Hotel del Mar

Situated between the Gothic Quarter and the beach, the 72-room, three-star Hotel Del Mar is a primo spot for seeing the best of both Barcelona worlds: history and seaside.

Done up in blues and light woods, the guest rooms at the Hotel Del Mar have a straightforward chain feel. All rooms are equipped with air conditioning, a flat-screen television, safe (for an additional charge) and telephone. Some have balconies with vistas of the port (ask ahead).

The private bathrooms are basic but nice, with new fixtures, a hairdryer and toiletries. Some come equipped with a tub (ask ahead).

The Hotel Del Mar is certainly not flashy, but it does the trick. Breakfast, though hearty, costs €9 (only worth it for those who eat a lot in the morning—otherwise, the nearby Café del Born is a good pick for a cheap continental breakfast.) Wi-Fi is available.

One nice perk: The hotel accepts small dogs for free.

Location

The Hotel Del Mar’s location is not quite the beach and not quite the Born. It’s in-between, and that’s a good thing. Within a few blocks are the beach, port, Ciutadella Park, Picasso Museum, Museum of Catalonia and church Santa Maria Del Mar—meaning the Hotel Del Mar is well connected. In fact, this is our favorite neighborhood for a stay in Barcelona because it’s central and has a little bit of everything.

There are lots of options for eating and drinking in this neighborhood. We like Salero for something nice (save by catching their affordable menú de mediodía during the day Monday through Friday). Pizza Paco (Allada Vermell, 11) is nice for something less expensive, and Picnic (Comerc 1) also offers a tasty dinner menu. Try Milk (Gignas 21) for a nice weekend brunch, or Maians (Sant Carles 28) in La Barceloneta for authentic Spanish food.

Transportation

Subway: The Hotel Del Mar is located a five-minute walk from the Barceloneta Metro stop, on the Yellow Line/L4 (one of the best lines in the system as far as visiting sights).

From the Airport: Take the RENFE Cercanías train (which departs about every 20 minutes from T2) to the Passeig de Gracia stop. From there, transfer to Yellow Line/L4 to Barceloneta.