Barcelona Princess

High-rise Barcelona rather than a small coastal hideaway: the Barcelona Princess puts you beside Avenida Diagonal, the Forum and Diagonal Mar Shopping Centre. It suits a diving break with a city attached, especially if you want a proper room, a choice of places to eat and somewhere to swim without giving up access to central Barcelona.

English is spoken by the hotel team, alongside Spanish, French, German, Italian, Russian and Catalan. That removes one of the more tiresome parts of travel: explaining what you need with wet hair, a tired brain and a phone doing its best to translate.

You are in Barcelona's Forum area, at Avda. Diagonal 1, next to Diagonal Mar Shopping Centre. Llevant Beach is around 800 m away on foot, roughly a ten-minute walk, while Nova Mar Bella Beach is about 1.1 km away. Forum Beach is around 1.4 km on foot. So this is not a hotel where you step straight from the lobby into the sea, but the coast is close enough for a walk before breakfast or a post-dive leg stretch.

The El Maresme | Fòrum metro station is about 200 m away on foot, and the tour bus stops in front of the hotel. Plaça de Catalunya and the Ramblas are about 15 minutes away by metro, putting the old centre within easy reach without asking you to sleep in the middle of it. The Forum, CCIB and the shopping centre are the useful local landmarks; central Barcelona is your evening extension.

The room choice is broad enough to matter. For two divers who want somewhere to spread out after a full day, the Superior Double Room with Terrace gives you more breathing space than the standard double or twin rooms. A terrace also beats balancing wet travel clothes over the back of a chair, although it is not a substitute for proper equipment facilities elsewhere.

Couples who care about the view can look towards the sea-view categories, while the family room adds a sofa bed for up to four guests. The Premium Suite is the step up for a longer stay or for anyone who dislikes having luggage occupy the available floor. In practical terms, the standard rooms keep things simpler: double or twin beds, contemporary decoration and satellite television.

Air conditioning matters when Barcelona has spent the day warming you through a wetsuit. Rooms also have a minibar, a desk, a wardrobe or cupboard and free WiFi, with private bathrooms offering a shower, towels, slippers, toiletries, a bathrobe and a hairdryer. Housekeeping is daily, and room service is available when the sensible evening plan is food delivered to the room rather than another walk.

Breakfast is a continental buffet, served in Restaurante N1 on the first floor. The room is glazed, naturally lit and looks towards the Forum, giving you somewhere to start the day with a view rather than a corridor. N1 also serves lunch and dinner, with Mediterranean cooking at the centre of the menu.

There are two restaurants in the hotel. Corner 019 sits at street level beside the entrance and is built around a quick meal or a drink with friends, useful when you want to eat without turning dinner into an expedition. Two stylish bars are also part of the hotel, including a poolside bar with panoramic views. A minibar and room service cover the less sociable moments; special-diet menus are available on request.

Two heated outdoor pools give you a straightforward way to cool down without committing to another outing. The pool on the 23rd floor brings the sea view into the afternoon, while the sun terrace and loungers make the decision to do absolutely nothing a perfectly workable one. Pool and beach towels are available too, which saves one more damp item from the day's inventory.

The free gym covers the basic urge to move, and the wellness facilities include a sauna and solarium. Massage options range from full-body work to treatments focused on the head, neck, back, hands or feet, with wellness packages also available. If you still have energy left, bicycle hire is offered; otherwise, the terrace, a drink and a view from above may be the more honest choice.

Barcelona El Prat Airport is about 16 km away by road, and the hotel has a shuttle service that you can arrange with the property. Girona-Costa Brava Airport is considerably farther, at around 87 km by road. On arrival, check-in starts at 15:00 and check-out runs until 12:00. You will need photo identification and a credit card, and the hotel asks for your expected arrival time in advance.

A 24-hour reception, concierge service, luggage storage, tour desk and an on-site cash machine keep the practical side fairly simple. WiFi is free throughout the hotel. Parking is available in the hotel garage, and public transport is close by: El Maresme | Fòrum metro station is around 200 m away on foot. Children of all ages are welcome, with cots available for children aged up to three years on request; pets are not allowed.