Acta Atrium Palace

Housed in a classic, beige building with Juliet balconies, Hotel Acta Atrium Palace looks every bit like a four-pearl boutique property. Inside, the lobby is considerably more contemporary, with soft-gray walls, abstract art pieces, brown-leather Chesterfield sofas, and high ceilings with recessed lighting. An elegant, curving marble stairway stretches up from the front desk and leads to the first floor of an inner atrium where sunlight pours in. Also on the lobby level is the hotel's contemporary restaurant and bar, l'Atrium, with light-wood furnishings and floor-to-ceiling windows bathing the space in daylight. The hotel primarily attracts tourists due to its location, and gets plenty of families thanks to the option of cribs and extra beds in the rooms. However, offerings such as a business center and three meeting rooms make it a reasonable choice for business travelers, too. 

The Hotel Acta Atrium Palace is located in the Eixample district, an eight-minute walk from the Passeig de Gracia thoroughfare, with great shopping and restaurants. Eixample has a thriving gay nightlife scene and is home to the city's best examples of modernist architecture, including works by famed architect Antoni Gaudi. One of Gaudi's most whimsical creations, Casa Batllo, is a nine-minute walk from the hotel. Passeig de Gracia Metro Station is less than a five-minute walk from the property. 

It's a six-minute drive to Museu de la Cera, an eight-minute drive to the nightlife of El Born, and a nine-minute drive to the Port of Barcelona, the Picasso Museum, and Antoni Gaudi's masterpiece and Barcelona icon -- the Sagrada Familia church. The Gran Teatre del Liceu, an opera house in Las Ramblas, takes about 10 minutes to reach by car, while Mercat de la Boqueria and Barri Gótic (Gothic Quarter) can both be reached in 11 minutes driving. It's a 12-minute drive to Casa Mila, a 14-minute drive to Parc Guell and Casa-Museu Gaudi, and a 20-minute drive to Camp Nou (FC Barcelona) soccer stadium. Monestir de Pedralbes, a former monastery that is now a museum, takes 21 minutes to reach by car, as does the Barcelona El Prat Airport. 

Guest rooms are more subtle and streamlined than public spaces, though they still convey a hint of refinement. Polished light-wood floors and soft gray walls provide a simple backdrop. Modular wood furniture with a little mid-century flair feels both functional and stylish, while rectangular bedside lights and black-and-white abstract furniture cap off the modern look.

The Acta Atrium Palace offers Double Rooms (some with balconies furnished with tables and chairs) along with Triple Rooms and Suites. All rooms come with air-conditioning, electronic safes, minibars, kettles, flat-screen TVs, bathrobes, slippers, and free Wi-Fi. Bathrooms are contemporary but chic, with marble floors, walls, and countertops, shower/tub combos, bidets, and a large selection of basic toiletries. Magnifying mirrors and hairdryers are also provided. Some rooms have second washbasins outside of the bathrooms in the hallways. Note that the hotel also offers accessible and connecting rooms. Cribs are available free of charge and extra beds can be added for a fee. 

The Acta Atrium offers a decent range of amenities for a smallish property. The hotel's most lavish feature could be its spa, providing a variety of treatments and massages. Guests of the hotel can use the spa's small indoor pool and a whirlpool free of charge. For dining, a buffet breakfast is available for a fee and features a variety of hot and cold items. The on-site restaurant also offers fixed menus and a la carte options for lunch and dinner, while l'Atrium Bar stays open all day during the week and on weekend mornings and serves light snacks along with cocktails. Soccer matches are frequently playing here. Business facilities include free hotel-wide Wi-Fi, a small business center with two computers, and three meeting rooms for rent, and catering is available on request. There's no on-site parking, but there is a nearby garage where hotel guests can get discounts. Luggage storage is available, and there's a shower available for guests to freshen up pre-check-in or post-checkout.