes.

Casa Camper's distinctive ambience derives from its bold interior design – courtesy of Fernando Amat and Jordi Tio, the brains behind Vincon, Barcelona's most fashionable department store. Though the lobby is visible from the street outside through big glass doors, a sign states "guests only", giving the feeling of a private members' club rather than a conventional hotel; guests can enter freely with their room key. The building is 19th century, but the decor is strictly 21st. Bare stone and burnished metal dominate the stark, minimalist lounge.

The brand name Camper comes from camperos, a Mallorcan word meaning peasant – and as you might expect from a company that started off making shoes from old bits of tyre, rope and canvas, Casa Camper is a hotel with the environment on its mind. The water in the bathrooms is recycled, the entire building is smoke-free (which can be something of a relief after the city's smoky bars and restaurants) and the first thing you see when you walk in are the bicycles hanging from the ceiling – a great way for guests to see the city, costing €15 per day.

A gigantic grid of potted aspidistras compensates for the lack of a conventional garden. If you love cutting-edge design but are tired of five-star frills, Casa Camper is the ideal place to kick off your shoes.

LOCATION

Casa Camper, Elisabets 11, Barcelona, Spain (00 34 93 342 6280; casacamper.com). Hidden down a cobbled alley a few minutes' walk from Las Ramblas, Casa Camper is at the heart of Barcelona's new cultural quarter, El Raval. Not so long ago, some locals used to warn visitors away from this part of town, but that was before it was revived by Macba, Barcelona's sleek new Museum of Contemporary Art. Macba is just around the corner, alongside the city's swish Centre of Contemporary Culture (CCCB for short), and these dramatic plate-glass landmarks have become the hub of one of Europe's liveliest artistic districts. The nearby university has spawned a lot of quirky bars, bistros and boutiques, and the medieval Barri Gotic is just a stroll away.

Time from international airport: Barcelona's El Prat airport is 12km from the city centre, and only around 20 minutes by the airport express bus, which deposits you at Placa Catalunya, around five minutes' walk from the hotel.

COMFORTABLE?

If you're after a grand, de-luxe hotel, you've come to the wrong place – but if your idea of comfort is more down to earth, Casa Camper will feel like a home from home. Like its shoes, Camper's rooms are designed for easy, everyday use, with natural light in the bathrooms (and natural twilight in the bedrooms), plus a living room for every guest – though you have to cross the corridor to reach it. Form follows function: the quiet bedrooms are painted deep red, the louder living rooms brilliant white. There are no carpets, not even in the bedrooms, which gives the place a sharp and clean, if slightly antiseptic feel. However, guests are provided with a pair of Camper slippers to borrow in the rooms, while an exclusive line of Wabi shoes are available to buy at reception (€50/£42). The plain, modern furniture is practical and easy on the eye, and there are hammocks in the living rooms, if you fancy a snooze.

Freebies: as well as all the usual toiletries, best of all is a 24-hour self-service buffet bar, perfect for a spot of brunch, a late-night snack, or even a light lunch or supper. Everything is free of charge, apart from any alcoholic drinks.

Keeping in touch: Direct-dial phones, Wi-Fi in all rooms, and free internet access in the lobby.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Doubles start at €235 (£196), including breakfast and the snack bar.

I'm not paying that: then head for the Park Hotel (00 34 93 319 6000; parkhotel barcelona.com). Built in the 1950s by the Catalan architect Antoni de Moragas and renovated in the 1990s by his son, it's a slice of vintage chic that lies on the edge of Barcelona's trendy El Born district. The bedrooms are fairly small and plain, but the bar is a modernist gem. Doubles start from €138 (£115), including breakfast.