Review of Room Mate Marina, by Nadia Latif

Room Mate Marina rides the recent wave of slick, contemporary buildings to grace Valencia's beachfront. Owing to a prolific amount of regeneration in this area, it's within walking distance of trendy cocktail bars, design-led boutiques and the polished, yacht-scattered harbour. The crumbling charms of the Old Town are a mere 10-minute metro ride away, and since said crumbling charms are only part (though admittedly a very nice part) of the city's makeup, it's well worth a stopover here to make the most of Mediterranean-warmed waters and the ubiquitous pans of saffron-tinged paella.

The decor is pretty design-led, with exposed concrete walls, splashes of vibrant pinks and greens and futuristic furnishings. Downstairs there's a small bar area (that remained low-key throughout our stay) and reception desk, whilst a floor up you'll find the breakfast room and restaurant. The real star of the show though is Marina's rooftop terrace and Jacuzzi area (complete with a second, even tinier, bar). The space also houses a gym and sauna - fab additions for a relatively small hotel.

Each of Room Mate Marina's 42 bedrooms is clean-lined and contemporary, with king-size beds, flatscreen televisions and adequately stocked minibars. Bathrooms are marble with branded toiletries, and vary greatly in size. Do try and secure one of the corner rooms, which is well worth the extra you'll pay - these come with two huge windows that let light stream in, and enjoy sweeping views of the city and sea.