Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Sleeping
Barcelona has an excellent range of accommodation, with high-end luxury
hotels, small-scale boutique lodgings, and a varied spread of midrange and
budget selections. The settings offer some fine choices in historic districts,
facing the seaside or in the thick of charming neighbourhoods packed with
restaurants and nightlife. The continuing economic crisis has slowed price
increases, making the city reasonable value overall.
BOOK YOUR STAY ONLINE
For more accommodation reviews by Lonely Planet authors, check out
ht-
tp://lonelyplanet.com/hotels/
. You'll find independent reviews, as well as recommend-
ations on the best places to stay. Best of all, you can book online.
Hotels
Hotels cover a broad range. At the bottom end there is often little to distinguish them from
better
pensiones
and
hostales,
and from there they run up the scale to five-star luxury. Some
of the better features to look out for: rooftop pools and lounges, views (either of the sea or a
cityscape - Sagrada Família, Montjuïc, Barri Gòtic) and of course proximity to the important
sights. For around €100 to €140 there are extensive options for good doubles across a broad
range of hotels and areas. The top-end category starts at €250 for a double, but can easily rise
to €500 (and beyond for suites).
Pensiones & Hostales
Depending on the season you can pay as little as €15 to €25 for a dorm bed in a youth hostel.
If dorm living is not your thing but you are still looking for a budget deal, check around the
many
pensiones
(small private hotels) and
hostales
(budget hotels). These are family-run,
small-scale hotels, often housed in sprawling apartments. Some are fleapits, others immacu-
lately maintained gems. You're looking at a minimum of around €35/55 for basic
individual/
doble
(single/double) rooms, mostly without a private bathroom. (It is occasionally possible
to find cheaper rooms, but they can be unappetising.)
