HotelChatter

La Rambla
Cuidado, chica, of any hotel that boasts a location on La Rambla, Barcelona's main pedestrianised thoroughfare. Whatever the guidebooks say, it's the land of no sleep from all-night people-traffic, tat everywhere, pickpockets in all the doorways. La Rambla is one of the most overrated streets in Barcelona, and the hotels along it somehow believe they can treble their prices for the privilege of staying there.

Agua
Mermaids and seafood-lovers should stay near water. The harbour area in Barcelona, vamped up for the 1996 Olympic games, is cutely known as the Barceloneta. It's not immediately close to the central attractions, but it's a fine area for romantic strolls and sunsets and a hundred times quieter than anything near Las Ramblas. Check out our review of the super 5-star Arts hotel, then check your bank balance and stay at the fine but rather less extravagant Hotel del Mar instead.

Old Town/Gothic Quarter (Barrio Viejo/Gótico)
Not for old people and goths despite the name, these adjacent districts make up the trendiest, liveliest hotel, shopping and bar-hopping area in the whole city. We'll be sending news this week from the boutique hotel Banys Orientals, but if it's shops, fun and frolics you're after, you can't go far wrong staying anywhere around here.

Hotel Restaurants
If you're gourmet, or just plain rich and greedy, run a search for Michelin star hotel restaurants - Barcelona has 13 of the babies. Two of the most talked about are the Drolma restaurant in the 5-star Hotel Majestic and the Gaig in the 4-star but infinitely trendier Hotel Cram. If anyone wants to take the HotelChatter staff out to dinner....give us a shout.

Hasta la vista, baby, we'll be back tomorrow with more.