The Restaurant at Hotel Ciutat de Barcelona

"Up top there’s a cute deck and small pool for lounging about, and a handsome restaurant below"

"Skip breakfast (you'll get much better food in one of the neighborhood cafés), but make a point of going along to a live jazz session (Thursdays and Fridays only) in Colors, the hotel restaurant"

"On the ground floor, a contemporary lobby opens up to a popular Peruvian-Japanese fusion restaurant"

"Not much more expensive than a pensión, the unpretentious but friendly Ciutat de Barcelona offers the facilities you would expect of a hotel, with a decent restaurant, well-staffed reception and — most importantly — a funky pool area with tables where you bring your own picnic"