Hotel 1898, Barcelona, Spain

You'll love the location if you relish being on Las Ramblas, a vibrant thoroughfare day and night. Transport hub Plaça Catalunya and bustling Boqueria open-air market are both very near, and posh shopping street Passeig de Gracia is only a little further. Fab buzzing restaurant Sumac and Mambo, with an open kitchen for you to watch the skilled chefs put together dazzling modern cuisine, is nearby.

By plane: Fly to El-Prat from London (2 hours 5 mins), Manchester (2 hours 20 mins) and Edinburgh (2 hours 40 mins). The hotel is a 30-minute drive from the airport. Book flights to Barcelona.

This modernist building was once the headquarters of the Philippine Tobacco Company, and the colonial look persists. From the ornate ironwork entrance on a quiet side street just off Las Ramblas, you enter an elegant interior of Chesterfield sofas and wood panelling. The décor blends Spanish colonial style with modern flourishes, and there are sisal floors and exposed brick.

The hotel offers a good range of facilities, from a spacious lobby with lots of comfortable seating and a cocktail bar, to a restaurant overlooking Las Ramblas and a rooftop terrace with a pool and great city views. There's an attractive spa, an indoor pool and a gym. There are computers and printers for guests' use, as well as a small library.

• Restaurant
• Bar
• Sun terrace
• Two pools
• Spa
• Laundry services
• Room service
• Free Wi-Fi

The rooms are not exceptional - and the air-con controls can be perplexing - but quite spacious and either face an interior patio or the street. Some rooms have their own private terrace. Decorative details include leather benches, hardwood floors and dark wood furniture. Bathrooms are clad in marble.

Room types: Classic, Superior, Privilege, Deluxe, Junior Suite, Colonial Suite

Key amenities: ensuite bathroom with marble fittings and ETRO amenities, bathrobe & slippers, hairdryer, pillow menu, tea and coffee facilities, TV, radio with USB port, free Wi-Fi

With tables overlooking the bustling Las Ramblas, El Nido Restaurant has both deep red and black walls, and bold black and white photographs. The menu is not huge but has some local specialities; it also serves a large buffet breakfast. There's also an attractive cocktail bar in the lobby.

El Nido Restaurant: Catalan cuisine, open daily for lunch and dinner. Dishes from €9.

La Isabella: Restaurant on the Terrace serving Tapas. Dishes from €9.50.