Header: Le Méridien Ra Beach Hotel & Spa
Along Spain’s Costa Daurada, the Le Méridien Ra Beach Hotel & Spa stands as a landmark with a layered past. Originally built as a sanatorium for tuberculosis patients in Barcelona, the building was later converted into a five-star hotel in 2003.
Fresh from a recent renovation completed ahead of the 2025 season, the story of Le Méridien Ra continues with the debut of two new signature spaces designed by London-based design practice, Transit Studio.
Transit Studio were tasked by the hotel to create a destination cocktail bar within its walls and reimagine the design of La Terrassa del Mar restaurant.
This led to the team drawing inspiration from the property’s architectural heritage and coastal setting and intentionally weaving narrative and local references into each detail. In doing so, this offers guests a renewed experience of the hotel as both a cultural landmark and seaside escape.
“We have been really excited to work on two complementary projects for Le Méridien Ra, already a stunning property, with a fascinating history” — Zoe Masterton-Smith, Founder of Transit Studio
Bar Tempus: From the Earth to the Sea
Located in the hotel’s former chapel, Bar Tempus reflects the site’s linear journey from garden to chapel to sea. Using a combination of rich stone, natural plaster, and textured fabrics, the Transit Studio team was able to translate this narrative into architectural form.
With materiality playing a central role in the design, locally crafted terrazzo in warm earth tones and pigmented plaster walls reflect the geology of the Costa Daurada, while the vineyard-inspired textiles are a nod to the region’s agrarian landscape.
More than just the choice of materials, the bar was created to serve as a social anchor within the hotel, providing guests and visitors alike with a central gathering point that shifts effortlessly between night and day, and from season to season.
La Terrassa del Mar Restaurant: From the Land to the Sea
Turning to La Terrassa del Mar, Transit Studio reimagined the linear events space into an all-day restaurant that brings the colors and textures of the Mediterranean indoors.
This can be seen from the terracotta arches to the sea-green terrazzo tables, and even the azure-tiled ceiling—a cohesive colour palette that moves gradually from land to water.
Featured at the centre is a glass-enclosed wine room surrounded by planting, serving as both a visual anchor and an experiential focal point. At the same time, it invites guests to discover a selection of Spanish wines from across the region.
With Transit Studio’s narrative-led approach, both Bar Tempus and La Terrassa del Mar’s design is rooted in the hotel’s heritage and environment. Instead of imposing a brand new identity on the property, the design team drew from the hotel’s existing architecture, the surrounding coastal landscape, and regional cultural references.
For founder Zoe-Masterton Smith, these projects were all about integrating local stories into every inch of the space and enhancing the guest experience while writing a new chapter into the hotel’s legacy.
