Creative Commons licensePhoto by flickr user -bLy-

Barcelona: one of the most vibrant cities in Europe, with a lovely year round climate (consider a hotel with a rooftop pool) and a heady mixture of culture, spearheaded by Gaudi and Picasso, and fun, Spain's coolest city makes a first rate choice for a buzzy weekend away. Its rise in popularity has had an astonishing effect on its hotel industry: in three years the number of rooms in the city have doubled. But which hotels make the perfect base for a long weekend? Here's our pick. Their order bears no reflection on our preference.