if money was not problem, I would opt for this one : Hotel Casa Fuster, in the Passeig de Graciá. Amazing place, great architecture, a good restaurant ...

http://www.hotelescenter.es

Or the Claris, or the Arts by the sea, or the Ritz ...

I wouldn´t stay in the Barri Gotic, it´s too near from the Ramblas and it is not so well kept. I would probably try to stay some place in the Eixample or Graciá ... The Derby chain belong to a family from Barcelona, and you can have everything from the 5-star Claris and its egyptian museum to the 3-star Astoria, well located and recently renovated. http://www.derbyhotels.es/eng/derby_in.htm

Hotel Banys Orientals also gets good reviews, but I don´t know quite well the area. The Born is gentrifying, but I would probably recommend you the Eixample. http://www.hotelbanysorientals.com/

I think that some Ziner stayed at a place in the Rambla de Catalunya (not to be mistaken with the infamous Rambla), but I don´t remember the name of the place right now.

Rgds, Covadonga Bilbao/Madrid - Spain