Mandarin Oriental Barcelona

Mandarin Oriental Barcelona stands on Passeig de Gràcia, the broad boulevard that runs through the centre of the city and carries most of Barcelona's serious architecture along its pavements. From the door you can walk to Las Ramblas, the Gothic Quarter, and the Sagrada Família — no taxi required for any of them.

The hotel holds ninety-two rooms and twenty-eight suites. Each room comes with a large working desk, a high-quality audio system, an LCD television, and an interactive entertainment system that connects to an iPod or MP3 player. Bathrooms are stocked with full amenities, and housekeeping runs twice daily.

The spa has a twelve-metre lap pool and a fully equipped fitness centre, with a boutique on site. On the roof there is a second, open-air pool — a reasonable place to be on a Barcelona afternoon when the street below is busy with foot traffic and the city's mid-afternoon heat is at its peak. The hotel also has restaurants, a bar, and meeting and events facilities.

Wi-Fi is complimentary throughout the property.