Seventy Barcelona, Spain

The hotel has a fab location in the heart of Barcelona on the border of Gràcia, with its charming old plazas and unpretentious bars, and vibrant Eixample. It's a block away from the city's main shopping street Passeig de Gràcia, and splendid Modernist architecture is all around. 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 25-minute drive from the airport. Parking is €19 per day. Book flights to Barcelona.

Visually exciting, the six-storey hotel has been worked on by architects Carlos Ferrater and Xavier Martí of rated architectural office OAB, and interior designers Luis Bustamante and Rosa Rosselló. The result is swish, uplifting modernity - although the 5000 or so books on the four towering bookshelves dominating the lobby have been chopped up so that only the spines remain, glued to the walls, which is a bit sacrilegious.

As well as a ground floor housing a restaurant, bar, garden terrace and workspace, there's a seventh-floor pool terrace, and in the basement a fitness centre and spa with another pool, sauna and steam room. There's also a cinema room.

• Two swimming pools
• Restaurant
• Terrace
• Spa
• Fitness suite
• Paid parking
• Free Wi-Fi

The soundproofed rooms come in six categories, with even the smallest being swish and very comfortable. There's quite a digital focus: numerous services, such as room service, are available via the TV. The bathrooms are sleek and relatively spacious.

Room types: House Room, Seventy Room, Patio Room, Sky Room, Lounge Terrace, Duplex Suite

Key amenities: ensuite bathroom, free Wi-Fi

You can eat on the patio, with its attractive floor tiles, olive trees and water features. The inside restaurant has yellow banquettes combining with grey and navy blue chairs, and there's a Catalan-slanted menu.

The Kitchen: Dishes include steak, risotto and croquetas. Open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Dishes from €7.50