It is known by most that the prices of accommodation in Barcelona are, in general, higher than Madrid. Although in quality they are at par, the old city lists more than the capital, so, in entering, if you are scheduling a getaway to Barcelona, reserve a good departure for your accommodation. Still though, if you want to enjoy a great hotel at a good price, continue reading because what you search for, will always be found…
A getaway to Barcelona is an ideal plan for whatever time of the year. As well as being a city with an artistic heritage and immense history, it has one of the best agenda of events in all of Spain: from concerts with international groups to opera, cycles of cinemas, expositions of design and contemporary art, performances, workshops with kids’ games in the plaza… in Barcelona it is impossible to be bored, if you go for only 2 days or if you stay for several weeks.
Planning the trip to Barcelona is quite simple. The Aeropuerto del Prat (Barcelona’s airport) has created a notable form of routes and airlines in the latest years, in the way that all the main cities of Spain and Europe have, at least, one flight each day that connects to Barcelona. The prices of flights are quite economic year round, especially if you reserve ahead of time, and the mobility within the city is very comfortable: there are direct buses from the airport to the centre of the city, and in the centre, you will always be able to get around walking, in taxi or on the metro.
Accommodation is something more complicatedbecause if you don’t dedicate time, you can end up in an excessively expensive hotel for the attention and services that you will enjoy. Yes, in the hotel industry of Barcelona there is everything, as elsewhere, with the disadvantage that in the old city the prices of accommodation are already quite high.
Finding a good hotel in the centre of Barcelona can be like searching for a needle in a haystack: a real odyssey. Those that have the best price to quality ratio fly away if they are not reserved in advance, so if you are trying to improvise a getaway… you have to psych yourself up, opt for a hostel with basic services or invest much of your travel expenses in a decent hotel.
AirBnbalternatives now were better than they are today. Especially since, although it is very handy when traveling in a group, getting an apartment for two in Barcelona at an affordable rate is not easy. Private owners have seen the business opportunity and there are many who, thanks to the high overall cost of the accommodation fee, are having a field day all year, for weeks or days renting their second homes and even their own apartments.
Where to stay in Barcelona at a good price? Well, the secret really is to know how to plan and opt for booking directly on the website of the accommodation, avoiding -in the extent possible – to middlemen, who always take home a fee. Hotels currently offer guaranteed best rate to all who book from the official website of its establishment.
Although middlemen are not always evil. Occasionally, they surprise you with heavily adjusted rates. It happens in times of a tourist slump (outside weekends, holidays or typical seasons of summer and Christmas) that is when they often fail to sell the quota of rooms that the hotel had hired and thus launch last minute offers with the aim of liquidating what they are missing. This requires, of course, a lot of dedication to the search, something that one cannot always do or what many are unwilling to do.
If there is no time for planning and we have caught us the bull (we have missed the mark), it is best to pass by – before anything – sections of deals and experiences of hotels that interest you: many reserve a certain number of rooms to provide closed accommodation packages with rates, yes, nonrefundable. These promotions, which offer less flexibility, have their advantages: You can enjoy a 3 or 4 star hotel with 10% and up to 30% off the usual rate. In addition, these packages often include interesting specials such as breakfast, free wifi or discounts on tickets to museums and theaters in the city.
Price ranges by hotel category in Barcelona vary greatly influencing it especially by the location of the hotel: there are luxury hotels that cost less than 4 star hotels simply by being at a greater distance from the iconic CiutatVella. A clear example is that a room at the Melia Barcelona Sky (a 5 star beyond the PobleNou) is cheaper than in the Hotel Eurostars Cristal Palace (4 star in the area of Paseo de Gracia and Plaza de Catalunya).
The most interesting areas for staying are:
- The surroundings of the La Boqueria market,which is where the Hotel Petit PalacaBoqeruía Garden is situated – it has a centennial garden on it’s patio and offers rooms for large families and groups at a great price -.
- El Raval, near to the SalaApolo, placed in one of the trendy neighborhoods of Barcelona and one that offers more diverse activities, both cultural and gastronomic. In the area is the Barceló Raval, that has one of the most exclusive rooftops in Barcelona, one of the most select meeting points in the city.
- El Gótico y el Born, one of the most emblematic areas. Here there are most hostels than high-ranking hotels, but all of them have their charm. The rooms tend to be smaller and many offer shared bathrooms, but it can be interesting for a getaway as a couple for some days in Barcelona or a trip with friends.
- Plaza Catalunya, the most connected area where you can arrive to almost any point of interest in the old center of the city in 15 minutes by walking. Here you find many of the hotels with the best quality to price ratio: various Petit Palace, various Catalonia, NH, Barceló, and Melià.
The Early Booking offers practically are just left to be able to book rooms now for next year. The fortunate ones that already know which days they have free for 2017 should take advantage of it because there are offers of more than 30% offhotels of authentic luxury right in the centre of Barcelona.
Check, for example, some hotels in the centre such as the Hotel Catalonia Ramblas, the Catalonia Barcelona Plaza and the Hotel Catalonia Atenas, all which have 4 star accommodations with prices for rooms that vary from 100-170 euros, with free wifi, spa areas and gyms, etc. For the others, don’t wait dedicating time to searching and take advantage of the moment. Carpe diem!