Hotels and hostels in Barcelona, Spain
April 6, 2015 7:45 PM Subscribe
I would love your recommendations for conveniently-located, secure, and moderately-priced accommodations in Barcelona.
I'll be spending 3-4 nights in Barcelona in late June/early July as part of a longer European trip. Since I got such amazing answers to my recent question about Vienna, I'd figured I ask this one, too.
I'm reading up on AskMeFi's wealth of information for tourists to Barcelona but I'm also always happy to hear sightseeing tips. I'm learning Spanish (alas, Castilian, not Catalan) and have visited Madrid and Seville before. ¡Muchas gracias!
I'll be spending 3-4 nights in Barcelona in late June/early July as part of a longer European trip. Since I got such amazing answers to my recent question about Vienna, I'd figured I ask this one, too.
I'm reading up on AskMeFi's wealth of information for tourists to Barcelona but I'm also always happy to hear sightseeing tips. I'm learning Spanish (alas, Castilian, not Catalan) and have visited Madrid and Seville before. ¡Muchas gracias!
Best answer: The 5 Rooms is wonderful, as well as being quite central.
posted by pipeski at 2:58 AM on April 7, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by pipeski at 2:58 AM on April 7, 2015 [1 favorite]
Best answer: We also rented an apartment near Sagrada Familia and it was an excellent decision. Had so much more space than a hotel and beautiful views out the balcony. We were extremely close to the metro and it was very easy to get around.
posted by jaksemas at 5:05 AM on April 7, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by jaksemas at 5:05 AM on April 7, 2015 [1 favorite]
Best answer: We got relatively good prices (50-80€/night) at the Confortel Barcelona in Poble Nou last summer (we booked via websites that offered best prices), a couple of blocks from the beach, the metro station, and it was ok. Not fascinating, colorful or anything, but it was certainly comfortable.
posted by ipsative at 7:14 AM on April 7, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by ipsative at 7:14 AM on April 7, 2015 [1 favorite]
Best answer: This seems to be a trend, but my wife and I also rented an apartment VERY near Sagrada Familia. We were just there last month, taking a side trip to spend a few days there over a weeklong stay with family in Madrid.
Tips:
Breakfast: Molika
Lunch: Biercab
Dinner: Tapeo
El Xampanyet is directly across the street from Tapeo. As amazing as the house-made cava is meant to be there, we were intimidated by the crowd, so we tried our luck at Tapeo and were much happier.
Be sure to buy tickets for both the sanctuary and the tower if you want to get the full Sagrada Familia experience. The stone steps are precarious coming back down, but the view from up there is worth it.
posted by emelenjr at 8:06 AM on April 7, 2015 [1 favorite]
Tips:
Breakfast: Molika
Lunch: Biercab
Dinner: Tapeo
El Xampanyet is directly across the street from Tapeo. As amazing as the house-made cava is meant to be there, we were intimidated by the crowd, so we tried our luck at Tapeo and were much happier.
Be sure to buy tickets for both the sanctuary and the tower if you want to get the full Sagrada Familia experience. The stone steps are precarious coming back down, but the view from up there is worth it.
posted by emelenjr at 8:06 AM on April 7, 2015 [1 favorite]
Best answer: I stayed at the Silken Diagonal for several nights and really enjoyed it. Right across the street from a mall, and from a hop-on-hop-off bus route. That bus route was super convenient. Beware the transparent showers if you're not with a SO, and it's right beside a monument that lights up brightly every night, can't remember its name.
posted by aclevername at 8:29 AM on April 7, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by aclevername at 8:29 AM on April 7, 2015 [1 favorite]
Best answer: I was in Barcelona a bit over a year ago. We also stayed in a rented apartment, though it wasn't very near the tourist areas.
Be prepared for some shopkeepers to be upset that you're trying to speak to them in Spanish instead of Catalan. The subway is pretty nice, though as mentioned be aware of your surroundings for pickpockets.
posted by Night_owl at 12:20 PM on April 7, 2015 [1 favorite]
Be prepared for some shopkeepers to be upset that you're trying to speak to them in Spanish instead of Catalan. The subway is pretty nice, though as mentioned be aware of your surroundings for pickpockets.
posted by Night_owl at 12:20 PM on April 7, 2015 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: I will be booking my accommodations soon thanks to your help!
A few quick follow-ups:
- Despite having lived in Europe for a number of years and having traveled extensively, I've never had an issue with pickpockets. However, I'm preparing for the worst because I've heard it's a major issue in Barcelona: now where did I put that moneybelt?!
- I'm loving these restaurant and sightseeing suggestions, too. Yum! I've heard wonderful things about dining in Barcelona and am all about art and architecture. I'd like to buy some shoes, too, because they'll be stylish and last forever with proper care.
- I'll be going alone this time but will definitely look into renting an apartment in the future, which sounds like a smart option!
- Yes, I've been told not to expect to practice much Spanish. (In fact, my brother-in-law is a Spaniard yet sticks to English when in Catalonia!)
Thank you very much!! If you would like to add any more tips, I'll be checking in occasionally and always am glad to read more.
posted by smorgasbord at 2:34 PM on April 7, 2015
A few quick follow-ups:
- Despite having lived in Europe for a number of years and having traveled extensively, I've never had an issue with pickpockets. However, I'm preparing for the worst because I've heard it's a major issue in Barcelona: now where did I put that moneybelt?!
- I'm loving these restaurant and sightseeing suggestions, too. Yum! I've heard wonderful things about dining in Barcelona and am all about art and architecture. I'd like to buy some shoes, too, because they'll be stylish and last forever with proper care.
- I'll be going alone this time but will definitely look into renting an apartment in the future, which sounds like a smart option!
- Yes, I've been told not to expect to practice much Spanish. (In fact, my brother-in-law is a Spaniard yet sticks to English when in Catalonia!)
Thank you very much!! If you would like to add any more tips, I'll be checking in occasionally and always am glad to read more.
posted by smorgasbord at 2:34 PM on April 7, 2015
This thread is closed to new comments.
We rented an apartment a few blocks from the Sant Pau hospital in the eastern part of town, about a 10 minute walk from the Sagrada Familia. Two bedrooms, two bathrooms, nine nights, 1780 Euro. Fairly easy access to everything in town via the subway... two of us ran through three T10 passes in a week.
My walks past the Sant Jordi hostel near the S.A. Damm brewery always suggested it was well run, safe, and moderately priced.
The principal downside to Barcelona for me was the scourge of pickpockets, though they're a lot more subtle than the aggressive purse-snatchers of Rome. I got bump-and-picked a couple times on the subway and on La Rambla, and they came up empty (I carried no wallet) because they didn't have the aggressiveness to grab my money belt from under my clothes or my closely-held daypack.
But oh ! The wine, and the food, and the sea !
I will be kicking myself for years for missing the Can Paixano restaurant down in an alley near the Barceloneta waterfront. Take a friend, and don't repeat my mistake.
posted by Kakkerlak at 11:27 PM on April 6, 2015 [1 favorite]