Hotel Bel Air

The Bel Air Hotel is a relatively modern hotel set right on the beach at Castelldefels. The entrance is flanked neat gardens and pretty flower planters, and inside, the lobby has a fairly generic, but up-to-date look. Wooden walls and pillars frame dark gray boxy sofas, and small artsy accents just a touch of personality. The smart restaurant has monochrome decor with pops of bright red, including the funky art that scrawls across the walls. A deck with a bar is a great place to relax with a cold drink, with superb views over the vast sandy beach. Glass screens and sun shades protect it from the elements. The hotel is popular with business and leisure guests alike -- especially as it's so near to the airport -- but it's visited predominantly young couples looking for a city-style getaway on the beach.

The Bel Air Hotel has a great spot right on Castelldefels Beach. There are restaurants along the beachfront promenade within a few minutes on foot, as well as a variety of water sports and beach games. Placa Esglesia, and the surrounding pedestrianized streets of the town center are a five-minute drive from the hotel. Buses run along Passeig Maritim outside the hotel, with a bus stop a two-minute walk away, and a journey time of about ten minutes to the town center. The historic castle from which the town gets its name is just a few stops farther on the bus, on the hill looking down over the town. Barcelona-El Prat Airport is a 10-minute drive away, and Barcelona's city center is around 30 minutes. The same trip takes about an hour by train and bus. The pretty village of Sitges, particularly popular with LGBTQ travelers, is a 20-minute drive along the coast.

Rooms at the Bel Air Hotel are done in a modern, simple style, pairing white walls and bedding with light wood headboards and floors. Coordinating striped corduroy chairs add a touch of style, and the wall art adds a touch of personality to what is -- otherwise -- quite a spartan vibe. All feature a furnished balcony -- and it's worth booking a Sea View Room, if possible, for the unrestricted ocean views. Flat-screen TVs, safes, minibars, air-conditioning, Wi-Fi, bathrobes, and slippers come standard, while Suites add a larger living area with sofa bed. Triple Rooms cater well for small families. Rooms lack electric kettles, though this is common in many parts of Spain. Frosted glass doors lead to the bathrooms, which are decorated with pale tiling and feature shower/tub combos, hairdryers, and toiletries. Suites add jetted tubs and double sinks.

The Bel Air Hotel has a small outdoor pool on the street side entrance -- so it doesn't have a sea view, but it's a nice space and is well maintained. There are free towels, and a handful of sun loungers. The bar and restaurant does have a beach vista, with an outdoor seating deck overlooking the sea. The outlet serves food throughout the day, including a continental buffet breakfast, which some guests have found occasionally lacking. There's a small business center and two meeting rooms for business users, and Wi-Fi is free throughout. Other useful touches include bike rentals and luggage storage.