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s one of Europe’s most popular travel destinations, Barcelona is a city that doesn’t need much of an introduction. But forty minutes’ drive down the Costa Daurada it’s a different and decidedly more bucolic world. The Le Méridien Ra Beach Hotel & Spa trades in Barcelona’s legendary nightlife for something a little less urban: the coastal Mediterranean resort town of El Vendrell.

Less urban doesn’t mean less stylish. The 143 rooms and suites at Le Méridien are minimalist but warm, with accents in pleasant seaside colors and plenty of space to spread out. The better ones have private terraces with views of the sea, and all of them are outfitted with all the current luxury-hotel must-haves, including oversized bathrooms with top-shelf bath products and a full complement of entertainment-oriented gadgetry.

The Ra Wellness Thalasso Spa is as impressive as it sounds, spread over an enormous 72,000 square feet, making the most of its location with therapies based on purified high-iodine Mediterranean seawater and beauty treatments by La Prairie. Meanwhile a handful of eateries provide the dining options, including an open-air terrace bar, a poolside grill, and a beachside restaurant with the Mediterranean for a backdrop.

How to get there:
Le Meridien Ra is a 50 minute drive from Barcelona International Airport.