Danon, thanks so much for taking a look! I have checked out the Habitat apts but most of their 2 BR's have one bath & we would like at least 1 1/2 if not 2 baths. I would have to go with a 3 BR such as the Casp or Via apt which would be more expensive.... but may be worth it if no one has heard of/dealt with the other agencies mentioned above.

Not a problem
The one behind the University is excellent location
For Negre, I am getting three different locations.

Someone here used this company and liked it very much.
http://www.destinationbcn.com/

Thanks, will do some more research & then start a separate post with a narrowed down list for opinions.
BumbleB6, were you able to find something?

Really Barcelona is a wonderful place to visit , been there once & lived in Aparthotel Citadines. Travelled on metro train which has great system. I liked the way that a line map for each station above the doors flashes on and off until it reaches that stop. Here is a side view of metro train : http://www.railway-technology.com/pr...-metro-line-9/ . This metro train is going to be longest automated metro in Europe in 2014.

Exited_confused:
Sorry for a late un ser, see your post Today.
You can go to www.fisarentals.com. Or as we did go through Booking.com
You check in at their offices, then go to the apartment. A short walk if your luggage is "normal", or take a taxi for some 4 euros. They hace apartments in other buildings, but we preferred the ones at carrer Pelai.
Hope you receive this in time! You will enjoy the city, don't miss the Magic Fountain and the Sagrada Familia, not to speak of the other Gaudí buidings and Parks, and much more of course.

I found a couple of places I bookmarked- one through Habitat, and another through Negre bcn.com.

http://negre.us/apartments/PSJ87/13/
The Negre BCN. Another cash-on-arrival, but I think we can also pay through paypal. Hope so, I hate the cash on arrival thing, esp, in a place with a reputation like Barcelona's...

and this one -
http://www.habitatapartments.com/en/...ia-classic.htm

The location of both seem to be fairly central - am I right about that, or no?
I love the looks of the first one, through Negre, but the 2nd one actually looks more comfortably furnished.

A friend of mine, who's been to Barcelona three times, says she always stays in a hotel near Passeig de Gracia and in Eixample, and they still manage to walk everywhere. And they are , well- they're not what I'd call "active".
She said my teen daughter and I would like the shops and such on Passeig de Gracia, and suggested we stay close to Placa Catalunya for guided tour excursions, of which we'd like to do a couple..

All that being said -I'm not making any final decisions on Barcelona until I check flight fares in March and compare them to other places. Will also see if the husband and kid want to go somewhere else... I feel compelled to go to Barcelona, though, so..
If we do go, how soon should I book these? Would it be too late to wait until Christmas?
In the meantime, I'll keep my eye on them.

Thanks for all the suggestions. This isa great forum, I don't know why I hadn't discovered it sooner..

BumbleB6:

I like more the location of the second apartment over the first one.IMO even closer tovPlaza de Catalunya would be even better, but this is just me. Barcelona is so great you will enjoy anyway.
It is just that Plaza de Catalunya is where the Ramblas start, also the red bus start here and it is the destination of the Aerobus.

Enjoy planning!

Both locations are good...habitat location is excellent , IMO. ( I have been to Barcelona seven times, the last in May)
I don't like Ramblas and stay away from the area.
A really nice street is Rambla de Catalunya parallel to PdeG.
many stores and restaurants in between the two.

Habitat is very popular , 2 bed, 2 bath apt. are also hard to find.
I would book as soon as you book the flight

Sorry, couldn't resist asking about one more -
http://www.allapartmentsbarcelona.co...20VIA_147.html
How is this location? Better or worse that the Universitat apt I mentioned earlier? And has anyone ever dealt with or heard of
All Apartments Barcelona?

BumbleB6, I definitely like the Habitat apt better, IMHO!

Gran Via is one of major avenues...huge traffic all the time.
Unless the apt is looking at the courtyard on a high floor, the noise can be an issue.

Thanks for the input, good to know! Will take that one off the list, I WAS wondering why it was priced lower than the others.

Yes, I think I like the Habitat apt better too. Does seem to be closer to the center of things...

And my daughter could have her own bathroom! That's a plus. I think this one is it.
Because of the cancellation policy, don't want to book until I know for sure.

Thanks, everyone, for your input!

I would go for the Gran Via apartment so I could run around in my socks on that highly polished floor

Ok I booked this apartment today -
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Rev...Catalonia.html

through booking.com.

Free cancellation - although I like the looks of the place, and I like the policies - they accept credit cards for full payment, don't charge an extra fee for it, provide airport shuttle (I'm assuming for a fee), free wi-fi, and all-around very good reviews on tripadvisor. Daily cleaning too and a nespresso machine. No 2nd bathroom in the standard 2br, but that's a bonus that's not really necessary... Reviews state it's a fairly quiet area. And we don't mind walking..

Seems like it's 15 min. to Placa Catalunya, but that's fine...

I'm still keeping the Lauria Classic apt. bookmarked, in case I feel like I absolutely must have it... (I do like the interior decor of that one better!) but I do have an apt. now!
I feel more motivated now for booking flights in winter, .

Sounds like a good plan Bumble6, that's what I was hoping to do too but I cannot find anything I like on Booking.com with 2 br's & 2 baths. Did you see one there with 2 baths? Like you, I am also not comfortable paying a non-refundable deposit so far ahead.

There is one I found that says the deposit is fully refundable if we cancel 60 days prior but they charge a pretty hefty deposit. Also, I am a little wary of dealing with an individual owner. The website is given below, any comments?
http://www.vrbo.com/454298?utm_sourc...BOOwnerInquiry

excited_confused (love that name! ) I believe the Casp74 apts where I booked also has 2 br/2ba that you can book directly through their website - just wasn't available through booking.com.
The Lauria Classic I posted the link to, a few posts above, is 2br/2ba as well. It's through Habitat. I can't remember if they accept credit card for full payment, or paypal, but I do remember their cancellation policy seems a bit prohibitive - 40% of the deposit refunded (or is it 40% of the cost of the entire reserved stay? It confused me..)

I've booked rentals in the past with policies like this and actually had no problems, but I also knew, for sure, I was going on the trip. I just rented two apartments in Andalucia where I couldn't get the deposit back at all - and cash on arrival for the remainder, which I didn't like, but both apartments were great - and the deposit wasn't a lot. I also knew I'd be going.
I certainly understand why individual owners and small agencies want to make it hard to cancel. It's probably tough to rebook a place in such short time. But that being said, I booked the Casp74 apt. - after taking a few hours this morning to browse through many listings on booking.com - because of their willingness to let me pay with plastic, and their very flexible cancellation policy. But mainly the former. I also like that the office is apparently downstairs and that's where the key is collected and we don't have to arrange a meeting time, etc. I do like renting apartments over hotel rooms, but miss the ease and convenience of just showing up at the hotel and getting your room...

"...where I couldn't get the deposit back at all.." I meant to say, after that - if we cancelled the reservation. But we didn't cancel, we did rent the apartments.