Catalonia Hotels

Catalonia is a region of Spain, located in the northwest corner, bordering France, Andorra and the Mediterranean Sea. It also spans two of the country’s most beautiful coastlines: Costa Brava and Costa Dorada. For a city break that blends sunshine, culture and nightlife into one heavenly holiday, head to Barcelona. Prefer more sand and sea with your Spanish getaway? Catalonia offers stunning beach resorts too, including Salou, Tarragona and La Pineda.

Beaches

Can you beat a Catalan beach? We’re not sure it’s possible. Golden stretches of sand are kissed by the warm waters of the Mediterranean here, and there’s bound to be a beach for everyone along such a lovely stretch of coastline. Fancy being a city slicker one day and a beach babe the next? Barceloneta Beach is just a hop, skip and a jump away from Barcelona itself. With plenty to see and do, and lots of food stalls and restaurants to discover, it’s the perfect place for a fun beach day. More of a beach holiday traditionalist? Salou is a great pick for sun beds, watersports and beach bars galore. La Pineda Beach is another brilliant option, especially for families.

Culture

Catalan culture is rich with history, and is distinct from Spanish culture in a number of ways. Catalonia has its own language – Catalan – that is spoken by over 4.1 million people across Spain, France and Andorra. Want to learn the basics? Bon dia is hello, motes gracies is thank you and si us plau is please. Keep an eye out for the burro (donkey) too, on flags, carvings and souvenirs. This is the unofficial symbol of Catalonia, and is very, very cute.

Food & Drink

Food here is nothing short of delicious, with Mediterranean flavours given a uniquely Catalonian twist. Fresh veggies are a staple, especially tomatoes, garlic, artichokes and aubergines. Bread, olive oil and chickpeas also have a starring role in plenty of dishes. Seafood and pork feature often too. When scanning the menu in a Catalan restaurant, we recommend sampling ollada (meat and vegetable stew), escalivada (grilled vegetables) or embotits (cured pork meat). Pair it with a fruity cava – the local answer to champagne – and you just can’t go wrong.

Nightlife

Barcelona is Spain’s second largest city, so it makes sense that the party is just getting started when the sun sets. Check out Hemingway, a bar named after the literary great Ernest Hemingway that specialises in Old Fashioned cocktails, whiskeys and gins. Girona and Tarragona have similarly brilliant bar scenes. You can also find plenty of beach bars and pubs in smaller resort towns such as Tossa de Mar, Lloret de Mar and Blanes, too.

Important information

Flight Time: 2.5hrs
Time Difference: +1hr
Currency: Euro
Official Language: Catalan; Spanish

Catalan hotels for families

From babies and toddlers to in-betweens and teens, these hotels are perfect for a family holiday. Think welcoming atmosphere, central locations and brilliant buffets, not to mention the playgrounds, pools and kids clubs.

Five-star luxury Catalan hotels

Hotels for when only the best in service and style will do. Whether it's incredible food, stunning views or unmatched facilities that really add something special to your holiday, we think you'll love these luxury picks.

Budget hotels in Catalonia

Cheap as chips and just as lovely, these hotels let you stay in the same resort towns, for less. Pocket-friendly prices don't have to mean giving up the good stuff at these hotels below.

Catalonia Resorts

Costa Dorada | Barcelona | Costa Brava