Hotel Cram

If you're determined to see out your stay in Barcelona in sumptuous style then Hotel Cram should earn a place on your shortlist. A modern four-star boutique on the edge of the trendy 'Gayxample' district and within walking distance of the Gaudi-bedecked Passeig de Gracia, Cram inhabits a stunning 19th Century Modernista building - the very architecture that still defines much of the city's aesthetic/identity today. Inside things are decidedly more 21st century with expansive platform beds, 32 inch LCD screens and WiFi throughout. It's the kind of place where the bathroom doors are made from frosted screens... if you like that kind of thing. If you're not swayed just yet then a stylish rooftop pool and the Michelin-starred Gaig restaurant, serving Modern Catalan cuisine, are pros well worth taking into consideration.

Great place. Service a bit scatty (although still friendly). Make sure you eat at Gaig at least once!