Sofitel Barcelona Skipper

You are staying in a substantial seafront hotel in Barcelona, with the city on one side and the Mediterranean on the other. The Sofitel Barcelona Skipper suits divers who want a proper base for a city break rather than a resort cut off from everything useful: you can swim, eat, use the gym, read in the library or head straight out into Barceloneta.

The atmosphere is polished but not precious. There is a rooftop pool, a terrace, a garden and several places to settle with a drink, while the hotel also has the practical machinery of a large property: a 24-hour reception, lift access, Wi-Fi throughout and concierge services. English, Spanish, Italian, German and French are spoken by the hotel staff, which removes one of the more tedious parts of travelling with dive kit and a tired brain.

The address is Av del Litoral 10, in Barcelona's traditional Barceloneta neighbourhood, right on the seafront. Somorrostro Beach is close by, and the hotel has direct access to a golden-sand beach with sun loungers and parasols. You are not spending the week negotiating a shuttle merely to see the water.

The surroundings give you an easy mix of beach and city. The Sculpture of the Fish and Ciutadella–Vila Olímpica are nearby landmarks, while the central Barcelona setting puts urban walks, restaurants and the waterfront within reach. The location works particularly well if diving is only part of the plan and someone in your party would rather explore the city than discuss yesterday's visibility over lunch.

For two divers, the room choice is mainly about what you want to see when you open the curtains and whether a balcony matters. City-view rooms keep things straightforward, while the garden-view options trade the urban outlook for a calmer visual break. If the sea is the reason you chose this address, the sea-view rooms and the larger suites put that part of Barcelona where it belongs: in front of you, not somewhere across town.

The Luxe rooms with balconies are the obvious choice when you want outdoor space as well as a view. Twin-bed versions are available for friends travelling together, while double beds and junior suites make more sense for couples who would rather not conduct a nightly negotiation over who gets the larger share of the mattress. Every listed room is designed for two guests.

Air conditioning and heating cover the less glamorous but important part of the stay: getting comfortable again when the day has involved heat, salt and a wetsuit. Soundproofing, a private bathroom with shower, Wi-Fi, television, minibar, safe, hairdryer, bathrobes and slippers are available across the room range, although equipment varies by category. Tea and coffee facilities are included in many categories, and some rooms also add a balcony or coffee machine. The junior suites and higher suite categories give you more of a step-up in room style, with views varying by the option you select.

The food is led by TENDIEZ Tapas Bar&Restaurant, where Mediterranean cooking takes the Barcelona route rather than pretending to be something else. Lunch and dinner bring classic and modern tapas, selected wines and signature cocktails, served on a terrace where the climate does much of the decorating. The kitchen also works with innovative Catalan flavours conceived by a Michelin-honoured chef.

Breakfast is a buffet at Syrah Mediterrani, an indoor restaurant that can also be used for private family or business events. That gives you a conventional start before a day in the water, while the tapas restaurant is the more natural landing point when you want small plates rather than a formal production.

There are two named bars. TENDIEZ Cocktail Bar keeps things contemporary and informal, with cocktails available with or without alcohol. Up at ElCielo, The Lounge at ElCielo Rooftop adds another rooftop bar, alongside salads, light snacks, fruit, smoothies and natural juices at the rooftop pool. The hotel also has a café for smaller appetites, and a diet menu can be arranged on request.

The rooftop is the main answer when you want to stop moving without retreating indoors. ElCielo combines a rooftop pool with a bar and a short menu of salads, light snacks, fruit, smoothies and natural juices. There are two pools at the hotel, including an infinity pool, and the outdoor pool is seasonal from April to September. Pool and beach towels are available, so you can leave the room without turning your own luggage into a damp storage experiment.

For a slower afternoon, the hotel has a terrace, a garden, a solarium terrace and a library. The fitness room and gym provide somewhere to stretch the legs without signing up for a grand sporting project, while massage is available for muscles that have spent too long pretending to be made of rubber. The tourist information service can arrange excursions, and bicycle hire is available for seeing more of the waterfront under your own steam.

The beach is directly accessible, with loungers and parasols, which gives non-diving companions a straightforward day of their own. There is also a children's pool, a play area and babysitting, making the hotel workable for a family trip as well as a couples' escape. Meetings and events are catered for with business and conference facilities, though that is probably less urgent than finding somewhere comfortable to sit after dinner.

Check-in runs from 3 pm to midnight, with check-out by noon. Reception is open around the clock, and express check-in and check-out are available. Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel, and a lift makes the building easier to navigate with luggage that has developed its own gravitational field.

Airport transfers can be arranged on request, and car hire is available. Parking is available through the hotel, including valet parking, and there is an electric-vehicle charging station. A garage and parking facilities are part of the property, although parking is payable. Concierge support, excursion assistance, luggage storage, laundry, dry cleaning and ironing are also available.

The hotel is accessible to wheelchair users, with an accessible restaurant. Rooms are non-smoking, and the property has air conditioning, heating and soundproofed rooms. A deposit is required, and extra beds depend on the room category. Breakfast is available as a buffet, with breakfast in the room also offered.

The hotel is certified by Green Globe and has installed solar panels and automatic temperature controls. Single-use plastic has been eliminated, which is the sort of practical change that does not require a lecture before breakfast.

The restaurants mainly use local products and take part in an anti-food-waste programme. That links the sustainability work to the place itself: local food on the table, less waste behind it and lower energy use around the building.