Best for city sophisticates

£ £ HOTEL 1898

This 19th-century former tobacco factory on Las Ramblas has been transformed in a truly grand stay. There’s a serious, grown-up vibe throughout, from the marble-pillared entrance hall — stuccoed ceiling

and all — to the bar, with its parquet flooring and gentleman’s club-style armchairs. Rooms are similarly

plush in dark crimson hues and mahogany-toned wooden floors, but it’s the hotel’s two pools that might just win you over — one on the rooftop with views of the Barcelona skyline and another in the chic spa.

ROOMS: From €120 (£100). hotel1898.com