Our full day in Barcelona began with the fairly smooth disembarkation process from our ship. I did learn, however, that it would have been wise (and time-saving) to have booked transportation from the port to our hotel well in advance. It seemed that the majority of the passengers on our cruise were also staying at least one extra day in the city, and the queue for the taxis was very long. Our party of six at last made it to the front of the line and piled luggage and ourselves into two vehicles to take us to our night’s accomodation:  the NH Constanza Barcelona.We had received good general advice about what part of the city to stay in from a professional photographer friend of my sister Ann’s who travels extensively. It was sister-in-law Barb, though, who actually pinpointed the Constanza and found us some very good rates. The hotel’s location is ideal for visitors, as it is in the Barri Gotic — Gothic Quarter — only a few blocks east of Las Ramblas and a few blocks south of the central Placa Catalunya. We were within an easy stroll of either spot but just far enough away to not be affected by street noise or traffic. In fact, I noted that many of the streets in the area, most quite narrow, had limited vehicular traffic, regulated by large metal pillars that could be raised and lowered by a keypad or remote control. It seemed that only some delivery vehicles, cabs and perhaps some local residents could negotiate past these barriers, and it certainly made the streets pleasing and safe to travel on foot.We arrived at the hotel well before noon and merely hoped to store our luggage until our rooms were ready, so that we could get started on our explorations. To our delight, two of the three rooms were available immediately. We stashed all the luggage in those two and took a quick survey of our accomodations. Julie and I shared a twin-bedded room of a comfortable size, with generous desk space, lamp and wireless Internet available (for a daily fee). The roomy closet also held an electronic safe, but most impressive was the very ample marble bathroom. Good lighting, large mirrors and plenty of counter space were much appreciated, and the sizable tub/shower combination was a nice upgrade from our telephone-booth-sized shower stall in Venice. The room also featured both a commode and bidet and plenty of soft, thick towels.Another feature that I admired (once I figured it out) was one I had not encountered before. Perhaps those of you who travel more extensively than I are well-acquainted with it: as one enters the room, there is slot into which the room keycard is inserted. This provides a sort of master switch which then allows the lights in the room to be turned on. When the key is not in the slot, only one small lamp may function. I grasped the beauty of this device immediately: First, it ensures that one doesn’t leave the room with lights blazing, wasting energy. Secondly, it’s much harder to misplace your key (did I leave it in a pocket, on the desk, by the bed, in my purse?) and saves you the scramble of trying to locate it when you’re jet-lagged or bleary-eyed . . . it’s always right there by the door. Brilliant!We didn’t have cause to use the Constanza’s other facilities, but I noted that there is an onsite restaurant and some limited meeting rooms. The front desk staff was extremely helpful with everything from directions to providing change for large-denomination bills to arranging airport transfers early the next morning. The free-of-charge lobby computer also allowed us to print up our boarding passes for the next day, eliminating a step at the airport.As we came and went over the next twelve hours, the hotel’s ideal location became more obvious. It is about equidistant from two stops on Barcelona’s highly efficient Metro. The Green Line L-3 trains stop near the Liceu, the city’s acclaimed opera house on Los Ramblas, and beneath the Placa Catalunya, where there is also a large, well-staffed tourist information center. We found we could stroll just a few blocks over to Avenida Diagonal and follow it up to the Placa, with large stores such as El Corte Ingles and H & M located for our shopping pleasure along the way. Catalunya is an enormous hub where several major avenues come together, and a host of large banks (with convenient ATMs), corporate offices, restaurants and shops surround it. From here one can easily hail a taxi, hop a bus or ride the Metro (or walk) to any of the city’s famous sites.Yes, I could not have been more pleased with our find for our stay in Barcelona, and I would stay there again in a heartbeat. It would seem I will need to return just so I can see more of what that great city has to offer. Next week I’ll share with you what we did enjoy on our all-too-short day there.–Patty Vanikiotis, proofreaderGlobal Traveler has joined the world of social marketing. For breaking news, special offers and much more, fan us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter @Gtmag!