In the heart of Girona’s ancient Barril Vell district, El Equipo Creativo has completed the interior design of Hotel Palau Fugit, transforming an abandoned 18th century palace into a luxury boutique hotel.
The building has been completely renovated and modernized, not only architecturally but also in terms of energy, with the building envelope, façades, and roofs replaced, and the addition of an air recovery system and an aerothermal system to reduce energy consumption to a minimum.
The hotel has two main sections. The first, the historic palauet, is at ground level and consists of a courtyard surrounded by arches, renamed La Placeta, which today houses the reception, restaurant, and a cocktail bar. From here, access to the guestrooms is via the building’s original staircase.
The reception desk is a custom-made blue table beneath a golden chandelier composed of three flower-shaped pendants. Together, the two elements reflect the project’s overall balance between history and modernity. The design of the restaurant, Casa Heras, was inspired by the original building’s reception areas but reinterpreted through a modern lens. The space is adorned with hand-painted murals, ceramic tables, and handcrafted chairs, while herringbone parquet in different shades adds elegance and warmth. At the back of La Placeta is the Gipsy Bar, where guests can enjoy a cocktail and relax in a space distinguished by handmade clay floor tiles, ceramic tables, and a minimalist counter in front of a large illuminated backbar set into an arch.
The second building, El Pavelló, is connected to La Placeta by a terrace with a small swimming pool surrounded by lush greenery. In the center is a sculpture created by a famous local artist. The result is a serene oasis for guests at the heart of the hotel.
The guestrooms in La Pavelló are flooded with natural light from their patios. The use of warm materials, such as terracotta tiles, timber floors, and locally made ceramicware, gives them a Mediterranean feel.
The aim of the renovation of the guestrooms in the Palauet was to instill a “feminine” presence in the building by recreating a warm, eclectic environment typical of a noble residence and then enriching the spaces with paintings, sculptures, murals, and photographs by local artists. The color palette is based around shades of blue, gray, and pink, creating an elegant atmosphere and contrasting perfectly with the original elements, such as the fireplaces, original doors and shutters, and ceiling rosettes.
>>> Also discover El Equipo Creativo’s project for the new café in Hotel Plaza, Barcelona
Location: Girona, Spain
Completion: 2023
Client: Marta Granés + Stéphane Rouze
Architecture and Interior Design: Isern Associats and El Equipo Creativo
Photography by Salva Lopez, courtesy of El Equipo Creativo