Montaltmar

Adults-only and boutique in character, Montaltmar is aimed squarely at guests who prefer a quieter stay without being marooned in the countryside. You have a pool, a garden, a lounge with television and a bar for the unglamorous but important business of sitting down properly after a day out.

The hotel suits a couple's break particularly well. Balconies, bright bedrooms, hot tubs and a Mediterranean restaurant give the place more to offer than a bed for the night, while free WiFi throughout the hotel keeps practical matters simple. The atmosphere is relaxed rather than family-resort busy, which is useful when your idea of entertainment is a long meal and nobody asking you to join an organised activity.

You are in Sant Vicenç de Montalt, on the Barcelona coast, at Avda. Montaltmar 1. The beaches are close enough for a short outing but not directly outside the door: Platja del Balí, Platja dels Tres Micos and Platja de Sant Vicenç are all around 1.3 miles away, generally four to five minutes by car. On foot, allow roughly half an hour rather than believing that five-minute description too literally.

Barcelona is about half an hour away, giving you an easy contrast between a coastal base and a city day. The Caldes d'Estrac railway station is around 1.4 miles away, while Sant Andreu de Llavaneres station is around 1.7 miles away. A golf course is about 500 metres from the hotel, and Tope Tapa is around 0.7 miles away for a change of table.

The room is designed for two, with an extra-large super-king-size bed and a balcony that brings in plenty of daylight. The decor uses organic tones rather than loud colours, so the room should feel easy on the eyes when you return tired, salty and ready to stop making decisions. Air conditioning helps in warmer weather, while heating covers cooler nights.

The Superior Double Room is the one to look at when the balcony and the extra space matter most. Both room categories keep the focus on a proper couple's stay rather than squeezing in extra beds, and the adults-only policy reinforces that choice. A hot tub adds a useful post-outing ritual: loosen up, cool down, and then decide whether dinner or the bar wins.

Daily housekeeping is included, and the lift saves you from treating the stairs as an unplanned fitness session. A safe is available, and the bedrooms are non-smoking. The combination of a large bed, balcony, climate control and bright natural light is more relevant here than a long equipment list; you are choosing a room in which the evening should be straightforward.

The hotel has a Mediterranean restaurant, so you can eat on site rather than organising another journey when hunger arrives with the familiar timing of a decompression stop. Breakfast covers continental, full English or Irish, vegetarian and gluten-free choices. Special-diet menus can also be arranged on request.

There is one bar on the general hotel facilities list, with the named venues adding more character: Lobby Cafe, Rooftop Bar, Steakhouse and Cigar Lounge. The Rooftop Bar is the obvious place for a drink with a view, while the Cigar Lounge gives the evening a more old-school option. Wine and champagne are available, and the coffee house handles the less ambitious but often more urgent request.

Packed lunches are available when the day's plans take you away from the hotel. Beyond that, the useful distinction is simple: this is a place where breakfast, dinner, coffee and a drink can all be handled without turning every meal into a local logistics exercise.

The outdoor pool is the natural centre of the lazy part of the day, with sun loungers, pool or beach towels and a sun terrace ready for the serious work of not moving. The garden and outdoor furniture give you alternatives when lying beside the water starts to feel too much like a second occupation. There is also an open-air bath, a hot tub and a solarium.

For something mildly competitive, billiards is available on site. Golf is nearby, within 500 metres according to the surrounding-area details, while hiking takes you out into the wider area rather than keeping you on hotel grounds. That gives you a few sensible options for a non-diving day without turning the hotel into an activity camp.

The lounge and television area are there for quieter evenings, particularly when the weather has done the planning for you. You can also leave the car behind for a beach visit, a short rail journey or a meal nearby, although the beaches are more practical by car than on foot.

Check-in runs from 16:00 to 20:00, and you need to tell the hotel your expected arrival time. Bring photo identification and a credit card for check-in. Check-out is from 09:00 to 12:00, giving you a reasonably civilised departure window after breakfast.

Barcelona El Prat Airport is around 33 miles away, with a typical drive of about 44 minutes. Girona-Costa Brava Airport is also around 33 miles away, with a drive of about 38 minutes. An airport transfer can be arranged with the hotel if required; ask about the available private or shared options when you book.

Free WiFi covers the whole hotel, and luggage storage is available. The property is adults-only, children are not allowed, the minimum check-in age is 18, and pets are not permitted. Cash is accepted as a payment method, so check your arrangements before arriving rather than discovering the detail at reception with a suitcase in each hand.