The hotels you will stay at on this trip tend more towards the premium end of the scale. That's not to say they're fancy for the sake of being fancy, but rather we know you'll have a warm welcome, a big comfy bed, a great location and a bit of peace and quiet too. We even throw in an inviting pool or some top-notch cooking along the way. Here's what we love about each (deep breath!):

Located by the Motjuic hill in Barcelona, Hotel Brummell is perhaps our favourite hotel in the city. With just 20 rooms, it's one of the smaller and more intimate hotels, with a real community feel and an informal, laid-back vibe. The staff are super friendly and happy to help out with anything you need. Rooms are full of natural light, some cosy but very comfy with views to the pool in the inner courtyard, others more spacious with leafy views to the Montjuic hill. 

Downstairs there is an honesty bar with free tea/coffee facilities, plus there are two vending machines dispensing treats such as artisan chocolate, craft beer and Cava wine. Our kind of vending machines! Whilst there are lots of very good restaurants and tapas bars within a short stroll, the hotel also has its own restaurant if you want to dine in, with Andalucian-meets-Catalan cuisine. There's also a small spa with a sauna, free yoga lessons, bike rental and each Tuesday at 20:00 the local Montjuic running club meets there for a jog, should that be your idea of fun.

Your hotel in the Penedés region is a beautifully restored modernist house in the heart of a working traditional winery. With just five rooms, Casa Bolét is beautifully small and has a true family home feel, not least because of how welcome Mireira and her team make you feel. The house dates back to 1911 and was recently restored with an extraordinary artistic flair that extends even to the toilets, of which they are particularly proud! An inviting swimming pool sits on a natural balcony looking out over vineyards, olive groves and stone villages.

Each morning Mireira buys artisan bread from the local bakers for breakfast. Whilst there is no dinner service, there are some very good options for lunch and dinner within walking distance or a short taxi ride away.

Vines have been grown on the estate for 400 years and the house remains at the heart of a traditional working winery. 

The H10 Imperial in Tarragona has a real 'wow factor'. From many of the rooms, and most dazzlingly from the panoramic rooftop terrace, views stretch far and wide across the Mediterranean sea, the Roman amphitheatre, the city rooftops and beyond to the mountains. Rooms are flooded with natural light and feel especially spacious and comfortable. You have either a rain shower or a freestanding bath, and rooms all have a Nespresso coffee machine. Subject to availability, our favourite rooms are the 'Mare' balcony rooms with sea views. The old town's restaurants and shops are a short walk away, and it's 600m to the Renfe station if you are catching a train. If you want to dine in, there's a restaurant downstairs and if you want a bit of pampering, there's a spa which you can use at an additional cost.

In the Priorat area, our favourite hotel is Terra Dominicata. The adult-only boutique hotel sits in quiet countryside amid the hotel's vineyards, with views to the mountain ridges of the Montsant Natural Park (particularly beautiful at sunrise). We love this hotel for many reasons, be it the beauty of the surroundings, the character and quality of the decor or the absolute sense of peace which pervades every corner. 

Perhaps best of all are the staff, who make you feel at home from the minute you arrive. What's particularly striking is how much the restaurant staff know and love their wine, not surprising given that the hotel produces its own top-notch wine (and olive oil) on site. 

As well as being an idyllic base to explore the Priorat area, it's also somewhere to unwind in simpler ways. You might take a gourmet picnic into the vines, stroll along the hilltops to a historic monastery ruin or, if you want a bit of indulgence, treat yourself to a sauna in the cabin made out of the winery's own barrels. The hotel is also proudly TV-free, making up for it with a quite epic collection of books to thumb through.

Sitting on the lower edge of a small village, Hotel Terra is nothing if not surprising. Its dramatically modern architecture looks out over the countryside but the angular modernity manages to be incredibly comfortable, helped by the wonderful hosts. With just four very comfortable rooms, this is a small gem of a place. The food, breakfast or dinner, is something to behold as well...quite how Meribel makes this stuff in what is essentially a domestic kitchen is beyond comprehension. 

La Rectoria is a peaceful retreat in the hills of the Garrotxa Natural Park. The small hotel is owned by the lovely Goretti and Roy, who met many moons ago in Edinburgh's famous Balmoral Hotel. It's to this apprenticeship in the Scottish capital that you can trace back the wonderful hospitality and culinary skills that make staying here such a pleasure. 

The hotel sits in a restored medieval rectory. Its rooms are light, spacious and very comfy, but the real heart of the hotel is in the dining and lounge areas where like-minded guests can mix. There is also a swimming pool for when the sun is out.

What makes Cadaqués so special is that the locals never left, that's why there aren't hotel blocks. And it's why the Hotel Tramuntana is here, family owned and run in a house which has been in the family for generations, Carlos looks after guests impeccably well. Rooms are very clean and modern but small. This was a village house after all so space is at a premium. However, the location and style is perfect, it's a few minutes' walk down to the town beach and the bars & restaurants of this great seaside town.

Sa Rascassa is located just a few meters from the Mediterranean in Aiguafreda cove, a few kms from civilisation. This is one of our favourite coves, with a small beach and rocky cliffs. It's a real haven of peace and an idle hideaway to explore on foot before retreating to dine in the seaside restaurant each night.

Hotel Nord 1901 is located in the very heart of Girona, on a peaceful street. It has a quiet garden and small plunge pool.  Everything is within easy walking distance. It's a perfect base from which to explore.