BARCELÓ HAS BEEN DOING THIS VACATION THING FOR A LONG TIME

Barceló is one of those hotel brands Americans may not talk about constantly, but once you start traveling internationally, the name keeps showing up. Mexico. Punta Cana. Aruba. Costa Rica. Spain. Major cities throughout Europe. Barceló has spent decades building hotels and resorts in places we actually want to visit.

Part of the Spanish Barceló Hotel Group, the brand has real range. Some properties are traditional city hotels, while others are sprawling beachfront all-inclusives built for families, couples and groups. Move into the Royal Level at participating resorts and you can upgrade the experience without leaving the property. And Barceló's broader portfolio gives travelers access to additional brands like Royal Hideaway Luxury Hotels & Resorts and Occidental Hotels & Resorts.

For Black travelers, we especially like Barceló when we're looking for value without giving up the vacation feeling. A big pool, beach, multiple restaurants, drinks, activities and a room we're happy to come back to can matter more than having the trendiest name on Instagram.

Barceló isn't always the first brand somebody drops in the group chat. But don't sleep on it. There's a lot of hotel here, often at prices that make the destination considerably easier to say yes to.