Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Book ahead. Barcelona is Spain's most expensive city. Still, it has reasonably priced rooms.
Cheap places are more crowded in summer; fancier business-class hotels fill up in winter
and offer discounts on weekends and in summer. When considering relative hotel values,
in summer and on weekends you can often get modern comfort in business-class hotels for
about the same price (€100) as you'll pay for ramshackle charm (and only a few minutes'
walk from the Old City action). Most TI branches (including those at Plaça de Catalunya,
Plaça de Sant Jaume, and the airport) offer a room-finding service, though it's cheaper to go
direct.
Whilemanyofmyrecommendationsareonpedestrianstreets,nightnoisecanbeaprob-
lem (especially in cheap places, which have single-pane windows). For a quiet night, ask for
“
tranquilo
” rather than “
con vista.
”
These hotels have sliding-glass doors leading to plush reception areas, air-conditioning, and
perfectly sterile modern bedrooms. Most are on big streets within two blocks of Barcelona's
exuberant central square, where the Old City meets the Eixample. As business-class hotels,
they have hard-to-pin-down prices that fluctuate wildly. I've listed the average rate you'll
pay. But in summer and on weekends, supply often far exceeds the demand, and many of
these places cut prices to around €100—always ask for a deal. Most of these are located
between two Metro stops: Catalunya and Universitat; if arriving by Aerobus, note that the
bus also stops at both places.
Sleep Code
(€1 = about $1.30, country code: 34)
S
= Single,
D
= Double/Twin,
T
= Triple,
Q
= Quad,
b
= bathroom,
s
= shower only.
Unless otherwise noted, credit cards are accepted, English is spoken, and prices lis-
ted generally include the 8 percent IVA tax. Hotel breakfasts can range from simple
spreads (either included or cheap) to pricey buffets.
To help you easily sort through these listings, I've divided the accommodations
into three categories, based on the price for a standard double room with bath (during
high season):
