Review of Eurostars Grand Marina Hotel, by Jamie Dunford Wood

The Eurostars Grand Marina Hotel by the port of Barcelona does not sound encouraging, and with 235 rooms you half expect a soulless conference centre. This is, however, Barcelona, and even conference centres are done with style. The Eurostars is a triumphant five star business hotel, built in 2003 in a double crescent shape, on the edge of the port with plenty of panache. Local designers have been set to work, so the detailing throughout the hotel is modern and chic.

It starts in the rooms - pale polished floors, dark wooden furniture, sliding doors and plenty of space. Bathrooms are surprisingly old-fashioned considering the 2003 build. Rooms are colour-coded according to the floors - blue and brown, brown and beige, and so on. 99% of the rooms have balconies, all are light with large windows, and 60% have outside views - though the seaviews are partial, they are mostly port and city views. The rooms at the end of the crescent have the best seaviews.

Two large public spaces provide plenty of diversions for guests. On the roof, a wide terrace and roof pool with magnificent views; downstairs, an entire floor has been opened up to create a restaurant, piano bar and open terrace for summer dining and drinking. All serviced by 700 staff, so service problems notorious at its rival the Hotel Arts are well provided against here.

In summary, this smart business-oriented hotel can be a bargain when rates dip at weekends or outside conference season. Though not central, it is near enough for easy access to both the Gothic quarter (barrio gotic), the ramblas and, in the other direction, the beaches, and without having to deal with the noise and traffic swirling around some of the more central hotels.