SLS Barcelona

This is a seaside city hotel for travellers who want Barcelona within reach but would rather wake up beside the water than in the middle of the traffic. SLS Barcelona combines a rooftop pool, a garden, a spa and several places to eat, so your evening can stay on site without turning into a logistical exercise.

The tone is modern and sociable rather than sleepy. There is a rooftop restaurant with cocktails and DJ sessions, a cocktail bar on the fifth floor, and a lobby venue that moves from café to lounge bar. The hotel's website is available in English, French, Catalan, Portuguese, Spanish and German; that helps you plan before arrival, although the available information does not establish which languages the hotel team speaks.

The address is Carrer de la Pau 2 in Sant Adrià de Besòs, Barcelona, Spain, directly beside Forum Beach. Platja del Litoral is about 300 metres away, while Llevant Beach is about 1.5 miles away. You are on Barcelona's coastal edge rather than in the old centre, which is useful if water matters more to you than stepping straight out into the Gothic Quarter.

Sant Adrià de Besòs railway station is about 0.8 miles away, and the El Maresme | Fòrum and Besos Mar metro stations are roughly 0.8 miles away. The city sights are still within reach: the Arc de Triomf is about 3.5 miles away, the Picasso Museum about 3.5 miles, and Sagrada Família about 3.7 miles. For a meal outside the hotel, El Racó del Mariner is about 150 feet away, with further restaurants and bars around the marina.

The room choice is mainly about how much space and outlook you want after a day in the water. The standard king and twin rooms suit two people who want a straightforward base, while the marina-view versions give the room a stronger sense of place. A terrace room is the obvious pick if you value outdoor space more than another few minutes in the city.

For three guests, the studio suites and larger suites give you room to spread out rather than treating dive bags and wet-weather clothing as a game of luggage Tetris. The Executive Two Bedroom Suite is the practical family or friends' option, with two bedrooms and two bathrooms. At the other end, The Celestial Signature Suite is a very large space for three, while the Apartment - Euphoria is designed for two and gives you considerably more room than the compact rooms.

Air conditioning, soundproofing, a minibar, a flat-screen television, Wi-Fi and a private bathroom with shower are useful once the salt is washed off and the legs have remembered they belong to you. Balconies can face the sea or pool, and selected rooms have marina views or direct pool access. Coffee machines and kettles are also available in the rooms, which is handy when an early start makes conversation an optional extra.

The hotel has three restaurants in its core facilities, while the hotel's dining line-up also includes Cosmico, Deluxe, Lora, Coral and L’Anxova Divina. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are covered across the venues, and breakfast is included in the accommodation package. The morning spread includes continental, vegetarian, vegan, halal and gluten-free choices, with buffet and breakfast-to-go options.

Cosmico is the rooftop pool club and restaurant, working with a Japanese-inspired menu, panoramic views, cocktails and DJ sessions. Lora takes the Mediterranean route, while Coral keeps things poolside. After a late return, Deluxe is the useful all-day-style address: it starts as a café and turns into a lounge bar. There is also Kyara, a post-modern cocktail bar tucked into the fifth floor.

L’Anxova Divina is a private venue for celebrations, corporate gatherings and private dining. In the room, a minibar, tea and coffee facilities, and breakfast in bed give you alternatives to walking anywhere. A snack bar, bar service and special-diet menus are also available.

The rooftop swimming pool is the natural place to spend the afternoon when you have already done enough work underwater. Sun loungers, umbrellas, pool towels and a sun terrace give you the basic equipment for a long, horizontal pause, while the garden offers a change from the hard lines of the building.

Halcyon spa provides massage, with spa facilities, a relaxation lounge, sauna and hot tub available. Some wellness elements carry an additional charge, so it is worth checking what you want before booking a treatment. The fitness centre is there if your idea of recovery involves further movement, which is a personal choice and will not be judged here.

For a more active change of scenery, bicycle rental and evening entertainment are available. The hotel also has a nightclub or DJ programme, particularly relevant if Cosmico's rooftop sessions have put you in the mood to stay out rather than reach for the television remote.

Barcelona El Prat Airport is about 11 miles away by road, with a typical car journey of around 21 minutes. Girona-Costa Brava Airport is much farther, at about 54 miles by road. An airport shuttle service is available and should be arranged with the hotel. Car hire, valet parking and private parking on site are also available.

Check-in starts at 15:00 and check-out runs until 12:00, giving you a little more time on departure morning than the usual early scramble. The front desk operates around the clock, with express and private check-in and check-out, luggage storage, concierge service and a tour desk. Free Wi-Fi covers the hotel, and room service is available.

Families are welcome, with family rooms, connecting rooms, cots and extra beds available according to the room selected. Children of all ages may stay, while children aged 13 and over are charged as adults. Pets are allowed, and a refundable damage deposit is collected by credit card on arrival and returned after the property inspection.