Mr & Mrs Smith

We had a wonderful long weekend at Hotel Omm. The location was perfect for exploring the city by foot: La Sagrada Familia. La Pedrera, Las Ramblas, the Barceloneta beachfront and more were all within walking distance. We were happy we'd chosen to stay away from the bustle of Las Ramblas. The Eixample neighbourhood suited us perfectly with its smooth bars and excellent restaurants. We especially enjoyed exploring La Boqueria market. Such an amazing array of produce. A must for any food lover and a great spot to refuel before heading off again. Dinner at Botafumeiro on the concierge's recommendation was fabulous. Every piece of seafood was fresh and delicious and our waiter looking smart in his white waistcoat kept us laughing throughout the night. The lobster paella was particularly excellent. It's a cosy and atmospheric spot with a classic feel. On the waterfront, Cal Pinxo Palau de Mar was another great recommendation from the hotel. A lovely view over the port and a tasty Mediterranean menu. Casual and comfortable. If you are a football fan then don't forget to check online for tickets to see Barcelona play at Camp Nou. Quite a few seats were released two days before the game and we had a great time watching stellar players demonstrate just how beautiful the beautiful game can be.

The concierge at Hotel Omm was great and suggested a terrific small restaurant nearby for dinner - Ferrum. He also suggested lunchtime tapas at Cervezaria Catalana - excellent.

Hotel Omm is nice and close to the Metro and Barcelona is such an easy city to get around. If you want to eat by the beach, make sure you book a table. Our favourite restaurants were Biblioteca (+34 (93) 412 62 21) on Calle Junta de Comerç near Las Ramblas and Cuines Santa Caterina (+34 (93) 268 99 18) in the market.

Just back from a lovely Easter break in Barcelona having stayed at Hotel Omm. We had most nights covered with something planned but for Friday night I asked the concierge for a recommendation for some jazz. As it happened he was an aspiring musician himself and recommended Bel Luna Jazz Club on Rambla Catalunya and made us a booking.

We had a table at the front of the stage and enjoyed a relaxed evening of very good jazz accompanied by very tasty veal entrecôte and excellent Rioja. We had the table for 10.30 and the jazz started at 11.30 by which time the place was full. The attached bar on the other side of the club is also good to hang out at. And, for those of you who think jazz goes hand in hand with cigar/cigarette smoke – you're in luck as you can happily puff away without it being noticeable from the main part of club where people are eating.

We had a fabulous time at Hotel Omm. Probably not your thing if you don't like your rooms minimal  though – low Japanese-style beds, limited soft furnishings etc. Breakfast was really unusual and tasty. The dressing gowns were like kimonos. Our room and balcony had views of the roof of Gaudi's Casa Milà... which was fantastic for sightseeing without lifting a finger (or foot!)

Recommendations: If you are short on time like we were, doing the city bus tour is a great way to get a feel for a suprisingly green and hilly city. We jumped on a bus having walked around the Sagrada Familia (amazing!) and were in need of a break. We saw all the main sights including Nou Camp.

We had an amazing lunch at a stall within the Mercat de La Boqueria, Barcelona's most famous market off Las Ramblas. (Don't let that put you off... Las Ramblas was not as touristy as feared and the market was full of Spaniards.) We could have happily had all our meals there: amazing sardines/ prawns/ meats/ beers etc all eaten at a tiny bar in front of the stall. Delicious.