Designed for young business travelers, the 103-room AC Hotel Diagonal L'Illa is built for millennials of all stripes, but its professional-minded programming and sleek, efficient design appeal to entrepreneurs specifically. The concept: Only the features you want, and none of the ones you don’t. The staff is trained, for example, to be helpful when asked for something, but this isn’t your parents’ hotel. Here, nobody greets you at the curb, doffs their cap, and offers to carry your luggage. Instead, you roll right up to the check-in counter with your carry-on, you are handed your keys, and you're sent on your way. You don’t actually carry enough to need help anyway, do you? We don’t either.
What’s Hot: The hotel launched a partnership with StartUp Grind, an international organization for the next generation of entrepreneurs, to offer business folks the opportunity to use meeting rooms and even get complimentary cocktails when they’re at the property.
Best Feature: The second-floor Suite Bar whips up carefully crafted cocktails each evening.
The Rooms: Here, rooms … well, they look a bit like conference rooms themselves! They’re spacious and spare in a modern, sleek way, with wood paneling and built-in work desks and cubbies. The suites have large dining tables with TVs that work better for conference calls than anything else. Then again, we spent a morning at the Boqueria, Barcelona’s illustrious market on the main tourist drag of Las Ramblas, picking up Spanish cheese and charcuterie, and local fruit, and we were thrilled to have a comfortable place to spread out our buffet lunch. (Sadly, few hotels are equipped for that.) Rates start at $168 per night.
Who Will Love It: The young, hip business traveler, but also vacationers looking for modern design without a trace of stuffiness — or who have always had blush-worthy fantasies of office romances.
Who Might Not: Those looking for a romantic space, or a more traditional space, may find the design more cold than cool.
Nearby: The hotel is on Diagonal, a business district with large department stores, upscale boutiques, and office buildings. It’s not the most charming part of town, but it’s a lovely two-and-a-half mile walk (or a short cab ride) to Las Ramblas and the Gothic Quarter, home to street buskers and great shopping as well as tapas restaurants you’ll dream of for years.
Deals and Special Offers: Like all Marriott properties, Marriott.com guarantees the best rates are on the website. In fact, they offer a 25 percent discount if you find a better one somewhere else.