Accomodation to rent in Barcelona: tips and variants

One can always find an accommodation to rent in Barcelona, regardless of the budget and taste. All you have to do is choose the district, accommodation type, and payment method that work best for you.

Hotels

Like any tourist city, Barcelona boasts a vast number of hotels, from the luxurious, 5-star places like Mandarin Oriental and Majestic to the modest but cozy 3-star establishments. First of all, you should decide whether you prefer to stay in the city center, surrounded by noisy night life and the tourist hustle, or whether you prefer a quieter area with a nice infrastructure, far from the nightclubs and crowds. It is possible to book a hotel in Barcelona in advance, for the majority of the hotels, regardless of their category, have online-booking options. In Barcelona, there are plenty of rooms with sea views that feature expansive terraces, roof access, a swimming pool, and green patios.

On the other hand, you could focus on finding an interior that inspires you throughout your stay, motivating you to enjoy your trip to the fullest. To this effect, Barcelona offers its guests designer boutique-hotels with exclusive designs, posh hotels in the imperial style, and small hotels nestled in historical 6-17th century buildings, just to name a few options. Doubtless, there are hundreds of even more unique offers, including the yacht-hotel Sunborn BCN, where you can stay while enjoying all the amenities of a cruise ship. The Wittmore features the largest vertical garden in Barcelona, which is 22 meters high, and Mercer Hotel Barcelona contains a fragment of the ancient Roman wall in its building structure.

Advantages

• Access to all the necessary services, from laundry to airport transfer;
• You can choose any check-in and -out timing that works for you;
• Most of the hotels have their own parking.

Disadvantages

• Booking almost always requires an equal insurance sum withdrawal from your card that is returned only shortly after your check-out from the hotel;
• Hotels’ restaurant schedules and the working hours of other services vary;
• High prices, especially during hot seasons and vacation periods.

Hostels

Very often, those who have not experienced the quality of services in Barcelona are frightened by the word, “hostel.” They may have preconceptions of a dilapidated place frequented by hippies, where the walls smell of tobacco and alcohol. In actuality, the hostels in Barcelona are quite different. Barcelona’s hostels often boast unique designer concepts, luxurious lobbies, and top-level services. Even those rooms intended to accommodate six people tend to be comfortable and equipped with most of the necessary gadgets, from a lockable safe deposit for luggage to a phone charger. Every hostel offers the option to book an individual room or a room for a couple. Moreover, all of these feature the option of choosing a room for women only.

Every room has a bathroom and a full-length mirror, and the rooms are sterile and clean. Hence, the atmosphere of the hostel Casa Gracia, located directly on Passeig de Gracia in a historic building, is equal to that of a big hotel. More student-oriented hostels, such as Generator Barcelona, stand out due to their modern designs and bright interior accessories, although the level of services remains quite high as well. All in all, a hostel is one of the most comfortable, safe, and affordable offers in Barcelona. If you want to save money and spend it on unforgettable experiences instead of accommodation, it is a smart “price-quality” option to consider a hostel.

Advantages

• Low prices even for an individual room;
• The best hostels are located in the city center, close to the main landmarks;
• The prices are stable even during the holidays – the hostels maintain them without changes.

Disadvantages

• Co-living with neighbors if you really want to save money;
• No breakfast included with the room;
• No parking;
• Limited range of services, which is much smaller compared with the large hotels.

Apartments

The rental of flats in Barcelona is regulated by the city’s short-term rent legislation. In order to set an apartment in Barcelona for rent, the owner must have a license. For this reason, not every city resident can rent his or her flat whenever he or she wants – and city authorities monitor this by watching the payment of taxes. Thus, when renting vacation housing, it is crucial to ask the apartment owner to see the license. There is another, even better option – to contact one of the numerous real estate agencies of Barcelona.

It is rather easy to rent an apartment in Barcelona, Spain via such websites as habitaclia.com or idealista.com. As a rule, after entering a required district and the search details about the number of rooms and maximum price, you will be offered an updated list of options. It is possible to monitor most of the apartments on the real estate websites for several months, for almost all online resources have the option to “report the price drop.” In the case that the price for the real estate object decreases in the off-season or due to a lack of demand, you can receive a notification automatically. The cheapest apartments can be found in Raval and Barceloneta, while the rent prices in Gracia, Sarria, and Eixample are significantly higher. (At the same time, there are always plenty of offers to suit any taste).

Advantages

• Comfort and home-like atmosphere;
• The prices are lower than in a hotel;
• Many apartments are offered in every district;
• Some offers include cleaning.

Disadvantages

• Not all of the real estate agency employees and apartment owners are fluent in English. For this reason, there might be some problems in communication;
• It is impossible to judge the state of the apartment by photo. As a rule, you can assume the photos were taken in the past;
• If you do not know the city well, you will not be able to determine whether your apartment boasts a convenient location or not;
• It is a challenge to find an apartment for a very short period of time.

Room

Renting a room in Barcelona is the best way to save money when you search for a place to live. In this case, it is also very important to ask for a license when signing a lease contract. You can find a room through the same real estate agencies that offer apartments. Also, with this option, it is possible to track the price decline and search for a district even before coming to Spain. Unlike the apartments, prices for the rooms in Barcelona are not directly linked to the area of the city.

As a rule, an average price for rent is 300-450 euros (if an apartment or a house does not feature additional comfort amenities). Should you have a separate terrace or a bathroom, or if all the residents on the block have the opportunity to use a public terrace or patio, the price can be much higher. It is always a good idea to evaluate the overall size of the apartment and consider what happens if all its residents gather in the living room and whether it will be too crowded for you. Also, you should clarify whether your room can be locked with a key and how often you will see your neighbors, especially if you are sensitive to noise.

Advantages

• Low price that can be compared only to that of the hostels;
• Home-like atmosphere and all the amenities you will need to feel comfortable;
• Vast choice in comparison with apartments.

Disadvantages

• The neighbors are changing constantly;
• No parking, as in many options within the private sector.