Serras Hotel, Barcelona, Spain

The hotel is located on the palm-lined Passeig de Colom and overlooks the Port Vell, a marina for luxury yachts. It's a great base for exploring the different central areas such as the Gothic Quarter, the Born neighbourhood, Las Ramblas and the beach. An evening walk alongside the marina is a pleasant excursion. Being in the Gothic Quarter, there's a good choice of restaurants and bars but fish restaurant Estimar and live jazz club Harlem are good options.

By plane: there are direct flights from London (2 hours 5 mins), Manchester (2 hours 20 mins) and Edinburgh (2 hours 40 mins). The hotel is a 50-minute drive from El-Prat airport. Private parking is available nearby for €40 per day. Book flights to Barcelona.

The building sports a restored modernist façade; step inside to earthy and warm colours and soft fabrics, some plush furniture, splashes of colour and hardwood and concrete floors, which create a homely but uplifting vibe.

The hotel packs quite a lot into a relatively small space: a 24-hour gym with running and step machines and free weights, several restaurant and bar areas, and a rooftop pool, although it is too small to swim in.

• Restaurant
• Bar
• Terrace
• Swimming pool
• Solarium
• Fitness centre
• Paid parking
• Free Wi-Fi

The rooms are not the biggest, but are bright and airy, typically with white walls, hardwood floors, a splash of colour courtesy of a sofa or easy chairs, and linen curtains. Beds have Hypnos mattresses, there are minibars, Nespresso coffeemakers, and bathrooms have walk-in showers.

Room types: Superior, Grand Deluxe, Junior Suite, Junior Suite Marina, Suite Mediterraneo, Grand Suite Mediterraneo

Key amenities: ensuite bathroom with Diptyque toiletries, balcony, free Wi-Fi

The hotel has a restaurant, Informal, with Michelin-starred chef Marc Gascons at the helm. It principally serves Catalan dishes with a modern slant from locally sourced ingredients, changing seasonally. There's also a rooftop restaurant and cocktail bar and a further mezzanine bar.

Informal: contemporary Catalan cuisine from Michelin-starred chef Marc Gascons. Open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Dishes from €24.50.

Rooftop: Open Wed-Sun 12.30pm-midnight.