Spain/Latin America Planning trip in April to Barcelona.

[leica M2 fan]

Any fellow RFF members here that could give me advice on where to stay and where not to stay. Any hotel info. tips, advice is appreciated and welcome. We (wife and I) plan on maybe 7 days there. Do not need to stay at 5 star or even 4 star hotels but would like private bath. Would also like central location so as not to have to take transportation to and from. TIA for any help.

 

[SolaresLarrave]

I cannot advice about hotels... but let me show you this thread because it has sightseeing information. Just click HERE and take notes.

I'll let someone else chime in with other practical information.

Of course, you can always take a peek at my BCN photos (click on signature link).

I envy you...

 

[leica M2 fan]

Thanks Francisco !

Thanks Francisco !

I cannot advice about hotels... but let me show you this thread because it has sightseeing information. Just click HERE and take notes.

I'll let someone else chime in with other practical information.

Of course, you can always take a peek at my BCN photos (click on signature link).

I envy you...

I just told my wife I was posting here and I said I hope Francisco reads this and responds and, you did! I appreciate it very much and BTW I have seen your galleries many times and especially the Barcelona series. Very enjoyable. Do you have any preferences on which district to stay in for our stay?

 

[SolaresLarrave]

Hmmm... hotels in Barcelona...

If I knew better, I'd tell you to look for some in the area known as "El Eixanche", which is the larger urban area that surrounds the Gothic Quarter. I believe you can find small hotels there, but, to be quite honest, during the time I lived in BCN I paid more attention to the sights, and when I returned there, four years ago, I was staying at a very nice hotel in a very weird area.

I'll pick my wife's brains. She's a lot more observant about these things than yours-truly.

And thanks for your kind remarks about my Barcelona shots!

 

[SolaresLarrave]

Wife's brains were picked. Same situation... but she could recall one hotel in the neighborhood of Gracia called Hotel Silver. I liked Gracia, and it's within the metro system (about four stops from the main station in Placa Catalunya, IIRC), but I don't know if it's for you in that it's a bit away from the things you'd like to see.

Depending on funds... there's the Rialto Hotel, charging about 300 euros per night. It's smacked in the Gothic Quarter...

Sorry, Tony, but I failed you this time... Hopefully, someone from BCN will read this thread and come to the rescue!

 

[leica M2 fan]

Francisco...

Francisco...

My thanks to you and your wife for the information, any little bit of info is important. I will consider Gracia and take a look at the possibilities there. Thanks again, you didn't fail. If you think of anything new please post.

 

[Pablito]

Francisco, I think you mean El Eixample, which is inland from the Gothic quarter, towads Tibidabo mountain. El Eixample is where you find many modernista buildings, it was developed mostly in the 19th Century.

There are many, many hotels in Barcelona, thousands of them. I like the Catalonia chain, all nice hotels and not too pricey - but bear in mind Barcelona is VERY expensive now! If you want to be right across from the Cathedral the Hotel Colon is nice, or Hotel Banys Orientals is very nice and moderately priced small hotel, but almost impossible to get a reservation. If you have an academic affiliation (if you are a professor) - PM me for an inexpensive place to stay that is reserved for professors only.

Bear in mind that although BCN is a wonderful city, it is a tourist haven and the Gothic Quarter, the Ramblas the Born area are just SEETHING with tourists year round. Enjoy the less touristy areas like Gracia. And make day trips to Girona and Tarragona. If you are extremely unlucky, your visit will overlap with a major football (soccer) match between Barcelona and a team from the UK. Unless you can get tickets and enjoy the match, you'll have to put up with thousands of young UK tourists contributing "pavement pizzas" to the sidewalks outside the downtown British-style pubs. Watch your step!

 

[Pablito]

Wife's brains were picked. Same situation... but she could recall one hotel in the neighborhood of Gracia called Hotel Silver. I liked Gracia, and it's within the metro system (about four stops from the main station in Placa Catalunya, IIRC), but I don't know if it's for you in that it's a bit away from the things you'd like to see.

Depending on funds... there's the Rialto Hotel, charging about 300 euros per night. It's smacked in the Gothic Quarter...

Sorry, Tony, but I failed you this time... Hopefully, someone from BCN will read this thread and come to the rescue!

Avoid the Rialto Hotel at all costs. I have stayed in MANY hotels in BCN and this is the only one I would rate as "dreadful". Hotel Gotico is ok, Hotel Suizo puts you right in front of the metro but it's noisy. Most hotels in the downtown area are noisy.
I suggest you google "Hoteles Catalonia", each of their hotels is quite nice, with good service. They have several in BCN, one is in Eixample right near La Pedrera (Gaudi's apartment building which is now a museum)

If you like to walk, you can walk from Gracia down to the Ramblas in about half an hour or 45 minutes.

 

[SolaresLarrave]

Pablito, you're right, it's the Eixample, the showplace of "modernista" architecture.

When I stayed in BCN (10 months) between 1993 & 1994, I seldom looked at hotels. However, the last time I went I stayed at a very nice one, located in the Barrio Chino. It was OK during the day, but I wouldn't have been too happy about walking from the Ramblas to my hotel down the narrow little street that took me there.

In any case, it's good you added your information about hotels. And Gracia is a nice neighborhood to walk about, with its myriad of small plazas and coffeeshops.

I'm getting nostalgic...

 

[Pablito]

Barrio Chino / El Raval is seedy still but it's my favorite part of the old city because of its ethnic diversity. It is safer now at night than it used to be because there are SO many tourists out all night, and young people going to clubs. The thing to worry about is purse/bag snatching, they can grab your bag and disappear before you even SEE them. So wear shoulder bags ACROSS the chest, not over one shoulder. The frequency of violent crimes is quite low.

EDIT: I should say El Raval/ Barrio Chino is safer now that it used to be BUT the frequency of petty theft throughout the city has gone up. If you let yourself be vulnerable, you WILL get pickpocketed.

 

[leica M2 fan]

Thanks Pablito and Francisco for all the great info. Have gotten quite a lot of info off the internet and my tour books. Should lead me to sound decisions. Thanks again.

 

[Carlos Cruz]

Just back from BCN, it was great, almost/ I lost my lens there/ we rented an apartment thru https://www.apartmentsapart.com/ it was two bedroom apartment with bathroom, kitchen, and dining room. It was actually cheaper than hostel and much more comfy.

PS If you'l encounter a black color skopar 21/4 s/n 9730694 with russian 20 mm KMZ vf s/n 03501 let me know.