Hotel SB Ciutat de Tarragona

The Hotel SB Ciutat de Tarragona attracts both tourists and businesspeople with its central location and attractive design. The hotel makes an impression with its large and bright lobby, a large and circular room decorated in an Art Deco style, with a marble sunburst echoed by a chrome one hanging from the ceiling. The casual cafe is a welcoming space, with warm, bentwood chairs and tables, as well as a large, glass-fronted bar displaying appetizing baked goods, light snacks, and drinks. The same cannot be said for the hotel’s Mare Nostrum restaurant, which looks more like a conference center than it does a place to eat. A curiously-shaped and barely decorated room, it’s filled with the sort of chairs that are found in boardrooms all over the world. The rooftop terrace is a definite perk, with a pool, sofas and tables, and pretty city views. 

The hotel is located off a roundabout at the northern end of the Rambla Nova, Tarragona’s main street, leading down to the ocean -- a journey that takes about 15 minutes on foot. A five-minute walk north of the hotel leads to El Corte Ingles, the ubiquitous Spanish department store. It’s a 19-minute walk to the Amfiteatre de Tarragona, a ruin that has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the city’s Gothic cathedral is 20 minutes away. Tarragona Station is a seven-minute taxi ride away, from which Barceloneta station, in the heart of Barcelona, is a 90-minute train ride away. Guests in need of an adrenaline rush can find PortAventura theme park a 15-minute drive away. Expect transfers from Reus Airport to take 12 minutes by car, and transfers from Barcelona-El Prat to take approximately an hour by car, or two hours by train.

There are six different types of room at the Hotel SB Ciutat de Tarragona — Standard, Triple, Quadruple, Family, Suite, and Jacuzzi Suite. Rooms are decorated in tasteful shades of cream and brown, with modern, minimalist style including light-wood floors and furniture, and an accent wall with metallic stripes. Each room is equipped with a minibar, desk, free Wi-Fi, and flat-screen TV. However, past guests have complained of a lack of power sockets and insufficient air-conditioning. Additionally, rooms on the lower floors may experience noise from the nearby road. Contemporary bathrooms are equipped with a shower/tub combo, bidet, hairdryer, and toiletries. Triple Rooms have an additional bed, while Quadruple Rooms have a bunk bed to accommodate two more guests. Family rooms are larger still, with a separate bedroom and lounge area with a fold-out bunk bed and a double sofa bed. Jacuzzi Suites are the hotel’s highest-end offering, featuring a hot tub on a huge, black slate plinth. The bathroom is separated from the rest of the room by a glass wall, and it has a walk-in shower with rainfall showerhead. 

Despite its location in the center of Tarragona, there are a decent number of features on-site. The hotel has some outdoor space, in the form of a rooftop terrace with an -- admittedly small -- swimming pool, hot tub, and pleasant views, as well as a seating area with comfortable sofas and armchairs. The hotel is home to a popular cafe, which serves hot drinks and light meals during the day, and cocktails during the evening. Mare Nostrum restaurant serves a buffet breakfast that includes cold meats and cheeses, breads, and pastries, as well as hot items such as eggs, bacon, and sausages. In the evening it serves an a la carte dinner, with a reasonably priced menu of inventive modern fare. There are five different meeting rooms available, as well as a sauna. The hotel advertises that it has a fitness center, but in reality, it’s a tiny space with two pieces of cardio equipment and a weights machine. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout, but it can be slow and spotty in some places.